Pros
I am in my second season of working with NEON as a seasonal field technician. I have and continue to enjoy my work. The temporary field technician position is an excellent entry-level position for those in the natural sciences. I have had the opportunity to gain experience in a range of protocols from trapping small mammals and identifying local flora in the field to performing analysis on soils and identifying beetles in the lab. The job is a great way to hone in your interests on a subject within the broad range of natural sciences. With the variety of protocols, work remains interesting throughout the season. And with the purpose of NEON's ecological sampling in mind, it a job and project that I have been able to feel good about participating in.
Cons
For a Temporary Field Technician, it is possible to earn your way into a leadership position (which comes with a raise). However, beyond that there is limited room for advancement for most of the temporary techs (save for aspiring mammalogists, botanists, or limnologists).