The Penn Job Opportunity: Forest Monitoring Technician Summer 2012 The Pennsylvania State University School of Forest Resources is hiring one seasonal technician to collect forest monitoring data in eight national parks in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, including the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, New River Gorge National River, and Gauley River National Recreational Area. This is the sixth year of a long-term monitoring program investigating forest condition at these national parks. The position begins in mid-May 2012 and continues for 12 – 15 weeks with compensation of $12-15 per hour depending on experience. The technician will travel to and be housed in or near a national park each week. Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Applicants should enjoy working outdoors in a variety of conditions and be able to identify common trees and shrubs of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Training or experience in forest ecology and collecting forest data is desirable. Knowledge or experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable: forest pests and pathogens; forest soils; and/or identification of herbaceous and graminoid plants. Applicants should be able to navigate in the woods by compass and using GPS. The ability to hike long distances over steep terrain will also be required. Additional tasks will include data entry and quality control of data. If interested, please send a brief cover letter, a resume, and contact information for three references to Stephanie Perles (sj...@psu.edu) by February 13, 2012.