In cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA), the Great Basin Institute is recruiting an Avian Field Technician to work cooperatively as part of a larger team of Technicians working on botany, avian biology and restoration initiatives. The Technician will work on a number of projects, including migratory and nesting bird point count surveys, nest searches, and owl call playback surveys. Other projects will include rare plant and butterfly host plant inventories; implementation of long term monitoring for rare plant species and for previously implemented restoration projects; identification and collection of native plant seeds for restoration projects; and small scale riparian and arid land restoration projects. Collectively, the team is responsible for data collection, entry and analysis; report writing; project planning and mapping; and other tasks assigned by SMNRA resource biologists. Opportunities to collaborate with other GBI crews at the SMNRA (e.g. archaeology, education) and participate in training (e.g. GIS) are available.
Compensation: o $19,600 Living Allowance o $2,675 AmeriCorps Education Award* o Student loan forbearance* o Field per diem o Medical and dental benefits o Optional housing offered in USFS Spring Mountains NRA bunkhouse or trailer in Mt. Charleston, NV * AmeriCorps Education Award may be used for past, present or future education experiences, including payment of qualifying federal student loans. Timeline: o April 30, 2012 October 12, 2012 o Full time, minimum 40 hours per week Location: o Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (25 miles northwest of Las Vegas, NV) Qualifications: Technical requirements: o Ability to identify birds by sight and by song; o Ability to learn a large number of birds in a short period of time; o Experience conducting songbird point count surveys; o Experience with bird field guides; o Willingness to work irregular hours, including pre-sunrise mornings and late nights past midnight; o Ability to identify plants using a dichotomous key without pictures; o Experience working with hand-held GPS equipment for navigation and data collection; o Knowledge of GIS software (highly desirable but not required); o Experience with technical writing and/or producing written project/grant reports; and o Experience with restoration techniques (e.g., seed collection, hand tool use). Additional requirements: o Valid, state-issued drivers license and clean driving record; o Experience operating 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, including narrow, mountain forest roads; o Ability to work productively as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals; o Ability to work independently; o Ability to communicate effectively with team members, agency staff, and a diverse public; o Good organizational skills; o Willingness to spend multiple days camping in the field; o Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain, carry upwards of 40 pounds in a backpack, and otherwise maintain good physical condition; and o Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: (1) U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status, (2) eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (limit of four in a lifetime, or equivalent of two full-time terms of service), and (3) pass National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR) and federal criminal background checks. How to Apply: Qualified and interested applicants should forward a cover letter, their résumé, and a list of three professional references to Stacy Mitchell, GBI HR Assistant, at [email protected]. Please include where you found this position posted. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religion. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
