Vegetation and ES&R Monitoring Technician Great Basin Institute / BLM Winnemucca District Office
Description: Working cooperatively with the BLM Winnemucca District Office, GBI is recruiting two to three (2-3) Field Technicians to work cooperatively with BLM staff on post-wildfire Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation (ES&R), fuels, and weeds projects. The Technicians will work on a number of projects, including a variety of monitoring protocols designed to determine effectiveness of post-fire stabilization and rehabilitation efforts including line-point intercept, canopy gap, and basal gap intercept as detailed in the Monitoring Manual for Grasslands, Shrubland, and Savanna Ecosystems, Volume 1: USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range. The primary duties of this position will be to collect field data and assist in written monitoring summary reports for the ES&R program. There may also be opportunities to aid in the preparation of ES (Emergency Stabilization) and BAR (Burned Area Rehabilitation) plans, including site evaluation, inventory, and GPS/GIS work. Collectively, the team is responsible for data collection, entry and analysis; report writing; project planning and mapping; and other tasks assigned by ESR personnel. Location: The BLM Winnemucca District Office (WDO) lies roughly in the northwest part of Nevada, nested in the basin and range province of the western U.S. The WDO is approximately 2.5 hours east of Reno, NV and 2 hours west of Elko, NV on I-80, and 5.5 hours south of Boise, ID on State Highway 95. Elevations range from approximately 4,000 feet to close to 10,000 feet. The District encompasses roughly 11 million acres, of which 7.38 million acres are public lands managed by the BLM. Compensation & Timeline: o Rate of Pay: $15.25/hour o Medical and Dental Benefits o Field Per Diem when camping o 26-week appointment beginning March 16, 2015, or upon availability o Full time, 40 hours per week Qualifications: Technical requirements: o Bachelors Degree (or coursework towards a degree) in Life Sciences, such as: Botany, Wildlife, Biology, Range Ecology, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Resources or related subject matter; o Experience conducting ecological field work; o Knowledge of Great Basin flora and fauna (preferable); o Experience using a dichotomous key to identify plants to species; o Experience conducting plant surveys using various monitoring protocols, including standard rangeland monitoring protocols, photo plots, and site observations; o Experience with data entry and analysis; o Experience with technical writing and/or producing written project/monitoring summary reports/grant reports; o Experience working with hand-held GPS equipment for navigation and data collection; o Experience working with GIS software; and o Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access) Additional requirements: o Valid, state-issued drivers license and clean driving record; 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 Willingness to sometimes work irregular hours (e.g., early mornings, late nights); and 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. o Successful applicant(s) must complete a Department of Interior (DOI) Background Investigation (BI) or submit paperwork to BLM human resources indicating an active and fully adjudicated BI has already been completed prior to beginning position. How to Apply: Qualified and interested applicants should forward a cover letter (include where you found this position posted), their résumé, and a list of three professional references to Amy Gladding, GBI HR Coordinator, at [email protected]. Incomplete applications will not be considered. No phone inquiries, please. 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.
