Position Title: Crew Member
Position Type: Full-time, temporary, up to 23 weeks
Location: Based out of the
Taos, NM or Las Cruces, NM Field Office
Salary: $350-480/week
Benefits: Uniform,
training, $800 travel stipend for training and
camp rate per diem; AmeriCorps Education Award, if eligible
Program Dates: Las Cruces: July 18
December 23, 2016; Taos: July 18 October 14, 2016
Program Overview:
Interns will work in a crew of 2 - 3 people to
monitor land health on National Monument lands,
vegetation treatments, rangeland allotments, or
reference areas. Participants will manage all
aspects of vegetation monitoring using the
Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM)
methodology. Experience with identifying
vegetation to species is essential for the
position. Within all plots, vegetation will be
identified to species; line-point intercept will
be used to gather species cover and composition
data; shrub density will be measured; and soil
descriptions will be required. All point data
will be gathered using a GPS unit and stored in
an ArcGIS geodatabase. Data are entered into
Database for Inventory, Monitoring, and
Assessment (DIMA) on site with ruggedized tablets
and are further analyzed and synthesized into
various reports for future land management
planning. DIMA requires a high level of Quality
Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC), therefore
attention to detail is paramount for these
positions. Subsequent, professional reports must
be completed and will involve the presentation of
scientific data and pre and post treatment
analysis. Crew may be camping 1-4 nights/week, depending on location.
General
Qualifications:
Applicants should have a degree in ecology,
botany, range science, soil science, wildlife
biology, natural resource management, biology,
conservation biology, or a related field.
Identifying plants to species and experience with
a taxonomic key is essential to the position.
Familiarity with northern New Mexico flora is
beneficial. The successful applicant must be
self-motivated and able to work independently
with limited supervision after the initial
training period. Applicants with previous AIM or
Indicators of Rangeland Health training are
highly preferred. Background in
statistics/Microsoft Suite, including Access, is
additionally useful. The applicant must be able
to maneuver and operate in a mixture of office
and field work, which can include long periods of
standing or walking on rough, uneven ground;
bending, crouching, stooping, stretching or
reaching to observe occurrences or place and
retrieve equipment or devices; lifting and moving
moderately heavy items. Applicant must be
physically fit, able to stand and walk for long
periods of time (at a minimum 6 miles/day) and
lift items that weigh up to 40 pounds in upwards
of 100 degree heat. A government vehicle will be
used for work travel but a personal vehicle is
highly recommended for travel to and from the
duty station and for personal time. There is
potential for working in adverse conditions
including extreme heat and monsoonal rains and
hazardous wildlife (i.e. rattlesnakes,
scorpions), so field safety skills and risk
management are important. The successful
applicant will also attend CPR, First Aid
training and Defensive Driving (or provide
certification if still current). Applicant must
have a valid drivers license and a good driving
record. Prior to starting this position a
government security background clearance will be required.
To Apply:
Complete the Online Application, which can be
found at
<http://conservationlegacy.org/join/>http://conservationlegacy.org/join/,
searching for the New Mexico BLM Vegetation
Monitoring title. Contact Natalie Pyrooz at
970-403-0137 or
<mailto:[email protected]>natalie(at)conservationlegacy.org
with any questions.
