These four summer positions involve a complete remeasurement of the 25.6 ha Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot, located near Crane Flat in old-growth sugar pine/white fir forest. The plot burned at generally low to moderate severity in the 2013 Rim Fire. Tasks include revisiting each tree and snag; recording mortalities, ingrowth, and newly fallen wood; measuring scorch and snag heights; and mapping shrub patches, down CWD and areas of the forest floor that did not burn. Other tasks include measuring fuel consumption along fixed transects, installing and measuring dendrometers, and collecting data from associated instrumentation. Mortality checks require hatchet use. Staff will supervise students and volunteers.
Qualifications: Previous experience taking vegetation research data, working safely in challenging environments, and following complex data collection protocols is required. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to solve problems and to work both independently and in teams of two or three. Work will involve moving through sometimes steep, rocky terrain with delicate and expensive equipment, as well as the ability to carry up to 15 kg of additional gear. Work experience in post-fire forests strongly desired, as is some knowledge of western flora, tree pathogens, and forest insects. Staff must have a driver’s license and a Wilderness First Aid/CPR certification (or higher) valid until August 31, 2014 (if you are not certified, please include your plans for certification in your cover letter). Other: Practical experience in the operation and maintenance of computer, electronic, and mechanical equipment; familiarity with a variety of software and instrumentation; and experience with periods of outdoor living are all positives. Duration: Late-May – mid-August 2014; there is some schedule flexibility for people graduating from ‘quarter system’ universities. Salary: $10 to $13 per hour, depending on experience. Camping accommodations provided. The work schedule is four, ten hour days per week. Apply: Please assemble all of the following into a single PDF file and email it to james.l...@usu.edu<mailto:james.l...@usu.edu> – 1) A one-page cover letter describing your interests, reasons for applying, and specific dates of availability (including any planned mid-summer absences), 2) A resume or CV, no longer than two pages, 3) Unofficial transcripts, and 4) Phone numbers and email addresses of references (please do not send letters of reference). Additional information and background at: http://www.yfdp.org, the Facebook Group "Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot", and the gigapan.com group ‘WesternForestInitiative’. Contact Jim Lutz at james.l...@usu.edu<mailto:james.l...@usu.edu> with questions not answered on those pages. Application deadline: January 31, 2014. Decisions: February 28, 2014. Exceptional candidates will be selected earlier. James A. Lutz Assistant Professor, Forest Ecology Utah State University
