CREW MEMBER: VEGETATION MONITORING (AIM) WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS

LAS CRUCES DISTRICT OFFICE, NEW MEXICO

POSITION TITLE:               Crew Member (Soils Emphasis)

POSITION TYPE:              Full-time, temporary, 23 weeks

LOCATION:                       Las Cruces, NM

SALARY:                           $400-520/week (AmeriCorps living allowance)

BENEFITS:                       Paid training; camp rate food allowance; AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,907.50 upon satisfactory completion of term

HIRING BENEFITS:           Public Land Corps hiring authority: _eligible to use, for two years upon completion of term, a noncompetitive hiring status for consideration when applying to competitive service positions for a federal agency. _

PROGRAM DATES:          July 2019-December 2019  

SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS’S MISSION

It is the mission of the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) to empower individuals to positively impact their lives, their communities, and the environment.  For more information, visit www.sccorps.org.

SOILS CREW MEMBER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

Provides expertise on soils and soils-forming mechanisms that occur on and near plot to help characterize the site.  The soils crew member will complete the soil stability protocol and the soil pit characterization the majority of the time.  Works closely with the crew lead to discuss and come to consensus of which ecological site or soil series the plot falls on. Maintains specimens and records of unique soils throughout the field office to develop and maintain a unique soil library for the field office.  Provides guidance on soil texturing techniques to the crew lead and fellow botany crew member.  Assists the crew with vegetation monitoring.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• College Graduate (Bachelor’s, at minimum) with degree in ecology, soil science, agriculture, range, natural resource management, or a related field.
• Eligible to accept a 900-hour service term with Americorps
  • Aged between 21 and 30 (civilian) or 35 (veteran) years upon hire
  • With U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Residence and associated identification, including an image of a signed social security card AND another acceptable primary form of documentation
• Ability to produce identification as stipulated by I-9 upon hire
• Image of signed, original social security card
• Valid US driver's license and insurable driving record
• Ability to pass Conservation Legacy’s background checks
• Experience with and knowledge of Microsoft Suite software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)
• Self-motivated and able to work independently with limited supervision after the initial training period. The applicant must be able to maneuver and operate in a mixture of office and fieldwork.
• Physically capable of standing and walking (at a minimum 6 miles/day on rough, uneven terrain), bending, crouching and stooping for long periods of time, and lifting/carrying items that weigh up to 40 pounds, in upwards of 100 degree (F) heat while maintaining a cheery to neutral attitude.
• Experience and willingness to spending multiple days (1-6 days at a time) car-camping in remote areas; familiarity or willingness to learn and adhere to best practices for field safety and Leave No Trace principles
• Willingness to spend several hours per day and/or per week riding in, navigating, and driving a work vehicle on- and off-highway.
• Ability to work in and respond to adverse weather conditions including extreme heat, monsoonal rains, and hazardous wildlife (i.e. rattlesnakes, scorpions)
• Current or ability to obtain CPR, First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, and Defensive Driver Training certificates

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Experience or education using taxonomic soil keys or equivalent mechanism to identify ecological sites
• Familiarity with New Mexico soils
• Experience hand texturing various types of soils
• Experience digging quality soil pits to characterize and document all horizons
• Experience using soil series descriptions, web soil survey or equivalent soil datasets
• Experience or interest in large scale, spatially-balanced monitoring designs, and how extensive sampling can augment the precision of soil maps
• Experience working as part of a small team and able to work well with others
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and planning skills
• Experience with handheld GPS units and External GNSS GPS antennae and basic troubleshooting
• Experience with ArcGIS Online interface.
  • Knowledge of downloading, using, and syncing ArcGIS Online Maps
• Experience safely operating 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads, and driving for extended periods of time (2-3 hours at a time).

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

Participants will manage all aspects of vegetation monitoring using the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, & Monitoring (AIM) methodology. More information on the BLM’s AIM strategy can be found on the AIM website: http://aim.landscapetoolbox.org/.  Crews will consist of three individuals, two crew members and one crew lead.  Together, they will monitor land health on BLM lands including National Monument lands, vegetation treatments, rangeland allotments, or reference areas using AIM methodology.

Within all plots, vegetation will be identified to species; line-point intercept will be used to gather species cover and composition data; canopy gap and vegetation height will be measured; soil stability will be measured; and soil pit descriptions will be completed. All data will be georeferenced using a GPS unit and stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase. Data are entered into the 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. The crew may also have the opportunity to assist with other public land management projects involving wildlife, range and forestry.

Work will be completed in remote areas on BLM lands.  Crews will be required to drive to several different areas of the Field or District Office throughout a four- to eight-day work week (“hitch”), camp overnight, hike several miles a day, and return to the office for equipment and data management.

PUBLIC LAND CORPS:

The Public Land Corps program provides the opportunity for young people between the ages of 16 and 30 (civilian) or 35 (veteran) years to work on conservation projects on public lands. Participants must successfully complete 640 hours that include at least 120 hours on federal lands through the PLC.  PLC members are not federal government employees, but those who successfully complete the PLC requirements are then eligible to use, for two years, a noncompetitive hiring status for consideration when applying to competitive service positions. https://www.blm.gov/careers/students-and-grads/public-lands-corps

TO APPLY FROM EXTERNAL POSTINGS:

https://sccorps-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=1383&source=ONLINE&JobOwner=992385&company_id=16984&version=1&byBusinessUnit=&bycountry=&bystate=&byRegion=&bylocation=&keywords=&byCat=&proximityCountry=&postalCode=&radiusDistance=&isKilometers=&tosearch=no&city=

Required Skills Required Experience