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Ecological and Botanical Survey Crews in Carlsbad

Conservation Legacy

Ecological and Botanical Survey Crews in Carlsbad

Durango, CO
Full Time
Paid
  • Responsibilities

    ECOLOGICAL MONITORING

    (BOTANICAL & SOIL SURVEY)

    WITH

    SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS

    IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

    THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT CARLSBAD FIELD OFFICE

     

    POSITION TITLES:  Crew Lead (~52-week term) and Crew Member (24-week terms)  

    CREW LEAD PROGRAM DATES: exact dates TBD - summer 2022 to summer 2023

    CREW MEMBER PROGRAM DATES: July 11th – December 22nd, 2022

    HIGHLY PREFERRED THAT INCUMBENTS START CONTRACTS ON STATED START DATES.  FOR THE RIGHT CANDIDATE, WE WILL CONSIDER A LATER START DATE.

    CREW MEMBER LIVING STIPEND:   $600-640/week DOE (+60/week cost of living adjustment in Carlsbad)

    CREW MEMBER BENEFITS: 

    Paid attendance to training including Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder Recertification (or reimbursement if course was paid personally and taken after July 2021); Uniform shirts; $15/day food allowance if camping; AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,247.50 or $2,417.14 depending on term length and upon satisfactory completion of term 

    CREW LEAD SALARY:  $725-$805/week DOE

    CREW LEAD BENEFITS:  Paid attendance to training including Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder Recertification (or reimbursement if course was paid personally and taken after July 2021); Uniform shirts; $15/day food allowance if camping; Health benefits package that comes into effect on the 1st of a calendar month after the first 60 days; Paid days of personal leave 

    PROFESSIONAL BENEFITS (BOTH LEAD AND MEMBERS):   

    1. Direct site supervision and mentorship in-house at BLM Field Office under BLM agency staff.
    2. Hiring benefit under the Public Land Corps (PLC) 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.  See below.  Must be under age 31 upon issue of certificate._

    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.  

    BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT’S MISSION 

    The Bureau of Land Management's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. 

    PROGRAM OVERVIEW: 

    Crew will conduct vegetation monitoring using the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Terrestrial Assessment, Inventory, & Monitoring (AIM) methodology. More information on the BLM’s AIM strategy can be found on the AIM website: http://aim.landscapetoolbox.org/.  Crew will consist of two crew members and one crew lead.  Following a comprehensive training period, they will monitor land health (i.e., soil and vegetation) on BLM lands including National Monument lands, vegetation treatments, burn scars, rangeland allotments, or reference areas using AIM methodology. 

    Within all plots, the crew will identify vegetation to species, gather species density data using line-point intercept and gap measurements, measure soil stability, and describe the site and soil pits (50%).  All data will be georeferenced using a GPS unit and stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase.  Data are entered into a database on site with tablets, later synthesized into various reports for future land management planning.  The crew may have the opportunity to assist with other public land management projects involving wildlife, range, recreation, rare plant monitoring, or forestry (5%), contingent on availability. 

    Crew will maintain and track botanical specimens of known and unknown species throughout the field season and keep records updated as needed.  They will continuously learn the local flora and build botanical knowledge. The crews should be curious about the natural systems they encounter and have a passion to grow and share that curiosity and knowledge with fellow crew personnel. 

    Crews are based out of BLM Field Office buildings, and will be under the direct mentorship and technical guidance of BLM staff personnel.  This position uniquely provides the opportunity to develop relationships within and become familiar with the workings of the agency.

    Fieldwork will be in remote areas across a diversity of ecotypes.  Crew will be required to drive a company or government vehicle to several different areas of the Field or District Office and hike several miles per day carrying equipment (25%) throughout a “four on, three off" structure of a work week (colloquially, a “hitch”).  They will return to the office for equipment and data management, unknown plant identification, hitch debrief and further field work planning (20%).  Crew will camp for a total of 8-20 days throughout the whole field season.  Most of the days will be "day trips", returning to the Carlsbad Field Office at the end of the day.  A level of flexibility and long hours are necessary for success in this position. 

    Housing is not provided, but SCC and the BLM are glad to talk through housing strategies and opportunities with you in the interview and onward.  We may be able to loan you camping gear.  

    We require proof of full vaccination against SARS-COV-2.  We have also developed and successfully implemented protocols in precaution against COVID-19 transmission between crew personnel. 

    As we are a partnership with a federal agency, we are subject to halting work and pay in the case of a government shutdown.  Backpay for that time off is not typical. 

    ABSTRACT OF CREW MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS (FOR FULL LIST, GO TO OFFICIAL POSITION DESCRIPTION): 

    • College coursework (2 years, at minimum) in ecology, botany, plant ecology, plant biology, plant systematics, soils science, geology, horticulture, natural resource management, environmental science, or a related field; 

    • OR previous college- or professional-level experience in the above fields, plus familiarity with data collection and sound science principles 

    • Eligible to accept a 900-hour (or 675 or 450, if term is shorter than 24 weeks) service term with Americorps, aged between 21 and 30 (civilian) or 35 (veteran) years upon start date and U.S. Citizenship

    ABSTRACT OF CREW MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS (FOR FULL LIST, GO TO OFFICIAL POSITION DESCRIPTION):

    • College graduate (Bachelor’s, at minimum) with coursework in ecology, botany, range science, soil science, wildlife biology, natural resource management, conservation biology, environmental studies, or a related field

    • Aged at least 21 years upon hire

    • 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

     

    OVERALL MINIMAL QUALIFICATIONS:

    • Able to produce identification as stipulated by I-9 upon hire 

    • Self-motivated and able to work independently with limited supervision after the initial training period. The applicant must be able to operate in both the office and the field.  

    • Capable of standing and walking off-trail (minimum 6 miles/day on rough uneven terrain using a handheld GPS for navigation), bending, crouching and stooping for long periods of time while taking precise, repetitive measurements, and lifting/carrying items that weigh up to 40 pounds, in upwards of 100° F heat while maintaining attention to detail and overall good morale 

    • Willing to spend multiple days (4 or 8 days at a time) making day trips and car-camping in remote areas; willing to learn, teach, and adhere to best practices for field safety, comfort, and low-impact principles 

    • Willing to spend several hours per day and/or per week riding/driving, navigating, four-wheel drive truck on- and off-highway, sometimes over/around tricky or unexpected obstacles 

    • If little prior off-road driving experience, then willing to learn 

    • Excellent judgment in assessing physical, mental, and emotional risk 

    • Able to safely and effectively work in and around adverse conditions including extreme heat, monsoonal rains, and hazardous wildlife (i.e. biting/stinging insects/reptiles, livestock) 

    • Willing to cultivate self-awareness and a positive crew culture, as well as excitement at the chance to have a close experience with the land

     OVERALL PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

    • Intentional education/experience with a formal or folk system to identify plants to species, especially in the field, from photos, pressed specimens, field guides, taxonomic keys, or other means

    • Experience with plant identification, preferably with the use of a taxonomic key and/or experience working in regions with high floristic diversity 

    • Experience or interest in large scale, spatially-balanced monitoring designs 

    • Experience or education using taxonomic soil keys or equivalent mechanism to identify ecological sites  

    • Experience identifying soil horizons and hand texturing various types of soils   

    • Experience working as part of a small team and able to work well with others 

    • Experience with Microsoft Suite Software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or other data-collection software, and with data collection in general

    • Experience with ArcGIS Online interface 

    • Experience working or recreating in rangeland or desert systems

     

    PUBLIC LAND CORPS: 

    The Public Land Corps program provides the opportunity for young people between the ages of 16 and 30 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 

     

    SELECT THE "APPLY" BUTTON ON THIS PAGE TO BE TAKEN TO THE APPLICATION FOR THIS ROLE.

    APPLICATION INVOLVES 1) COVER LETTER, 2) RESUME/CV, 3) AT LEAST TWO ACADEMIC OR PROFESSIONAL, NON-PEER  REFERENCES, AND 4) SCREENING QUESTIONS.  NO LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION IS NEEDED.

    _ Incomplete applications are given less weight.  Please apply with full legal name, your preferred name, and pronouns.  There is no need for letters of recommendation._

      

    SCC offers several Ecological Monitoring crew positions across Colorado and New Mexico, mostly performing the terrestrial AIM methodology.  If interested in multiple locations, rank location preferences in both the application questionnaire and cover letter.  In the cover letter, express how your prior experiences demonstrate that you are a fit for the job, even if the connection is not immediately apparent.  Applications accepted on a rolling basis. 

     

    _We are accepting applications and offering interviews now.  Feel free to reach out to Ecological Monitoring Program Coordinator _Rylee Hostrawser (she/her) at rhostrawser@conservationlegacy.org with questions

     

    Required Skills Required Experience

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