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Engineering Design Professional - Structural

Conservation Legacy

Engineering Design Professional - Structural

Las Cruces, NM
Full Time
Paid
  • Responsibilities

    ECOLOGICAL MONITORING

    (BOTANICAL & SOIL SURVEY)

    WITH

    SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS

    IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

    THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

     

    POSITION TITLE: Crew Member (up to 24 week terms) 

    LOCATIONS AT BLM OFFICES: 

    Taos, NM

    Carlsbad, NM

    Las Cruces, NM  

    Royal Gorge (Canyon City), NM

    PROGRAM DATES:

    July 11th or ASAP - November or December 22nd, 2022

     

    IT IS PREFERRED THAT INCUMBENT STARTS CONTRACT ON STATED START DATE, THOUGH WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACCEPT APPLICANTS THROUGH AUGUST 1. 

     

     

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

    COMPENSATION BENEFITS:   Paid attendance to training including Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder Recertification (or reimbursement if course was paid personally and taken after April 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 

    PROFESSIONAL BENEFITS:   

    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: 

    Crews 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/.  Crews will consist of two crew members and one crew lead.  Together, following a 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. 

    Crews will maintain and track botanical specimens of known and unknown species throughout the field season and keep records updated as needed.  The crew member will continuously learn the local flora and build botanical knowledge. The crew member 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.  Crews 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" or “eight on, six off" structure of a work week (colloquially, a “hitch”).  They will usually camp multiple nights sharing camp meals and chores.  They will return to the office for equipment and data management, unknown plant identification, hitch debrief and further field work planning (20%).  Camping is expected whenever, as safety allows, it is more efficient to do so.  Certain crews camp out more than others, due to varying risk factors and the layouts of the sampling areas.  An unconventional schedule, a level of flexibility, and long hours are necessary. 

    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.  For those lacking in camping gear, we may be able to loan you 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, and backpay for that time off is not typical. 

    ABSTRACT OF CREW MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS (full list here): 

    • 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

    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

    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.  Please indicate whether you are applying to Crew Lead, Crew Member, or both._

     

    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

  • Qualifications
    • Strong communication skills
    • Active Top Secret clearance
  • Industry
    Other