CREW MEMBER: AQUATIC MONITORING_ (AIM) WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS_ 

POSITION TITLE:               Crew Member  

POSITION TYPE:              Full-time, temporary, 23 weeks 

LOCATION:                       Las Cruces, NM 

LIVING STIPEND:             $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:          April 29th, 2019 – October 4, 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.  

CREW MEMBER’S RESPONSIBILITIES 

Assists and collaborates with the crew lead when planning fieldwork and managing equipment for the team.  Interested in learning from the crew lead and BLM project lead throughout the field season. The crew member should be passionate about monitoring aquatic resources, sound science principles and be an advocate for the AIM program in the field office.  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

• College Graduate (Bachelor’s, at minimum) with degree in hydrology, fisheries, water resources science, natural resource management, or a related field.  

• Eligible to accept a 900-hour service term with Americorps  

• Aged between 21 and 30 (civilian) and 35 (veteran) years upon hire 

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

• Valid US driver's license and insurable driving record 

• Ability to pass Conservation Legacy’s background checks 

• Demonstrated ability to use Microsoft Office 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 in water and across land (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 (1-8 days at a time) camping in remote areas; familiarity or willingness to learn and adhere to best practices for field safety and Leave No Trace principles 

• Experience with and 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 among hazardous wildlife (e.g. rattlesnakes, scorpions) 

• Current or ability to obtain CPR, First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, and Defensive Driver Training certificates (Provide current certification documents with application package)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Experience or education in hydrology, fisheries and/or water resource science. 

• Familiarity with the dynamic nature of streams and river systems dependent on monsoonal precipitation  

• Experience determining bankfull in dynamic stream systems 

• Experience or interest in large scale, spatially-balanced monitoring designs, and how extensive sampling can assist in the understanding of dynamic aquatic systems 

• 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 on Android and IOS platforms 

• 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 (2-6 hours at a time).

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Aquatic Monitoring Center have developed the National Aquatic Monitoring Framework to fulfill the aquatic Assessment, Inventory, Monitoring (AIM) initiative. The National Aquatic Monitoring Framework (NAMF) uses the most common indicators within the land health standards (and to functioning stream systems). The NAMF promotes integrated data collection throughout the BLM by providing guidance for selection of sample reaches, electronic data capture and storage, tools for consistent data analysis and interpretation to inform management questions. The NAMF is a standardized approach for how the BLM can meet multiple monitoring requirements in a consistent, quantitative and credible manner.   

Leads and technicians will work together to sample streams and rivers on BLM land using the National Aquatic Monitoring Framework. Collecting water quality data, stream habitat data, and benthic macroinvertebrate samples, entering all appropriate data directly into SARAH (Stream and Rivers Assessment Hub), a tablet based data-recording database, while on site. All data will be georeferenced using a GPS unit and stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase. Work will be completed in remote areas on BLM lands.  Crews will be required to drive to several different areas of the sample area 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. The crew may also have the opportunity to assist with other public land management projects involving fisheries, wildlife, range, forestry and others. 

PUBLIC LAND CORPS: 

The Public Land Corps (PLC) 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=1397&source=ONLINE&JobOwner=992385&company_id=16984&version=1&byBusinessUnit=&bycountry=0&bystate=0&byRegion=&bylocation=NULL&keywords=&byCat=NULL&proximityCountry=&postalCode=&radiusDistance=&isKilometers=&tosearch=yes&city= 

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

Please include references on CV or resume. 

Cover letter indicating interest and highlighting experience is required. 

Please include all transcripts from higher education. 

Required Skills Required Experience

-Master's degree

-18 graduate level semester hours/30 graduate level quarter hours in the discipline advertised

-Teaching experience preferred