Seeds of Success Native Seed Technician
Position Background: The Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition is hiring two seed technicians to conduct native seed collection as part of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Seeds of Success (SOS) program. The project’s main goal is to increase the regional availability of native seed for large scale rehabilitation projects in collaboration with the Nevada State BLM, Great Basin Native Plant Project, and other partners. Positions will be based in Ely, Nevada, although work will occur throughout the Great Basin portion of the Ely BLM District. Expected start date is late May and will continue until September, with the possibility of work into October.
Seed Technician Description: Primary responsibilities include:
identifying, scouting and collecting native seed from target species populations, following rigorous SOS protocols, and completing associated data sheets. Both conservation (10,000,-20,000 seeds) and operational collections (3-5lbs. of seed) will be harvested. Much of the time will be spent driving and hiking throughout eastern Nevada, while monitoring the phenology of target populations. In addition to the collection of seed; voucher herbarium specimens, tissue samples for molecular analysis, and associated metadata will be collected from each population. Seed will be dried and shipped to the Bend Seed Extractory in Bend, OR. Technicians will work under the direction of a crew lead and be trained on SOS protocols, species identification, and phenologic indicators to determine seed readiness.
This is primarily a field position with about 15% office work. Individuals must be able to hike up to 4 miles a day carrying a 30 pound pack, drive several hours a day on rugged two-track roads, camp in remote backcountry settings, and work 10+ hours a day in variable, sometimes extreme temperatures (30° – 105°F). The work will be tedious and require bending over for long periods of time.
Schedule: Technicians will generally work an 8 on 6 off schedule (10 hour days), but may work a couple of 4 day work weeks (3 days off) during the height of the field season.
Desired Qualifications
-Bachelor’s degree in botany, biology, ecology, environmental science,
natural resources or related field –
Experience identifying plant species using dichotomous keys; plant taxonomy
coursework a plus
-Interest in learning about the Great Basin, its plant species, and
rehabilitation efforts
-Willingness to live and work outdoors in a harsh, highly variable desert
climate for 8 days at a time
-Ability to follow rigorous standardized protocols and record detailed
notes
-Ability to work effectively in small group settings
-Ability to bend over and kneel repeatedly, conducting tedious tasks for
several hours at a time -Valid driver’s
license; 4WD experience helpful
-Experience using BGBase, handheld GPS receivers, orienteering using map
and compass helpful
Ely Nevada Background: The Ely BLM District covers 11 million acres in East-Central Nevada, including portions of the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts, as well as “sky island” mountain ranges at higher elevations. The area is vast; about the size of Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Vermont combined. It is idyllic, remote, sparsely-populated, and contains over 700,000 acres of designated wilderness. Outdoor recreation opportunities include: hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, backcountry skiing, fishing and hunting. Housing is not provided for these positions, although if interested, we would be happy to help you find housing.
Compensation: $14.00-15.00 DOE, plus a camping per diem of $38 per day when camping
Deadline for applications is February 14, 2018, and will be reviewed as they are received. Interested applicants should email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for 3 references to Greg Gust at ggust<<AT>>envlc.org. Questions regarding the positions should also be sent to the above email address.