The Chicago Botanic Garden seeks to fill 3 seasonal (5-month) field technician positions to conduct native seed collections as part of the national Seeds of Success Program in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. These positions would begin as soon as possible, going into June.
Technicians will support SOS native seed collection operations as part of a 3-person collection team. The team (1 lead, 2 team members) will spend approximately 90% of their time in the field scouting, planning, and conducting seed collections as part of the national Seeds of Success Program.
Payment
Lead Field Technicians will be paid $840/week, Field Technicians will be paid $612/week. Housing is not provided.
To Apply:
Interested individuals should contact Dr. Joanne Crawford, Manager of Conservation Land Management Training Programs at JCrawford@chicagobotanicgarden.org for more information about applying. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until all positions have been filled.
Primary Responsibilities
• Identify potential SOS collection locations and scouting for new potential collection sites; work with BLM to develop a SOS collection plan
• As part of a team, carry out seed collections and package and ship seeds back to partners, keeping detailed records of all collections and shipments
• Ensure quality, accuracy, and timeliness of seed collections and data provided by the collection crew. Lead team to make 30 SOS native seed collections using the BLM SOS protocol https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.blm.gov%2FSOS&data=02%7C01%7Ceric.schultz%40uconn.edu%7Cb5bcd9f188044f0fb11b08d6daa85c48%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636936813992369808&sdata=P%2B4MWnLa%2F7a42V0zdEh5c%2ByXbKqATHXckJIfCUeRcpc%3D&reserved=0
• Timely, accurate reporting of time and effort activities, adherence to all Chicago Botanic Garden policies and procedures for employees and communication with the Chicago Botanic Garden’s manager of Conservation Science Training Programs
Qualifications
Our ideal candidate will have the following:
• B.S. in Botany, Plant Science, Ecology, Environmental Science or a related field
• Strong plant identification skills (to species) and knowledge of plant taxonomy; strong knowledge of plant biology. Familiarity with plants and ecosystems of the western U.S.
• Experience conducting field work related to plant research, identification, restoration, and/or seed collection (through SOS programs or other seed handling/collecting work)
• Experience maintaining accurate and detailed data records (in field and in electronic databases such as Excel/Access)
• Capable of conducting daily field work in rough terrain in harsh environmental conditions (heat, rain, biting insects), and motivating a field crew through those tough conditions
• Experience driving large field vehicles with 4-wheel drive; driving on gravel and dirt roads; off-road driving
• Experience hiking and backcountry camping, and the willingness to do so for this position
• Experience working with agency, academic, private, or non-profit partners to coordinate, plan, and execute fieldwork on public or private lands
• Familiarity with ArcGIS to display maps, visualize georeferenced data, and interface with GPS units
• Wilderness First Aid or other field safety training
Physical Demands
Data collection often occurs in remote locations, where cellular connection is unavailable or inconsistent. Field conditions can be extreme: hot summer conditions with potential for heavy rainfall, flash floods, and lightning strikes; high altitude sun exposure; and occasional wildlife encounters (rattlesnakes, bears, and scorpions). Seed collection and vegetation monitoring activities can be physically demanding due to stooping and bending for long periods of time. Ability to lift up to 40 lbs and hike up to 6 miles per day is expected. Fieldwork will require overnight travel and will involve overnight camping in remote areas. Safety is a pre-requisite, particularly where industry development (energy extraction, e.g. Natural gas) is occurring and during hunting season, and will guide how fieldwork is conducted.