Research assistant summer 2021

The UConn EEB fish lab is likely to have an part-time research assistant position available for June 1-August 27. The lab is working on a project studying the migration patterns of juvenile river herring populations in CT.

This work will involve a combination of field and lab work. Field work will occur in southeastern CT streams and involve collecting fish and monitoring equipment installed at various sites. Assistant will need to travel using own vehicle. Lab will involve taking data from photographs and/or video and dissecting fish specimens. Lab work will occur in Schultz lab on the Storrs campus.

The position will be funded at 20 hours per week, at $15 per hour.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to eric.schultz@uconn.edu.

Required qualifications: valid drivers license; completion of two semesters of college-level biology.

Preferred qualifications: experience in handling fish; experience in conducting field ecological research.

Southwest Conservation Corps is excited to partner with the Santa Fe National Forest to host COVID Response Teams. We are now hiring crew leaders! 

Title: Santa Fe National Forest, COVID Response Team – Crew Leader
Reports to: Adult Programs Manager
Locations: Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico
Status: Full-time, Non-exempt
Start/end date: May 17, 2021 October 2021
Wages: 685 / week
Benefits: Food provided while in the field, uniforms, development opportunities
Position open until filled.

Southwest Conservation Corps:
The Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) is a program of the non-profit service organization, Conservation Legacy, that is built on the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that operated from 1933 – 1942. SCC provides youth and young adults opportunities to complete conservation projects on public lands. While serving with SCC, members receive training on job skills, conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork, and environmental stewardship. Programs are developed using a step ladder approach to provide a progression of skill development based on a member’s needs. Members receive a weekly living allowance, training, and an AmeriCorps Education Award (for qualifying individuals).

For the health and safety of our crews, staff and communities, projects may be postponed or adjusted due to COVID-19. The information provided in this Position Description is an outline of how our program has typically been operating, however is subject to change. As this situation develops, and decisions are made, we will provide updates. We encourage you to continue with the application process and we will keep consistent and direct communication with all applicants.

Position Summary:
The Santa Fe Covid Response Team is a smaller crew, consisting of 1 Leader and 2 Members. This smaller size allows the crew more mobility and ease of travel throughout the forest to respond to unique project needs.

Crews work primarily in frontcountry locations in all weather conditions. Standard schedule consists of 5 days on-hitch (8 hours/day) and 2 days off with some exception. On-hitch, crews camp together, prepare all meals together, and work together as a group to complete all projects and chores. Does not provide accommodations off-hitch and Crew Leaders will be responsible for their own accommodations during that time. The Crews will be based out of Santa Fe and can expect not to return to office during work time.

Crew Leaders will lead crews in completing conservation projects while instilling interpersonal skills and leadership skills. Crew leaders will also be responsible for leading crews in environmental stewardship,   Leave No Trace, and risk management. A variety of soft skills and technical competencies are required to be successful in this role. See below for core competencies.

The Santa Fe National Forest, Covid Response Crew will work with the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District or the Jemez Ranger District for their season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Districts received an amount of visitation far beyond the seasonal crew capacity to maintain recreation facilities’ cleanliness, address vandalism repairs, and address resource impacts to dispersed recreation areas.

Project work will include, but not limited to: Install signage in highly impacted areas, Replace doors and other structures that were vandalized during closures, Repair damaged picnic tables, Assist with the district’s cleaning schedule to ensure an acceptable state of recreational facilities, Remove trash, and address the immediate 3-5 miles of highly impacted trails.

Leadership & Mentorship:
*   Integrate values pertaining to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) within the corps
*   Implement skills training on worksite and facilitate intentional discussions via informal lessons to contribute to the crew’s personal growth and group dynamics.
*   Foster 21stcentury work skills in corps members, i.e.: collaboration & teamwork, creativity & imagination, critical thinking, problem-solving, flexibility & adaptability
*   Must be willing to follow and enforce all SCC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent SCC. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and drugs while involved in the program

Project Management & Implementation:
*   Implement an 8 to 10-hour workday and ensure professionalism is always maintained
*   Delegation of project work & investment among crew
*   Manage the on-the-ground quality and quantity of project work
*   Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems
*   Effectively coordinate logistics with project partners, crew, & SCC staff

Risk Management:
*   Analyze, manage, and inform on hazardous conditions and crew health
*   Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety
*   Transport crew and equipment safely in vans or large SUVs with trailers

Administration:
*   Meet all deadlines for documentation, i.e., timesheets, evaluations, incident reports
*   Record all project related outcomes and deliverables
*   Manage food budget and credit card for purchases

Minimum Qualifications:
*   Willingness to commit fully to the program and its mission
*   Ability to effectively and manage all aspects of crew life and production within a 40 to 50-hour work week
*   Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment
*   Willingness to learn
*   Must be adaptive, patient and able to maintain a positive perspective throughout the season
*   Physically fit and able to work long days in adverse conditions
*   Must be able to speak, understand and write English
*   High School diploma or GED certificate
*   Must hold current/relevant medical certification (WFA, WFR, WEMT, or OEC) with CPR/AED
*   Must be 21, have a clean driving record (insurable by SCC) and a current driver’s license

Preferred Qualifications:
*   Experience with SCC or other conservation corps or youth corps
*   Be a local resident of New Mexico
*   Experience with experiential and/or environmental education
*   Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people
*   Strong time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others
*   Desire to work on a variety of conservation-based projects
*   Strong conflict resolution skills
*   Leadership experience with youth or young adults
*   Technical trail experience
*   Relevant Bachelor’s Degree
*   Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others.

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

To apply:
Upload resume, cover letter and complete the Crew Leader application here!
Any questions can be addressed to: Lisa Slupianek, Four Corners Adult Program Manager – lslupianek@conservationlegacy.org

Southwest Conservation Corps is currently accepting applications for Ecological Monitoring crew leaders and members in Las Cruces, NM.

Crew Leader
Number of Positions:  3
Location: Las Cruces BLM District Office in New Mexico
Program Dates:
1 position: July 5, 2021 to July 1, 2022 (52 weeks)
2 positions: July 5, 2021 to February 18, 2022 (33 weeks)
Salary:  $685/week
Benefits:  Paid training; camping food allowance ($13/day via company credit card); health benefits package
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.

Crew Member
Number of Positions:  6
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Living Stipend:   $520/week
Benefits:  Paid training; camping food allowance ($13/day via company credit card); AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,907.50 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.  See below.  Must be under age 31 upon issue of certificate.
Program Dates:  July 12 – December 17, 2021

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: BLM AIM.    Crews will consist of three individuals: two crew members and one crew lead.  Together, they will monitor land health on BLM lands including National Monument lands, vegetation treatments, rangeland allotments, or reference areas using AIM methodology.

Within all plots, the crew will identify vegetation to species, gather species cover and composition data using line-point intercept and gap measurements, measure soil stability, and describe the site and soil pits.  All data will be georeferenced using a GPS unit and stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase.  Data are entered into a database on site with ruggedized tablets and are further analyzed and, at the end of the season, synthesized into various reports for future land management planning.  The crew may also have the opportunity to assist with other public land management projects involving wildlife, range, and forestry.

Thank you,

Subject: Alaska Field Technician Position

The Hydro-Biogeochemical Research Group at the University of Washington is looking to fill a paid summer field technician position.

Starting in late May 2021, the hydro-biogeochemistry group at UW in Seattle (UW Hydro-biogeochemistry Opportunities) has an opening for a summer field technician. The technician will be working at two field sites located in Alaska “one in Fairbanks and one in Kenai” on a project investigating methane production and methane oxidation in permafrost thaw bogs. The project is focused on advancing understanding of how permafrost landscapes in Northern latitudes affect, and are affected by, climatic change. The site in Fairbanks is in the Bonanza Creek LTER research forest and is part of the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX). The site in Kenai is in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. The technician will live in Fairbanks over the summer in supplied housing and travel back and forth to the two field sites by car. All travel, including flights to Alaska (if needed) and transportation while in Alaska, are paid for by the program. Position responsibilities include assisting the field efforts of a graduate student researcher, making various routine measurements (e.g., gas flux, well elevations, water levels, active layer depth, etc.), overseeing performance and troubleshooting of an automated belowground root imaging and oxygen sensor network, and carrying heavy loads of equipment to and from the site (~1 mile distance).

If you are interested, please contact Rebecca Neumann (rbneum@uw.edu) with:
1) A cover letter expressing why you are interested and qualified for the position
2) A CV or resume
3) Names and contact information of three individuals able to provide a letter of recommendation.

The Nyholm Lab in Molecular and Cell Biology is looking for some help taking care of our squid this fall! This would involve monitoring water quality, feeding squid/shrimp, and sometimes going into the field to catch shrimp. We will teach you everything you need to know on the job. It’s a great opportunity to work hands-on with animals. This is a volunteer position, BUT if you are eligible for work study, we can hire you through the work study program so you can be paid for this work. 

To apply, fill out this Google form by end of day, April 28, 2021: https://forms.gle/YBijHc6TexPrFYNp9

If you are interested in the lab’s research, you can learn more at our site this here: https://nyholmlab.uconn.edu/

If you have any questions, you can email me at derrick.kamp@uconn.edu