Botany and Wildlife Technician
Great Basin Institute/BLM California, Bishop Field Office/ Nevada Department of Wildlife
Description:
The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management’s Bishop Field Office and Nevada Department of Wildlife, is recruiting to hire an experienced biological technician to work cooperatively with BLM resource staff to provide monitoring and implementation support for sage-grouse and sagebrush natural resource management projects. The Technician will also support a broad spectrum of projects, including native seed collection, wildlife management, rangeland management, and recreation management.
More specifically, the Technician will be involved in the following projects:
- Implementing the Bi-State Action Plan for greater sage-grouse, such as:
-
- Collecting native seed as part of the Seeds of Success and Great Basin Ecoregion Seed Program will be a primary duty;
- Completing conifer removal projects, which includes marking unit boundaries, monitoring for biological resources before and after treatment, and volunteers in completing small-scale conifer projects;
- Completing NEPA on small habitat restoration projects with guidance from BLM staff;
- Completing habitat restoration projects such as seeding, planting, mowing, fence building, maintenance and removal, and weed management;
- Providing educational programs or leading volunteer events;
- Patrolling recreational use areas to identify and mitigate habitat impacts;
- Coordinating between the BLM and GBI vegetation sampling crews;
- Conducting habitat sampling following the Assessment Inventory and Monitoring strategy which focuses on vegetation attributes, including species identification, cover, density and frequency; and
- Collecting field data on vegetation characteristics and spatial features, generating and manipulating geodatabases, and producing maps of project assessment and treatment areas.
- Other duties that implement the Action Plan as developed.
Location:
The Bishop Field Office manages 750,000 acres of unique vestige of wild California, emphasizing conservation, education and partnerships. Public lands in Mono and Inyo counties span the length of the eastern Sierra from Topaz Lake to Owens Lake in a region dominated by public lands. Centrally located between Reno, NV and Los Angeles, CA, Bishop offers excellent access to numerous outdoor activities, including rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and skiing/snowboarding, among other activities. Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Death Valley National Parks, as well as the Inyo, Sequoia and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests are easily accessible.
Compensation & Timeline:
- Rate of Pay: $19.57/hour
- Medical benefits (health and dental)
- Paid personal leave
- Start Date: 28-week appointment beginning May 15, 2018, pending availability and completion of DOI Background Investigation
- Full time, 40 hours per week
Qualifications:
· Bachelor’s degree in the natural sciences, with coursework and/or experience that demonstrate understanding of the principles of botany, general biology, ecology, and/or wildlife management;
· Knowledge of the Great Basin and/or eastern Sierra regions, including common plants, wildlife, and/or geology/topography desirable;
· Use of a dichotomous key to identify plants to species level;
· Strong back-country skills, including safety, navigation, and low impact principles;
· Ability to navigate and collect data using handheld GPS units;
· Experience utilizing a compass and reading topographic map;
· Experience collecting field data according to standard protocols, including conducting habitat sampling focusing on vegetation attributes, such as species identification, cover, density and frequency;
· Familiarity with restoration principles and practices;
· Knowledge of GIS software for making maps, generating and manipulating geodatabases, and data analysis;
· Experience with technical writing and/or producing written project reports;
· Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license, and ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads;
· Ability to live and work in a rural and remote field and office environment;
· Ability to work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain, carry upwards of 40 pounds in a backpack, and otherwise maintain good physical condition;
· Willingness to travel to remote field sites;
· Willingness and ability to camp, sometimes in remote areas;
· Prior experience working collaboratively in a multi-agency environment, desirable;
· Ability to work collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team;
· Effectively communicate, both written and orally, with a diverse audience; and
· Willingness and ability to consistently enact high performance standards and a strong work and team ethic in support of the mission and goals of GBI and our partners.
· Successful applicant(s) must complete a Department of Interior (DOI) Background Investigation (BI) or submit paperwork to BLM human resources indicating an active and fully adjudicated BI has already been completed prior to beginning position.
To Apply: Please follow this link to apply directly through our online portal:http://crcareers.thegreatbasininstitute.org/careers/careers.aspx?rf=ECOLOG&req= 2018-RAP-029
We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information & Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We prohibit Retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or otherwise oppose discrimination.