ACE: Botany Team Member and Riparian/Aquatics Team Member

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Agency

American Conservation Experience

Location

Vale, OR

Job Category

Internships

Salary

Living Allowance $570/wk

Last Date to Apply

02/15/2022

Description

Summary: American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management Vale District, is seeking One Botany Team Member and One Riparian/Aquatics Team Member to assist BLM field offices in Sensitive Plant monitoring and Riparian/Aquatic habitat monitoring. This opportunity is intended for enthusiastic professionals with a background in ecology, botany, riparian/aquatic habitat, or a closely related field, with a deep interest in jointly advancing their career goals and the stewardship of Oregon's natural resources through purposeful fieldwork and research. Start Date: May 9, 2022 End Date: *Dependent on start date, A minimum 26-week commitment is required * Location: Vale, OR Project Website: For more information about Vale District Office: Please visit Vale District Office for further location details. For more information regarding the ACE EPIC Program: Please visit: www.usaconservation.org. The main duty station for this position will be Vale, OR. Some work, no more than 10%, will occur out of the Baker City, OR office, so travel will be required for this position. The Vale District is 5.2 million acres and has lands boarding Washington, Idaho, and Nevada. Much of the work will be accomplished in very remote locations on rugged terrain that require a 4x4 truck to access, it may take 4 hours of driving to reach a work site. Because of the long drive times it may be necessary to work 12 hour days to complete the work. Members will need to be able to spend multiple nights away in the field, either camping or staying in government provided bunkhouses. Summer temperatures can exceed 100 degrees from June through August, there are few shade trees at the work sites so sun/heat tolerance is a must. Vale, OR has a rich ranching and rural history; there are ample rodeos and county fairs to attend during the summer. Nearby Weiser, ID annually hosts the national old-time fiddle competition in June. Outdoor recreation near Vale is expansive with public lands surrounding the area ranging from arid desert to montane ecosystems. Although abundant, facilitated trails and access are limited, with just a few established hiking trails, most recreation requires horses or all-terrain vehicles for access. It is 1.5 hours driving to the W, N or E to reach forested recreation. Shopping is limited in Vale (grocery store, hardware store, and gas stations), but Ontario OR, 16 miles to the E provides a larger selection including a natural foods store. If you are willing to travel 1 hour you are in the Boise area with unlimited cultural events and shopping opportunities. Living Allowance: The member should anticipate serving 40 hrs/wk and will receive a living allowance of $570/wk for food and incidentals, dispersed bi-weekly. Per-diem is available for a flat field rate of $38/day Housing: The member will be responsible to find their own housing. However, a Housing Allowance is included at $100/week. There is limited no public bus service within the Vale area. A car is necessary if you want to venture outside of Vale. COVID-19: ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term. Responsibility to act in the best interest of the communities in which we work: We travel and work in many rural communities that should feel confident we are not bringing Covid-19 with us. We do not intend to increase the burden on rural healthcare providers, emergency services and search and rescue personnel and believe that ensuring the safety of our members and staff extends to the communities we work for, and interact with. Public Land Corps Special Hiring Authority: ACE Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a special hiring authority upon completion of their term of service. Position Description: Duties for Botany include monitoring sensitive plants and collecting seed from selected species. Sensitive plant monitoring will entail relocating known sensitive plant sites, filling out a plant site form with habitat and population information, and entering that data into the BLM sensitive species database. Sensitive plant seed collection will entail identifying large populations which can withstand seed collection without adverse effects to the population, monitor the seed development at each site, and collection of seed at optimum ripeness. Other fieldwork may include assisting with instillation of monitoring plots in Research Natural Areas. The office portion for Botany will include managing the sensitive species data records in GeoBOB, the Oregon/Washington BLM geo-database used to track our sensitive species. Duties for Riparian/Aquatics include monitoring annual and long-term riparian vegetation, geomorphic, and water quality attributes to ensure management objectives for habitat and watershed function are being met. Site visits will entail navigating to established remote sites, 1-5 mile hikes on steep rocky terrain, identifying riparian plant species, filling out site forms according to protocol, and entering data into specific BLM databases. Additional hydrology tasks include establishment of new monitoring transects and water quality stations with mentor. The office portion of Riparian/Aquatics will include managing Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) databases for Vale District. The MIM database is based in Microsoft Access with embedded macros to calculate measured metrics and statistics. Spatial data will be entered into GIS using OR/WA BLM Aquatic Data Tools. Project Background and Objectives: The majority of the work to be accomplished will be completed in the field. Gather field information to update sensitive plant records to establish population trend and inform the health of the species. Collect seed from select sensitive plant species that will be used for conservation seed banking and made available for conservation and restoration research. Monitor annual and long-term riparian vegetation, geomorphic, and water quality attributes to ensure management objectives for habitat and watershed function are being met. Parameters measured on each waterbody are used to inform compliance with the Endangered Species Act-Section 7 Consultation, Land Use Plans, and policy set forth by state and national regulatory agencies. Training Provided: The BLM will provide training in Seed collection, GeoBOB database data entry, Riparian/Aquatic monitoring and inventory protocols (MIM, PFC, Aquatic AIM), Use of Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) database (Microsoft Access), Minimal training in the use of ArcGIS will be available so a base understanding of ArcGIS is preferred and 4x4 driving.

Qualifications

Qualifications: Applicants will hold (or be pursuing) a bachelor's degree in a natural resource field, and have experience with botany or aquatics, either in the field or through coursework. This is a demanding outdoor job that requires substantial physical fitness and mobility, participation in the field, and a tolerance for extreme weather and demanding conditions. ACE Requirements Members must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts. ACE is a drug free workplace and reserves the right to drug test at any time. Ability and willingness to undergo a federal criminal background check is required. Must have a valid driver's license and clean driving record with ability to provide required documentation; driving record checks will be completed during the on-boarding process. Ability to drive an Agency vehicle is required for this position. ACE will conduct a driving record check upon on-boarding and the member must be cleared by ACE to drive. BLM Requirements Must have a high fitness level and an interest in camping, with potential for backcountry work trips. Ability to work alone/in a small group with minimal supervision Experience and/or ability to learn use a tablet for data collection and navigation Must be able and willing to work outdoors in rugged terrain and be capable of lifting 50 lbs. Must be able to operate 4x4 vehicles and drive on back country roads. Must have completed a plant taxonomy class or aquatic ecology related class Must be able to take initiative, work independently, and participate in collaborative efforts Must be able to communicate clearly and concisely with resource professional Preferred: Experience with ArcGIS and Database management Competent with maps and navigation Base understanding of watershed management or stream ecology The member must be willing to represent ACE and the BLM in a professional, positive and enthusiastic manner. To Apply: Please submit a resume, cover letter, and 3 professional references using the APPLY NOW section located on the upper right hand corner of the position listing on our website here: https://usaconservationepic.applicantpool.com/jobs/ Note: Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position, please feel free to contact the Member Manager, Celia Demers at [email protected] or 385-226-1260. EEO: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American

Contact Person

Celia Demers

Contact eMail

[email protected]

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