ACE: Botany Team Members, Carson City District Office
Summary: American Conservation Experience, a Nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management is seeking Three Botany Team Members to serve up to 30 weeks in the Carson City/Reno, Nevada area.
This opportunity is intended for enthusiastic young professionals with a deep interest in advancing their career goals in natural resources and/or environmental management on our public lands.
Start Date: May 31st 2021
End Date: 30 weeks from official start
Project Location: Carson City District Office, Carson City, NV
ACE Botany Team Members will work within the Carson City District Office area. This area, in western Nevada, encompasses 5 million acres with a varied landscape made up of: coniferous forests of the Eastern Sierra Nevada; pinyon-juniper woodlands/sagebrush dominated areas; and salt desert shrub dominated areas. Local ecosystems include: high-altitude montane, sand dunes, alkali playas, meadows, and areas recovering from wildfire. Carson City is the capital of Nevada and located approximately 35 miles south of Reno, NV.
Project Website:
For more information about the Bureau of Land Management, please visit their website at: www.blm.gov.
For more information regarding the ACE EPIC Program:
Please visit: www.usaconservation.org.
Living Allowance:
The member should anticipate serving 40 hrs/wk and will receive a living allowance of $600/wk for food and incidentals, dispersed bi-weekly. Per Diem will be given for overnights camping in the field.
Daily shifts of 8 to 10 hours are anticipated within a 40-hour work week. The weekly schedule will be Monday through Friday. Occasional circumstances require adjusting the schedule to accommodate special environmental education events which typically take place on Saturday.
Housing: The members will be responsible to find their own housing.
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. Qualifying Members are those who serve a "minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service on appropriate conservation projects as defined in the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 and at least 120 hours were served on a project utilizing the Public Lands Corps legal authority." Eligible Members must meet standard requirements of completing at least 640 hours and utilize their certificate before the age of 30.
Position Description:
The Botany ACE Team Members will serve as part of a team who collectively helps BLM resource specialists to survey, map, assess and monitor sensitive species. Team Members will assist with conducting stabilization and rehabilitation monitoring within the Carson City District and Sierra Front Office area as a result of the several wildfires of various sizes that have burned within the past few years. Data collection will involve the use of mobile devices and various apps appropriate for the task at hand. The team will synthesize field data with ancillary datasets and work with the BLM botanist, wildlife biologist, and rangeland management specialist to devise management actions to restore sensitive species and their habitat.
Approximately 80 percent of service will take place in the field. Fieldwork will involve driving and walking over rough and sandy terrain with wide variations in temperature ranging from below freezing in the fall and winter to above 90 degrees F during the summer. Duties require outside work involving walking, bending, climbing hills, lifting and carrying various materials or supplies which are occasionally heavy. Use of a UTV will be routine. Remote field sites may require camping out at the site for a period of 1-3 nights, where amenities such as showers, mobile phone reception, etc. are not available.
The remaining 20 percent of the service will be in the office. Office tasks may include any or all of the following: use GIS to create maps and conduct analysis, visit the University of Nevada Reno Herbarium to collect data on plant locations and to verify plant specimens, mount pressed specimens on herbarium sheets and process into BLM's herbarium, enter data into MS Access and MS Excel databases, create environmental education content for youth outreach, conduct internet literature research on a variety of restoration topics, and create documents and reports based on various projects.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Assist with botany workload in support of Carson City District Office priority projects:
- Analyzing project impacts on sensitive plant species and vegetation communities
- Using GPS/GIS to map plant habitat
- Assessing impacts to natural processes that create and maintain habitat over time
- Identifying, collecting, pressing, and mounting vegetation on herbarium sheets to be used as voucher specimens for any plant species of interest
- Assist BLM staff with other conservation field work such as:
- Recording habitat condition, plant diversity, and noxious species invasions
- Documenting impacts to plants or habitat resulting from livestock overgrazing and off-highway vehicle (OHV) damage
- Mapping noxious weeds and Monitoring rare plants
- Assist BLM staff with occasional volunteer events designed to increase public participation with public land stewardship.
- Assist BLM mentors with youth programs designed to involve youth with outdoor educational activities. Create lesson plans and activities for environmental education.
Trainings:
Through this immersive plant management opportunity, the successful applicants will be exposed to a myriad of land management topics and the internal decision-making process of a federal land management agency. Safety is a priority and Botany Team Members will participate in an interactive field safety/First Aid training. Additionally, training will be provided by the field office as needed for use of the following: computers, GPS units, two-way radios, brush saws, UTV vehicles, trailers, shovel/Pulaski, hand tools, monitoring equipment (tapes, compasses, clinometer, etc.), dissecting microscopes, and using apps such as Survey123, Field Maps and Power Automate.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Botany, Plant Biology or other related field, or combination of related coursework in and direct experience and knowledge of plant taxonomy and ecology. Resumes must contain enough information to show that the applicant meets the experience as defined in the announcement.
ACE Requirements:
- Members must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts.
- Members must be 18-30. Applicants between 31 and 35 may be considered based on veteran status.
- 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. Members must be 21+ to drive ACE/Agency vehicles.
- 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:
- Ability to complete agency computer, privacy, and records management training successfully
- Have a positive, flexible attitude.
- Ability to identify plants down to the species level using appropriate dichotomous keys;
- Familiarity with common software applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe, ESRI, Google Maps, etc.
- Ability to work productively both independently and as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals
- Ability to communicate effectively with team members, GBI and agency staff, and a diverse public
- Ability to perform physical labor for extended periods of time (e.g., digging, bending over, hauling material, hiking)
- Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, 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 spend multiple days camping in the field, as needed
- Good organizational skills
- Ability to safely operate a 4WD truck on paved and unpaved roads.
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 cdemers@usaconservation.org 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 Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.