Employment Type : Full-Time
Vegetation & Ecological Monitoring with the Bureau of Land Management and Southwest Conservation Corps Position Title: Crew Leader Position Type: Full-time, temporary 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. Southwest Conservation Corps’s Mission It is the mission of the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) to empower individuals to positively impact their lives, their communities, and the environment. Bureau of Land Management’s Mission The Bureau of Land Management's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Program Overview: 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: http://aim.landscapetoolbox.org/. 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. Fieldwork is often in remote areas. Crews are often required to drive to several different areas of the Field or District Office throughout a four- to eight-day work week (colloquially, “hitch”), camp overnight, share camp meals and chores, hike several miles per day carrying equipment, and return to the office for equipment and data management. *We have developed and successfully implemented protocols in precaution against COVID-19 transmission between crew personnel. Protocols address mask-wearing, cleaning, sanitation, on-the-job health reports, and isolation if necessary. Crews will ride in the same vehicle, go grocery shopping, and share camping and sampling equipment. Some remote accommodations for the periodic days of office work are available.* Crew Lead’s Responsibilities The Crew Lead supports and manages the field crew’s safety, wellbeing, and development. Consistently exercises discretion and judgment. Coordinates and delegates field logistics, hitch plans, food budget scheduling, crew tasks, debriefs, and management of the crew’s equipment. Provides/asks for feedback to/from crew members regarding performance. The Crew Lead is the primary contact between the crew and the SCC supervisor/BLM staff. Completes necessary administrative paperwork. Holds and documents spending of a company credit card. Before, during, and after field data collection, the lead is responsible for the organization and quality control of all AIM data collected in Collector for ArcGIS. At the end of the season, the Crew Lead will analyze, interpret, or make deductions for varying data, and will be required report data to various BLM offices and stakeholders. Written reports will be completed and involve the presentation of scientific data and pre/post treatment analysis. The crew lead should be passionate about sound science principles, be an advocate for the AIM program in the field office, and have a willingness to learn about how AIM data could be used in range, forestry, fire and wildlife programs within the BLM. The crew lead should be passionate about facilitating the crew members’ experience similarly. Minimal Qualifications: Preferred Qualifications: Public Land Corps: The Public Land Corps (PLC) program provides the opportunity for young people between the ages of 16 and 30 (civilian) or 35 (veteran) years to work on conservation projects on public lands. Participants must successfully complete 640 hours that include at least 120 hours on federal lands through the PLC. PLC members are not federal government employees, but those who successfully complete the PLC requirements are then eligible to use, for two years, a noncompetitive hiring status for consideration when applying to competitive service positions. https://www.blm.gov/careers/students-and-grads/public-lands-corps To apply, go to position announcement here and click "New Application" at bottom. Or, go to: https://sccorps.org/small-teams, and follow the link to the above. Application involves cover letter, resume/CV, at least two academic or professional (non-peer) references, and screening questions. Incomplete applications are given less weight. SCC offers several Ecological Monitoring crew positions across Colorado and New Mexico, mostly performing the terrestrial AIM methodology. If interested in multiple locations, please clearly rank interest. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. We anticipate beginning the interview process in January. Apply now for advance consideration. Feel free to reach out to Ecological Monitoring Manager Cassandra Owen at cowen@conservationlegacy.org with questions.
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