Botany Crew Lead Seasonal - Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

GREAT BASIN INSTITUTE • Elko, NV

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Great Basin Institute (GBI), in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), is recruiting a Botany Crew Lead to supervise and conduct botanical and ecological resource surveys within the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range of northeastern Nevada. These projects support NEPA analysis for proposed fuels reduction and forest health treatments associated with the Elko Front Project. This position contributes to the Basin & Range Forestry program’s mission to support the USFS in improving ecosystem resilience amid increasing wildfire risk and changing climate conditions. The Botany Crew Lead will oversee a small field crew while performing technical botanical surveys, ensuring data quality, safety, and adherence to established protocols. This role offers hands-on leadership experience, exposure to USFS processes, and opportunities to contribute to long-term monitoring and forest health assessments.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, plant ecology, or closely related field (with coursework in plant taxonomy and/or systematics); OR Equivalent combination of education and experience conducting botanical fieldwork, including rare plant surveys.
• At least one full season (6+ months) of field leadership experience supervising or mentoring field crews.
• Experience using dichotomous keys to identify plants to species or subspecies level.
• Proficiency with GPS units, maps, and compasses.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, review, and maintain field data.
• Strong leadership, communication, and team coordination skills.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Ability to work and camp in remote, rugged field conditions for extended periods.
• Physical ability to hike long distances (up to ~10 miles/day), carry up to 50 lbs, and work in variable weather conditions.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of Great Basin flora, particularly Nevada or Intermountain regions.
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• Familiarity with noxious weed identification and management.
• Experience with whitebark pine monitoring or forest health assessments.
• Ability to interpret and implement field protocols and train others.
• Experience operating 4WD vehicles on rough and unmaintained roads.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day field operations and ensure all botanical data collection meets agency standards.
• Leading and mentoring a crew of 2–4 Botany Technicians during field surveys.
• Coordinating daily logistics, including field assignments, transportation, and safety check-ins.
• Conducting botanical surveys following Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plants (TESP) protocols.
• Identifying plant species using dichotomous keys (including Intermountain Flora), with focus on sensitive, rare, and invasive taxa.
• Surveying and monitoring whitebark pine populations and assessing forest health, including blister rust impacts.
• Establishing and monitoring long-term whitebark pine plots following established protocols.
• Collecting data on plant population dynamics, habitat conditions, and ecological factors.
• Collecting specimens for newly identified sensitive plant populations, as directed.
• Ensuring data quality, conducting QA/QC checks, and managing weekly data uploads to USFS Natural Resource Management (NRM) databases.
• Navigating using GPS, maps, and compass in remote environments.
• Producing maps and summarizing survey findings.
• Coordinating regularly with GBI and USFS staff to plan, prioritize, and assess fieldwork.
• Writing periodic and end-of-season reports summarizing accomplishments.
• Supporting and enforcing safety protocols and adherence to GBI and USFS standards.
• Assisting with training crew members in survey methods and field procedures.

Benefits

• Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance (with upgrade options)
• $25,000 Life/AD&D policy (company-paid)
• Optional short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Employer-provided mental health support resources
• Competitive PTO accrual and paid holidays
• Full Regular full-time employee benefits (for TSA employees serving terms > 52 weeks with ≤30-day break)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level