Faculty Research Assistant: Natural Resources

OSU Oregon State University • Union, NJ

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center - Union Station invites applications for a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Faculty Research Assistant position. Reappointment is at the discretion of the Department Head. The role supports ongoing research on forest and rangeland ecology and management, integrating forest monitoring and environmental condition data to assess likely impacts of fuels thinning across the Meadow Creek watershed and Starkey Experimental Forest and Range in relation to restoration and multiple-use management objectives. It will leverage broad-scale monitoring efforts to inform watershed-level restoration recommendations and provide centralized support for integrating forest, riparian, and environmental condition data into Research, Monitoring and Evaluation efforts across the Meadow Creek Restoration and Research Collaborative.

The position involves scientific data collection, maintaining research records, communicating with the research team, and collaborating with external research partners. Fieldwork takes place in the interior Pacific Northwest and may involve difficult, mountainous terrain, variable temperatures, and inclement weather. Alternative work schedules, such as four 10-hour days, and camping in rural or remote locations during the work week may be required during the field season. The employee may need to lift, carry, push, and pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

The anticipated start date is October 16, 2026, and the anticipated end date is June 30, 2027. Salary will be commensurate with education, training, skills, and experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, geography, natural resources, or a related discipline.
• At least two years of experience working on natural resources-related issues in the Blue Mountains.
• Experience measuring and collecting natural resource and/or ecological data in field settings, such as soil, slope, aspect, richness, diversity, composition, or density data in forests, grasslands, shrublands, wetlands, or similar environments.
• Experience using GPS units to navigate to locations and record spatial data in the field.
• Experience and commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.
• Working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Docs.
• Ability to kneel or squat for extended periods for data and sample collection.
• Ability and willingness to work in difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions, including heat, snow, and rain.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in ecology, geography, natural resources, or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of Starkey Experimental Forest and Range, the Pacific Northwest Research Station, and the surrounding area.
• Familiarity with regional partners, including USDA Forest Service, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
• Experience working in multistakeholder projects involving tribal, federal, state, and private stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of plant communities and plant species of the interior Pacific Northwest.
• Proficiency in GIS and statistical applications such as ArcGIS, R, Google Earth, and Survey123.
• Experience writing reports and/or publications and presenting and sharing findings with diverse audiences using a variety of formats.

Responsibilities

• Collect scientific data.
• Maintain research records.
• Communicate effectively with the research team.
• Collaborate with external research partners.
• Support research on forest and rangeland ecology and management.
• Integrate forest monitoring and environmental condition data to assess potential impacts of fuels thinning across the Meadow Creek watershed and Starkey Experimental Forest and Range.
• Support integration of forest, riparian, and environmental condition data into Research, Monitoring and Evaluation efforts across the Meadow Creek Restoration and Research Collaborative.
• Help use broad-scale monitoring efforts to inform watershed-level restoration recommendations.

What This Job Offers

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