Individual Placement - Invasive Weed Technician at Malheur National Forest

Student Conservation Association•John Day, OR

About The Position

The Malheur National Forest of the Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA Forest Service is seeking individual placements to help restore recently-burned forests. The Malheur National Forest of 1.7 million acres is in the scenic and remote Blue Mountain ecoregion in Eastern Oregon. Forest Headquarters are in John Day, Oregon, with three ranger districts. Selected placements will work on a variety of post-fire restoration projects, including invasive plant surveys and control and native plant seed collection.

Requirements

Driver's license
Natural resources background
Ability and desire to learn to recognize about 20 species of common roadside noxious weeds and about 20 species of native plants targeted for seed collection
Ability to safely operate a pickup truck on sometimes rough 4-wheel-drive roads
Must work well with a team and independently
Ability to carry and load up to 50 lb bags of seed or ~4 gallon backpack sprayer over rugged terrain
Reliable and trustworthy, including proper safety management around mechanical tools

Nice To Haves

Personal vehicle highly recommended for travel to nearby areas outside of work time (extremely limited public transportation options)
Botany or plant or range related background or degree preferred
Herbicide applicator license in Oregon or Washington
Experience with technical botanical keys

Responsibilities

Invasive surveys on foot and in a pickup truck or UTV along roads, trails, and cross-country
Invasive control using hand tools, herbicides, and biological controls
Native plant seed collection
Native plant seeding in fire-disturbed areas
Data collection using provided electronic devices and Field Maps or Survey 123 apps
Navigation using electronic devices and maps
Development of ArcGIS online maps for field use
Management of online data
Assisting with other field data collection projects with botany, wildlife, and other programs as needed
Complete required trainings for vehicle use, field check out systems, and related tasks