Outdoor Recreation Research Technician

Utah State University • Logan, UT

3d • Remote

About The Position

This position will assist with data collection for the USDA Forest Service’s National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) Program. Field technicians will conduct on-site surveys with national forest visitors at recreation access points such as trailheads, forest roads, lakes and reservoirs, resorts, and other recreation sites across the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache and Ashely National Forest. The data collected through these surveys are used by the USDA Forest Service to estimate annual visitation, track recreation patterns and trends, evaluate visitor experiences and recreation infrastructure, and estimate the economic contributions associated with national forest recreation. This position provides hands-on experience in outdoor recreation research, visitor-use monitoring, field data collection, and national forest management. Schedule: This position will be based a federally generated survey schedule and hours may vary depending on the number of staff. Scheduling will be further discussed with applicants during the interview process, however hours are expected to be elevated in October and decrease during the winter months. This position is telework eligible within the state of Utah.

Requirements

• Motivated, dependable, organized, and self-sufficient.
• Comfortable approaching and interacting with unfamiliar people.
• Possess strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ablility to work independently and solve problems in the field.
• Safety-conscious and capable of exercising good judgment in remote settings.
• Comfortable spending extended periods alone in remote outdoor environments.
• Comfortable camping alone when required.
• Ablility to navigate remote and unfamiliar areas.

Responsibilities

• Conduct face-to-face surveys with national forest visitors at designated recreation sites.
• Interact professionally with a wide variety of forest visitors, sometimes conducting up to 40 interviews per day.
• Travel independently to survey locations throughout the assigned national forest.
• Navigate to remote and unfamiliar recreation sites.
• Work independently for extended periods, including in remote locations and varying weather conditions.
• Occasionally camp in remote areas for multiple days while completing survey assignments.
• Follow established survey protocols and accurately collect and record visitor-use data.
• Maintain a high level of organization, safety awareness, and professionalism while working in the field.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed