Seasonal Botanical Technician

Colorado State University•Hilo, HI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Seasonal Botanical Technician works in the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands (CEMML) at CSU, located at Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island of Hawaii. The work site is about 45 minutes from Hilo and Kona. This role supports the management of native and non-native plant species, primarily working as part of a field crew but may also work alone. The position is primarily field work (90%) with about 10% office time and is contingent on funding.

Requirements

BS/BA in botany, natural resource management, environmental science, or closely related natural science OR two years of related work experience in these areas can be substituted for the educational requirement.
Experience with monitoring and/or managing plant species.
Demonstrated experience working in remote field locations; ability to walk up to 5 miles per day in rugged terrain carrying materials and supplies under all weather conditions.
Working knowledge of computers and Microsoft Office Suite.
Must be able to repetitively lift 50 lbs.
Have a State of Hawaii Commercial Pesticide Applicator certification or ability to pass applicator exam and obtain within 3 months of employment.
Must maintain Hawaii State Pesticide Applicator’s certification throughout employment.
Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires).
Valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license by the employment start date.
Participate in occasional overnight camping at remote work sites up to 3 nights at a time.
Must be able to comply with all applicable regulations to obtain a Common Access Card (CAC); required at a minimum to complete a NACI/SF85 and successfully pass a federal background check to remain eligible for employment.
Legally authorized to work in the U.S. by proposed start date.

Nice To Haves

Experience with monitoring plant species and/or vegetation communities in Hawaii.
Experience with plant identification including the use of dichotomous keys.
Experience managing invasive weeds around threatened and endangered plants in Hawaii using chemical and mechanical control techniques.
Experience operating and maintaining power equipment used in vegetation control, including (but not limited to) line trimmers, backpack sprayers, chainsaws, etc.
Experience with native plant restoration, including seed collection, propagation, preparing planting sites, outplanting, and maintenance of sites and plants.
Experience using a handheld GPS unit and/or a mobile data collector device to navigate in the field.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting.
Good oral and written communication skills.
Current or past possession of a State of Hawaii Commercial Pesticide Applicator certification.
Experience working on a military installation or previous military.
Experience driving 4-wheel drive vehicles on unimproved roads.
Ability to compile scientific information regarding plant species.
Interpersonal communication and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

Inventory/survey plant populations with a focus on threatened and endangered species; using GPS mobile data devices when navigating to sites, collecting data, and surveying transects.
Control invasive plant species in proximity to threatened and endangered plant species by applying mechanical and chemical control measures.
Survey for, monitor, and control incipient and highly invasive target plant species in defined management areas.
Evaluate and manage emergent threats to rare plants and outplants such as invertebrate pests and seed predators.
Seed collection, preparing planting sites, out planting, and maintenance of out planting sites and plants.
Enter, edit, and perform quality control on field data; maintain field gear, equipment, vehicles, and facilities.
Participate in team meetings and provide feedback to supervisors regarding resource conditions and recommend follow-up actions
Other duties as assigned by supervisor.