Temporary Natural Resources Technician - WA or OR

SWCA Environmental Consultants

1d•$20 - $27

About The Position

SWCA Environmental Consultants is expanding our team and looking for Temporary Natural Resources Technicians with backgrounds in botany or wildlife biology to support our Pacific Northwest office’s project in Washington state. This will be from mid-May to September. We are expecting to hire three (3) temporary, hourly positions – two botanists and one wildlife biologist – who are local to the Washington or Oregon and familiar with flora or fauna of Washington state. These individuals will conduct field surveys that consist of long days over rugged forested and open terrain, service and maintain field equipment, and will use a 4x4 truck. Applicants should be able to work outdoors in a team or independently for 40 hours or more per week. Unless local to NW Washington State, overnight travel is required. Scheduling is based on project and client needs. Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

Requirements

Minimum of B.A. or B.S. in Botany, Wildlife Ecology or Management, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management or similar degree strongly preferred
Experience with field-based botany or wildlife-related scientific data collection and attention to detail
Must have experience with accurate natural resources data collection procedures and data QA/QC
Familiarity with Pacific NW flora or fauna (botany or wildlife experience)
Familiarity with Microsoft Office 365, ArcGIS, and other software suites
Must have valid driver's license and be able to meet SWCA’s driver requirements
Must be able to pass client-mandated background check
Ability to drive a 4-wheel-drive vehicle on rugged, back-country roads
Ability to work long days outdoors for extended periods of time (up to 14 days) in a safe and productive manner
Ability to maintain a positive attitude while working closely with a small team in a dynamic work environment
Ability to travel and work remotely as required
Ability to work independently and as a member of a team with excellent team collaboration skills
Excellent communication and organizational skills
Applicants must be willing to participate in a drug testing and alcohol screening as part of the pre-employment process, as some projects require such screenings.
Applicants must have valid driver’s license and be able to meet SWCA’s driver requirements.

Responsibilities

Follow established scientific protocols to conduct wildlife or vegetation surveys or baseline studies, habitat assessments, or noxious weed mapping.
Assist with tasks to collect and/or manage natural resources data in the field or office. Technicians are expected to work efficiently to complete assigned tasks in a manner that ensures the data are accurate, complete, and verifiable
Use topographic maps, aerial photographs, GPS units, and other mapping tools to determine exact locations of project areas, habitat types, species of interest, and associated landforms
Photograph and record appropriate habitat, species, and geographic landforms relative to suitable habitat requirements and ecological classifications
Operate SWCA vehicles, assure they will perform safely, and notify appropriate person if vehicle needs maintenance
Ability to perform all work with a focus on safety in a remote field setting for long hours, sometimes in inclement weather, rugged terrain, and at high altitudes is required; the ability to carry equipment and supplies weighing up to 40 pounds and walk up to 12 miles per day is required
Some project areas are located in sensitive watersheds in which waste must be collected
Communicate frequently and openly with team members and supervisors to ensure that task objectives and methods are clearly understood, task progress is shared, and questions or needs are promptly addressed. This includes initiating and/or responding to communication requests before, during, and after task implementation as part of a real-time, collaborative work effort
Adhere to SWCA’s safety program while looking out for the safety of others, promptly communicating and mitigating safety hazards
Coordinate with administrative staff for the accurate and prompt filing of expense and logistics paperwork.