Field Ecologists

Description

• Create Hitch Plans: evaluate sample locations, plan routes, and identify access concerns
• Gather species cover and composition data
• Use ruggedized tablets for data collection
• Assess special sage grouse habitat Crew Lead (additional responsibilities):
• Communicate with local BLM Field Office staff and ERG Managers
• Oversee management of gear & sampling equipment
• Follow field protocols to identify vegetation to species level
• Lead and manage a 3-person crew, ensuring health and safety protocols are followed The crew may also assist with other public land management projects involving wildlife, range, and forestry. Crew members will continuously learn the local flora and build botanical knowledge of common species
• Collect soil stability and soil profile descriptions

Requirements

• Willingness to spend several hours per day and/or per week riding in, navigating, and driving a 4WD vehicle on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads and driving for extended periods of time (2-3 hours at a time)
• Crew Leads should have experience managing field crews or several seasons of conducting field work. Ideal candidates would have strong plant identification skills
• Valid US driver's license and insurable driving record
• Familiarity with Utah and Wyoming flora (generally sagebrush steppe, Great Basin, and Colorado Plateau)
• Positive attitude and attention to detail
• Experience or education using taxonomic soil keys or equivalent mechanism to identify ecological sites and using soil series descriptions or equivalent soil datasets
• B.S. or working toward a degree in a natural sciences field
• Excellent communication skills, and ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Physically capable of standing and walking (up to 6 miles/day on rough, uneven terrain), bending and crouching for long periods of time, and lifting/carrying items that weigh up to 40 pounds, in variable weather conditions, including heat upwards of 100-degrees (F)
• Experience digging soil pits to characterize and document soil horizons and hand texturing various types of soils
• Ability to pass background checks (federal, state, education, criminal and driving record)
• Field experience, including the ability to work in and respond to adverse weather conditions for extended periods of time including extreme heat, monsoonal rains, and hazardous wildlife (i.e. rattlesnakes, scorpions)
• Experience with collecting data via tablets using FieldMaps and Survey123
• Minimum one year of experience using taxonomic keys to identify plants to species in the field, from photos, and from pressed specimens
• Experience and willingness to spend multiple days (up to 8 days at a time) car-camping in remote areas; familiarity or willingness to learn and adhere to best practices for field safety and Leave No Trace principles
• UTV and trailer towing experience. Please highlight this if you have this experience
• College Graduate (Bachelor’s, at minimum) with degree in ecology, botany, soil science, agriculture, range, plant ecology, natural resource management, or a related field

Benefits

ERG fosters a friendly, flexible work environment. ERGers are dedicated to serving clients who are committed to making the world a better place. We promote and recognize principles of fairness and respect in the work we do, the partnerships we foster, and the culture we value both within and outside of our organization.

If you’re a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access ERG’s online application process as a result of your disability. To request accommodation, please contact Human Resources via email at [email protected] or call (781) 674-7293.

** You do not have to live in SLC, but you must start and end your hitches at this location.

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance