The Great Basin Institute is an interdisciplinary field studies organization that promotes environmental research, education, and service through the west. The Institute’s mission is to advance applied science and ecological literacy through community engagement and agency partnerships, supporting national parks, forest, open spaces and public lands.

The Aquatic Monitoring Program at GBI serves as an excellent professional development opportunity for natural resource professionals seeking experience in aquatic, riparian, and rangeland surveys. This Program is a component of our well-established Research Associate Program, which focuses on the conservation and management of natural, cultural, and recreation resources in the Intermountain West while providing emerging professionals opportunities to begin or enhance their careers.

GBI’s Aquatic Monitoring Program is dedicated to providing college graduates and emerging professionals with hands-on survey, inventory, monitoring, and reporting experience in natural resource management. Extensive training and technical field skills development provides employees a unique opportunity to obtain valuable experience in executing monitoring protocols that will increase their employment success.

Description:

GBI is recruiting one (1) Riparian Botanist to serve on a rafting crew to assist in the implementation of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) National Aquatic Monitoring Framework (NAMF) for Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) of stream channels and streamside vegetation as well as the Assessment, Inventory, Monitoring (AIM) of lotic ecosystems. The Riparian Botanists will work with BLM staff, GBI staff and Aquatic Monitoring Field Leads and Technicians. The Riparian Botanist will work as part of a three-person crew (one Crew Lead, one Riparian Botanist, one Technician) in the Prineville BLM District in Eastern Oregon to sample streams and boatable rivers BLM-managed land using the BLM’s Aquatic AIM protocol for lotic systems and the MIM protocol, respectively. AIM seeks to standardize the collection of quantitative data that can be used at multiple scales to assist the BLM in making resource management decisions. The key objective of the MIM protocol is to assess riparian vegetation. All Riparian Botanists will assist in collecting aquatic AIM data at various points throughout the season, as well as collecting MIM data.

Though some rivers will require access via rafting, they will be sampled using the BLM’s AIM protocol for wadeable lotic systems, and therefore, will require confidence and experience wading in deep water. Strong rafting experience and ability to drive a truck while towing a trailer are necessary. The botanist will be helping to navigate a raft on multi-day float trips for roughly the first half of the season. The second half of the season will require hiking, potentially long distance, to access the required streams.

More information about AIM and AIM implementation can be found at http://aim.landscapetoolbox.org/

More information about MIM can be found at: https://www.blm.gov/documents/national-office/blm-library/technical-reference/multiple-indicator-monitoring-mim-stream

Crews will interact with local BLM staff, national level staff at the National Operations Center (NOC), and GBI senior monitoring staff. Data collection involves measuring a variety of attributes including water chemistry and instream physical habitat, collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates, and conducting visual estimates in the riparian zone. Successful applicants will be required to work and camp in the field during 8-day sampling efforts (8 consecutive 10 hour days, followed by 6 days off). Camping primitively and in areas without cell service is likely. Additionally, river trips will require bringing minimal luxury items, as space for personal gear will be limited on the raft. Applicants should be prepared to encounter strenuous working conditions in varying environments throughout the season.

Field work and duties may include:
• Navigating, maintaining, and trailering an inflatable raft for at least part of the season.
• Collecting riparian vegetation data, including species inventory (greenline composition, green-line width, cover and constancy, stubble height, wood), stream bank stability, age and height classes of woody species, canopy cover, etc. and making qualitative ecological assessments
• Identifying plants to species or subspecies using dichotomous keys.
• Establishing sampling plots and transects (within the stream channel and streamside riparian area);
• Entering data into Excel data modules
• Aiding in the collection of Lotic AIM data
• Maintaining safety awareness and practices;

Additional duties include:
• Participation in GBI and BLM-led trainings, including required attendance of BLM-led Lotic AIM Field Methods training in addition to the BLM-led MIM training
• Route planning utilizing ArcMap, Google Earth, Avenza, and CalTopo;
• Navigating unmaintained roads and off-trail to sampling sites utilizing GPS and backcountry navigation techniques;
• Regular communication with GBI support staff and BLM staff;

Compensation:

Compensation: This is an hourly position. Total approximate compensation: $3230/month before taxes (approximate hourly equivalent: $20.19), plus health insurance and paid time off

• $17/hr
• $150 non-taxed biweekly housing stipend ($300/ month)
• $15/ night Camping per diem
• Paid Federal holidays
• Paid personal leave
• Paid health insurance (medical, dental and vision) at no cost to the employee

Dependent on performance and completion of work term this position qualifies for Public Lands Corps (PLC) status given that the applicant is 30 years old or younger at the time of application for federal employment

Location:
This crew will be based out of the BLM Prineville District in Oregon. There is the potential to assist crews in other districts as the season progresses.

Contract Timeline:
Projected season length: Approximately March 28 to September 30, 2022

Required Qualifications:

• Experience in plant identification, capable of identifying 95% of plants encountered to the species level, experience in riparian plant identification and field based monitoring is preferred. Qualifications may be met through education, experience, or a combination.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Botany, Biology, Ecology, or Rangeland Ecology or other Natural Resources with at least 9 semester hours in plant or biological sciences. Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, and plant ecology are acceptable subjects.

Experience: minimum of 1 year field data collection identifying plants

• Experience conducting vegetation data with a strong interest in riparian vegetation
• Experience with data entry and management;
• Ability to swim, sample in cold water, walk on uneven surfaces, and bushwack on steep terrain, sometimes hiking up to 10 miles a day.
• Willingness to spend 8 consecutive days camping in the field where multiple hazards may be encountered, while sometimes working irregular hours and camping in a new location each night
• Willingness to work multiple days in the field with limited or nonexistent phone or internet service.
• Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, carry 40-50lbs in a backpack, traverse over uneven terrain and otherwise maintain good physical condition.
• Valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record;
• Willingness and ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic setting, and to consistently enact high performance standards and a strong work and team ethic in support of the goals and objectives of the AIM program and the mission of GBI;
• Ability to complete a Department of Interior (DOI) Background Investigation (BI) and submit paperwork to BLM human resources prior to beginning position indicating that an active and fully adjudicated BI has been started or completed;
• Ability to work productively independently as well as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals;
• Ability to communicate effectively with team members, agency staff, and a diverse public;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Familiarity with best practices for field safety and Leave No Trace principles;
• Strong swimming skills
• Prior river rafting experience

Preferred qualifications
• Experience driving a trailer and backing down put-in and take-out ramps;
• Swift Water Rescue certified, or willingness to obtain required certification by season start;
• Wilderness First Aid certified, or willingness to obtain required certification by season start;
• Ability to plan and pack gear for float trips up to 8 days long;
• Familiarity with riparian vegetation in the western United States
• Ability to read, interpret and navigate using topographic maps;
• Experience navigating and collecting coordinates with hand-held GPS units;
• Experience creating maps and performing basic functions with ESRI software (ArcMap, ArcGIS, ArcGISPro);
• Experience using Google Earth, CalTopo, Avenza;
• Backcountry travel experience and solid navigational skills, including navigating off trail

Please use the link to our official job posting to apply for this position