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Seeds of Success Field Technician - Bishop, CA

This Field Technician role is a Chicago Botanic Garden position funded by a contract with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The term is for approximately 5 months (22 weeks), working on a Seeds of Success (SOS) collection crew within the BLM Bishop Field Office, based in Bishop, CA. This team is expected to work from April 3 through September 1, 2023.

Due to the large size of area the crew is responsible for, frequent camping will be required to make the best use of travel time. The crew will be provided a 4x4 work truck and supplies for fieldwork and seed collection. As BLM office space will not be provided, the team will be provided a Verizon MiFi hotspot, laptop, and tablet (with cellular) for conducting scouting research, participating in calls, writing reports, and using/updating an Ecoregional Reporting Tool through ArcGIS Online Field Maps and Survey123, as well as updating data on Google Drive spreadsheets.

The field technician will report to the lead botanist, who will be leading the crew. The technician will assist in planning scouting and collecting trips, and in conducting large native seed collections as part of the SOS program. This team will likely spend 90% of their time in the field.
 
Responsibilities:
  • Help identify potential collection locations of priority species through scouting, analysis of herbarium records, previous SOS collections, and vegetation mapping. 
  • Help collect three herbarium vouchers for each potential collection site. Take appropriate photos as instructed for seed certification.
  • Help monitor phenology of target plant populations to plan and execute collections.
  • Ensure collection of all required population scouting data, seed collection data, and photos are properly recorded and shared with the Chicago Botanic Garden and BLM.
  • Help update and maintain all required population and geospatial data on an Ecoregional Tool through ArcGIS Online Field Maps and Survey123. Sync data at the end of each field trip or at least every 10 days.
  • Maintain running Field Report spreadsheet with road and trail mileage, as well as number of potential collection sites assessed, and number of collection sites monitored for seed ripening. 
  • As part of the team, make operational collections using the BLM SOS protocol https://www.blm.gov/SOS (training provided). 
  • Timely, accurate reporting of time and effort activities, adherence to all Chicago Botanic Garden policies and procedures for employees, and communication with the Chicago Botanic Garden manager.
  • Timely completion of end-of-season duties, including data entry into SOS Data Portal, and final report.

Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have the following:
  • Bachelor of science degree in botany, plant science, ecology, biology, or a related field
  • Strong plant identification skills (to species) and knowledge of plant taxonomy; strong knowledge of plant biology. Familiarity with plants and ecosystems of the western United States.
  • Experience maintaining accurate and detailed data records (in field and in electronic databases – Excel/Access)
  • Capable of conducting fieldwork safely in rough terrain in harsh environmental conditions
  • Experience hiking and backcountry camping, and the willingness to do so for this position
  • Experience driving large field vehicles with 4-wheel drive; driving on gravel and dirt roads
  • Wilderness First Aid or other field safety training
  • Excellent organizational skills and ability to handle several projects and deadlines at once
  • Self-starter, independent worker, able to learn quickly and adapt to challenges