Forest Monitoring Technician
The Schoodic Institute located at Acadia National Park is recruiting 3 seasonal Forest Monitoring Technicians to be a part of a field crew that will be collecting forest health data in 15 National Parks throughout the Eastern US. This is a great opportunity to see the eastern forest, from the spruce/fir forests in ME, to the northern hardwoods in New England, and the oak-hickory forests in the mid-Atlantic Region, and to learn about the nation’s Revolutionary and Civil War history and important figures in the nation’s history.
Position Description: Forest Monitoring Technician
Opening Dates: February 6 – 20, 2023
Organization: Schoodic Institute
Location: Bar Harbor, ME (Field Station first 10 weeks), and Fredericksburg, VA (Field Station second 9 weeks)
Job Type: full-time, temporary position
Vacancies: 3 crew members
Duration: 2 crew members: 19 weeks mid-May to September; 1 crew member: 15 weeks mid-May to mid-August (exact dates TBD)
Compensation: $17.31 – $19.29/hour depending on experience, plus meals stipend while on travel (~50% of the time).
Primary Responsibilities: Incumbents will sample permanent forest monitoring plots collecting data on forest health, structure and composition, regeneration, understory vegetation, coarse woody debris, and soil characteristics. Technicians will work in over 15 national park sites from Virginia to Maine. This is largely a field-based position, and incumbents will be required to carry heavy field equipment (40+lbs), hike though rough terrain, work in all weather conditions, and be on travel for weeks at a time. Incumbent may be exposed to deer ticks that carry Lyme disease, biting insects, poison ivy and dense brush.
Duties:
• Attend one week of mandatory forest crew training during the first week of the field season located at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock, VT
• The next 4 weeks of the season will be spent traveling and sampling forest plots in National Historical Parks in New England and New York.
• Technicians will then spend approximately 4 weeks sampling in Acadia National Park.
• Technicians will then spend 4 weeks traveling and sampling vegetation in Mid-Atlantic parks located in PA and VA.
• The crew will then spend 5 weeks based out of Fredericksburg, VA, with periodic travel, including a week in Assateague Island National Seashore.
• Additional duties may include collecting data for and contributing to research projects with the Schoodic Institute's Forest Ecology Program, and preparing soil samples for processing, pressing plant specimens, and data entry.
Qualifications and Job Requirements:
• Experience conducting field work in difficult conditions (e.g., harsh terrain, high heat/humidity, and biting insects)
• Experience with plant identification, including ability to identify eastern trees, shrubs and common herbaceous species
• Must have a valid driver's license and be willing to drive NPS-provided vehicles throughout the season.
• Must be a US Citizen
• Upon selection, applicants will be subjected to a federal background investigation and must receive favorable adjudication to be hired.
• To be considered for the position, incumbent must agree to follow COVID-safety measures, such as physical distancing where possible, and wearing a mask when in close proximity to other staff or visitors if working in an area classified by CDC as high spread. COVID-safety measures will be discussed in more detail during the interview process.
Compensation:
Hourly pay at $17.31-$19.29/hour depending on experience. While the crew is on travel, housing and a meals stipend will be provided. While at field stations, park housing will be reserved, but technicians will have to pay rent. Some housing may require room sharing.
More information about the NPS long-term forest monitoring programs and the parks involved can be found here:
Northeast Temperate Network: https://www.nps.gov/im/netn/forest-health.htm
Mid-Atlantic Network: https://www.nps.gov/im/midn/forest-vegetation-coastal-plain-piedmont-parks.htm
For more information about the position and to apply, please view the announcement on the Schoodic Institute website: https://schoodicinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Forest_Monitoring_Technicians_job_description-1.pdf