Botany Technicians at Capitol Reef National Park

The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the National Park Service and Capitol Reef National Park, is recruiting 2 Botany Technicians to join the AmeriCorps program. The Botany Technicians will support the Capitol Reef National Park Division of Resource Management & Science and serve as members of the rare plant monitoring crew assisting resource staff with surveys and demographic monitoring of federally listed plants, rangeland forage species, native species seed collection, data entry and management, data summarization, quality assurance and control of data and maintenance of monitoring field equipment and tools.

  

Primary responsibilities include conducting field work associated with rare plant and demographic surveys, rangeland monitoring and collection of native seeds for restoration projects; training in field protocols and methodologies will be provided. A general knowledge of plants, in particular grasses, of the southwest is helpful but is not required. Team members will utilize Garmin GPS units to navigate to field sites and survey plots. Upon return to the office, field team members will use computer software, including MS Access, Excel and various ESRI products (Survey 123, Collector, ArcGIS), to organize, manage and summarize field data.

 

Survey work requires attention to detail, long hours in the field in remote areas of the park, hiking off trail 2 to 10 miles per day, camping and possibly backpacking. Weather conditions will vary from cold winds or rain in the early spring to temperatures nearing 100° F in the summer. Other challenging field conditions include high winds and gnats or other biting insects. Experience driving four-wheel drive vehicles on high clearance, dirt roads would be beneficial, but is not essential. Office work consists of entering data into an Access database and Excel spreadsheet, labeling photos, and summarizing datasets. The Technicians must be able to work well with other team members and ensure that safety protocols are adhered to. Work includes operating vehicles to transport team members and equipment safely on high clearance dirt roads in NPS four-wheel drive vehicles and assist with completing weekly reporting of accomplishments. The Technicians will work to ensure that all AmeriCorps, GBI, NPS policies are adhered to.

 

The Technicians may also assist natural resource staff with vertebrate and invertebrate species surveys, invasive plant control, revegetation of disturbed areas and riparian condition assessments.  Technicians will be supervised by the park Biologist.

 

Capitol Reef National Park is located near Torrey, UT. The location is remote. The nearest gas station is 10 miles away and the nearest grocery store is approximately 30 miles away. A personal vehicle is required for travel/transport outside of work. No cell service is available in housing or near the duty station. WiFi is available in park housing. Reliable cellular service is found when nearing Torrey. The intern should find living in a remote location desirable. Located in the heart of red rock country, Capitol Reef is filled with cliffs, canyons, domes and bridges. In addition to unique geological resources and spectacular scenery, the park also has a rich cultural history.