Botany Survey Technician Lead – Payson, AZ

Overview

Title: Botany Survey Technician Lead (1 opening)
Start/End Date: April 1, 2024 – October 11, 2024 (anticipated)
Stipend: $550 per week living stipend + $200 housing stipend +Education Award.
Term: 28 weeks, Full-Time (40 hours per week)
Reports To: Kenda Svoboda (North Zone Botanist, Tonto National Forest)
Location: Payson, AZ
Status: 900-hour AmeriCorps Service Term
Benefits: AmeriCorps Education Award $3,247.50; Public Lands Corps Certificate*; both with successful completion of the internship. The Corps Network health insurance provided by Cigna, AmeriCorps childcare assistance.

*To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, interns must be between the ages of 18-30, inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service.

Position Summary:
The selected individual will support the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) on the Tonto by accomplishing required surveys for at-risk natives and invasives. This position will work with and act as team lead for a crew consisting of 2 Botany Survey Technician members and will be conducting rare plant surveying and monitoring with the Botany Survey Technician members. The Botany Survey Technician Lead will work closely with and report to the North Zone Botanist at the Payson Ranger District office in Payson, AZ. This position is mostly field-going but may include some office work such as setting up field equipment, compiling survey and monitoring forms, data entry, or other routine project tasks. This position will entail a significant amount of camping throughout the term, typically requiring 3 nights of camping in the field per week. The crew lead must be able to drive an AZCC vehicle to several different areas of the Tonto National Forest, hike up to several miles per day, off trail, carrying equipment (25%) throughout a “hitch”. Hitches are typically 10-hour days, 4 days on/3 days off. The crew usually camps multiple nights with loaned camping gear and share camp meals and chores. Crews are responsible for their own housing, transportation, and food between camping trips. Embrace of an unconventional schedule and a level of flexibility are necessary to be successful.

The crew lead and other crew members return to the Forest Service office in Payson at the end of each hitch for equipment and data management, unknown plant identification, and any required prep work for the next week.

The Botany Survey Technician Lead takes ownership of, supports, and manages the crew’s risk management, schedule, scientific integrity, efficiency, and professional development. Plans accordingly to reach survey volume targets by the end of the field season. Consistently exercises discretion and judgment. Coordinates and delegates field logistics, hitch plans, food budget scheduling, crew tasks, debriefs, and management of the crew’s equipment. Provides and asks for feedback to and from crew members regarding performance.
PLEASE READ FULL POSITION DESCRIPTION ON APPLICATION PAGE.

Tagged as: Research/Science and Technical

Qualifications:

Applicants should be pursuing or have recently completed an undergraduate degree in botany, ecology, natural resource management, or a related field. Familiarity with plant species inventories, surveys, and monitoring. Identification of plant species in the field and use of dichotomous keys, camping, and communication skills preferred. Must be able to pass an AmeriCorps criminal history check.

Required Skills:

• Must have leadership skills /experience and ability to make sound decisions.
• Effective communicator: ability to follow direction, asks questions as problems arise, and works well with others.
• Possess mentoring skills, strong time-management skills, conflict resolution skills, and team building skills.
• Teamwork oriented with clear, direct communication and have strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent judgment in assessing physical, mental, and emotional risk in self and crew members.