Overview
Position Title: Seasonal Invasive Plant Technician
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements Program – West
Site Location: Winona, Missouri
Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by February 27th, 2026
Dates of Employment:
• Start Date: 5/4/2026
• End Date: 9/4/2026
Purpose:
Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with internships service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards, in partnership with Quail & Pheasants Forever, will host a Seasonal Invasive Plant Technician.
The Scenic Rivers Invasive Species Partnership (SRISP) is a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) located in nine southern-Missouri counties encompassing the Eleven Point, Jack’s Fork, and Current Rivers.
Working with federal, state, non-government agencies, and private landowners, the SRISP strives to inventory and monitor invasive plant populations, treat invasive species, and bring education and awareness of the impact of invasive species to the public.
This Seasonal Invasive Plant Technician is an hourly internship position that will primarily focus on project areas within the Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) in the Eleven Point and Poplar Bluff Districts. Technicians will utilize provided equipment to re-inventory project areas for invasive plants and submit these inventories to MTNF Program Staff. Primary treatment areas will consist of spot spraying invasive plants along Forest System road rights-of-way. Some forest interior work may be necessary when plant populations extend beyond the right-of-way. Technicians will also focus on the utilization of mechanical removal for Japanese Stiltgrass in a riparian acidic seep in the Poplar Bluff District.
The work will take place in areas of the Mark Twain National Forest that have undergone intensive restoration over the last 10 years. This site is also the reintroduction site for Brown-headed nuthatches, which were extirpated in Missouri. This ecosystem is critical to maintain free from invasive plants, which are mainly introduced from road work, vehicles, and ATV/UTVs. The work will also take place in a Missouri Natural Area, which is an area identified by the Missouri Department of Conservation as a special ecosystem type that contains rare plants and geologic features. These projects will improve both miles of roadways and acres of land.
Qualifications:
Qualifications:
• A solid understanding of environmental, ecological, and/or natural resource science. Education may be substituted for experience as determined relevant by the partners.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with supervisors, colleagues, and partner agencies.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision.
• Ability to lift and carry 50+ pounds safely and repeatedly.
• Excellent verbal/written communication and organizational skills.
• Valid driver’s license
Required Skills:
• Preference will be given to candidates with bachelor’s degrees with an emphasis in ecology, forestry, or wildlife management or currently enrolled in one of these programs.
• Possess a valid Herbicide Applicator’s License
About Stewards Individual Placements
Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health.
