[SOS-PCA] Now Hiring - Great Basin Seeds of Success Crew Lead

[Jess Kindred]

Please share this position widely!

The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife
Service, is recruiting a Great Basin Seeds of Success (SOS) Crew Lead,
housed within the FWS office in Reno, NV. The lead will work directly with
the FWS Restoration Ecologist/Botanist and partners and will coordinate and
manage regional components of SOS Seed Collection on behalf of the
Department of Interior (DOI).

https://www.vscyberhosting.com/greatbasin/Careers.aspx?req=2023-RAP-098

GREAT BASIN SEEDS OF SUCCESS (SOS) CREW LEAD
Job Code: 2023-RAP-098
Location: Reno
State: Nevada
Program: Research Associate Program
Contract Length: 12 Months

Job Description:
The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife
Service, is recruiting a Great Basin Seeds of Success (SOS) Crew Lead,
housed within the FWS office in Reno, NV. The lead will work directly with
the FWS Restoration Ecologist/Botanist and partners and will coordinate and
manage regional components of SOS Seed Collection on behalf of the
Department of Interior (DOI).

Duties include:

Coordinate 10 to 15 SOS collection crews (teams of two) working throughout
the Great Basin ecoregion;
Assist with recruitment of seasonal SOS Botany Field Technicians;
Train crews in SOS and other seed collection protocols, safety, working in
the field, offroad and defensive driving, and relevant GBI and agency
policies;
Provide day-to-day oversight of SOS Botany Field Technicians;
Work closely with the FWS Restoration Ecologist/Botanist, GBI Senior
Ecologist, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Great Basin Ecoregional
Lead all located in the BLM Nevada State Office/FWS Reno Field Office.
Regularly work with the SOS national curators and GIS specialists to update
and review data entered by SOS crews in SOS ArcGIS Online database;
Maintain relationships with field office, refuge, and park contacts to
ensure proper support of crews in the field;
Coordinate with land managers adjacent to the Great Basin Ecoregion to
avoid duplicate scouting and collections;
Perform regularly scheduled field visit audits of crews working in the
field to ensure adherence to collection and safety protocols;
Conduct field data quality assurance/control;
When needed, assist crews with scouting and identifying populations of
target native plant species suitable for the program, including monitoring
the phenology of plant populations to identify optimal seed collection
times;
Assist crews with collections in the field when appropriate;
Assist with the coordination of volunteer seed collection and restoration
events;
Maintain and organize accurate records of field collection activities;
Coordinate the collection and proper processing of herbarium vouchers;
Work with DOI and state partners to ensure populations receive appropriate
source identification (SID) through relevant state protocols and that crews
are trained in and adhering to SID protocols;
Report accomplishments and provide recommendations for program
improvements, priorities, and future projects;
Approve OnCorps timesheets on time for SOS Botany Field Technicians;
Regularly review expenses of SOS crews;
Assist with FWS efforts to coordinate and communicate with internal and
external stakeholders;
Serve as a liaison between and with GBI, FWS, National Park Service (NPS),
and BLM staff;
Ensure that all administrative paperwork is completed and submitted on time
and correctly; and
Ensure GBI and agency equipment are maintained and treated properly;
Support in developing and managing a DOI/GBI Alumni network.

As an employee of Great Basin Institute’s Research Associate (RA) program,
the RA is expected to satisfactorily complete the following tasks:
Adhere to daily/weekly work schedules that are subject to change in
response to project needs;
Participation in GBI and/or DOI training opportunities;
Complete and submit quarterly progress reports to GBI staff. Reports are
due on January 5th, April 5th, July 5th, and October 5th; a final report,
describing activities during your last quarter, will be due no later than
one week before the end of contract;
Other duties as assigned by GBI and agency staff.

This position is 50% office and 50% field based.  During the field season
(April through October) the Great Basin SOS Crew Lead will conduct regular
field visits to crews working across the Great Basin ecoregion. Field work
involves driving and navigating a vehicle up to 8 hours a day to field
sites and will include overnight camping. Field work will require moderate
to strenuous physical exertion, including hiking with 20 to 30 lbs. of gear
up steep slopes and/or over uneven terrain. Some work may occur along busy
roadsides or popular trails. Common environmental hazards associated with
field work include ticks, strong winds, heat, and inclement weather. FWS
will provide a computer and office space. This position will work with
software including, but not limited to Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft
Sharepoint and Teams, ArcPro, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS FieldMaps and ArcGIS
Survey123.

Contract Timeline:
• 52-week appointment beginning in January/February 2024, pending
availability and completion of DOI Background Investigation.
• Full-time (40 hrs./week)

Location:
Position will be based out of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Office in Reno, NV.

Compensation and Benefits:
• Wage: $26/hr. with overtime at 1.5x hourly rate. Full time, average 40
hours per week.
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance premiums are covered 100% by GBI.
Available on the first day of the month following the start of employment.
• Paid leave and holidays
• 401K

Job Qualifications:
Required:

Bachelor’s degree with coursework and field experience related to biology,
botany, ecology, plant science, taxonomy/systematics, or related field;
Experience identifying plants using taxonomic keys; familiarity with plants
of the Great Basin, highly desirable;
Experience with Seeds of Success protocols;
Proven experience managing crews in the field in remote areas of the arid
American West;
Experience hiring and training field crews;
Highly proficient in field safety - able to manage logistics of field
crews, vehicles, safety protocols and equipment;
Experience with ArcGIS applications such as Survey123, Field Maps, and
ArcGIS online;
Proficient with Garmin inReach devices, online platforms, and software
including Earthmate;
Familiar with gear maintenance and inventory management;
Comfortable driving long distances;
Experience maintaining databases and summarizing data;
Excellent organizational skills;
Experience with data entry and QA/QC procedures;
Reliable, team-player with strong leadership and communication skills;
Ability to safely navigate to field sites using maps/compass and handheld
GPS devices as well as train others;

Additional Requirements:

Previous experience working within the Great Basin, highly desirable;
 Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness EMT highly desirable;
Willingness and ability to work in harsh, ever-changing desert conditions,
including extreme temperatures when in the field with SOS crews;
Ability to work with a non-standard schedule, such as beginning at 5 am, to
avoid heat-related issues when in the field with SOS crews;
Ability to communicate effectively, both written and orally, with a diverse
audience;
Willingness to camp in remote, undeveloped sites for multiple days, if
necessary; and
Valid, clean, state-issued driver’s license and familiarity driving 4WD
vehicles on- and off-paved roads.
Experience operating All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) on difficult terrain and
ability to train others.


EEO Statement
We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal
employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage
women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to
all of our job openings. We are an equal opportunity employer and all
qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without
regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender
identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information &
Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other
characteristic protected by law. We prohibit Retaliation against
individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the
employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or
participate in the investigation of any complaint or otherwise oppose
discrimination.

Studies have shown that Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC),
women and other marginalized groups are less likely to apply for jobs
unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described
in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate
for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less
traditional background. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you
to think broadly about your background and qualifications for the role.

-- 
Jess Kindred

BLM Great Basin Plant Conservation and Restoration Program
Research Associate, Great Basin Institute
office: 775.861.6548
jkindred at thegreatbasininstitute.org

Great Basin Ecoregional Program
<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/native-plant-and-seed-material-development/ecoregional-programs#:~:text=The%20BLM%20Plant%20Conservation%20Program,climate%2C%20landforms%2C%20and%20soils.>
Seeds of Success
<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/native-plant-and-seed-material-development/collection>
The Great Basin Institute <https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/>
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