Temporary Plant ecology field research technician - Colorado
Job Description
Posting Number
PG194194TMPosition Number
11ASO3215Position Type
TemporaryEssential Job Duties
The Diversity in Changing Environments Lab:
(PI: Dr. Will Petry at North Carolina State University; https://parameterizeit.github.io/) is searching for a temporary, full-time research technician to assist with our field work in Colorado from mid-June through early September 2024 (12 weeks, ideally starting on or around 16 June and ending on or around 8 September).
We study plant population dynamics in changing environments from the individual to landscape scales. We use the long-lived plant Valeriana edulis to study how individuals respond to changing climate across their life cycle and how these responses scale up to drive population dynamics and the landscape-scale distribution of the species. Since 2013, we have collected detailed climatic and demographic data—growth, survival, reproduction, & germination—from several thousand permanently-marked individuals near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL; ca. 8 miles north of Crested Butte, Colorado). We use these long-term census data along with experimental manipulations and climate data to understand the current patterns of population composition, to forecast the near-term trajectories of populations, and to predict how climate change will redistribute this species across the landscape. Our summer research involves intensive data collection of plant demographic variables from marked individuals in our study populations across Gunnison County, Colorado at elevations ranging from ca. 6,200-12,500 feet above sea level. Most of our work is done in the field, with a small amount of indoor lab and data management work.
Essential Job Duties:
Essential Job Duties:
- Collect demographic data from plants growing in remote natural populations
- Assist in tagging and mapping new study plants
- Assist with the setup of seed germination experiments
- Maintain study infrastructure including plant tags, plot markers, and data loggers
- Drive the field vehicle to access research sites, including on mountain roads that may be narrow, slippery, windy, and unpaved
- Perform data management tasks including data digitization and entry
- Flexibly reallocate effort and task priorities to accomplish data collection goals
- Promote the safety and inclusion of all field team members
- Comply with the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s rules, policies, and Code of Conduct
Working Coniditions:
Field work will require driving on rough roads and strenuous hiking to remote and isolated study sites. Although most field sites are near roads, several are a few miles away from the nearest road access and require up to 10 miles round-trip hiking on steep trails while at elevations up to 12,500 feet above sea level. Measuring plants requires repeated bending, crouching, squatting, and kneeling on uneven ground. The locations of our study sites mean that access to bathroom facilities and cell phone reception may be limited for long periods of the workday. We work under a wide range of weather conditions, provided that we can do so safely. Work conditions may include temperatures ranging from 40ºF to >90ºF, high winds, direct sun, and precipitation. Most days the fieldwork will be conducted in pairs or small groups, though some fieldwork alone will be required. We provide safety training, a first aid kit, task-specific personal protective equipment, and an emergency communicator/transponder as part of our field safety plan.
Living Conditions:
Housing at the RMBL is an eclectic mix of cabins and tents/yurts. The housing is rustic, with simple cooking facilities (or access to a shared kitchen) and outhouses in lieu of indoor toilets. RMBL staff work directly with all residents to assign housing. A full description of the housing stock, assignment process, and policies is available here: https://www.rmbl.org/field-station-info/housing/assigning-housing-in-gothic/.
We welcome applicants with or without prior field research experience
Work Schedule:
40 hours/week, Monday-Friday. Off days may be shifted on an as-needed basis if Saturday/Sunday work is required to accommodate plant phenology or to work around inclement weather in the forecast.
Is Time Limited
NoJob City & State
Crested Butte, CODepartment
PMBClassification Title
Temporary-Technical/ParaprofessionalWorking Title
Temporary Plant ecology field research technician - ColoradoWork Schedule
40/hrs per weekOther Work/Responsibilities
- n/a
Minimum Experience/Education
- Bachelor’s degree, degree in progress, or at least 6-months of work experience in biology, ecology, botany, environmental science, or a related field
Department Required Skills
- Willingness to drive the field vehicle on mountain roads that may be unpaved, windy, or narrow to access field sites
- Ability to work safely and efficiently in small teams or alone in the field
Preferred Years Experience, Skills, Training, Education
- Ability to operate a survey GPS/GNSS to collect spatial data
- Experience using GIS software to produce maps and visualize spatial data
- Experience with data entry, organization, quality control, and management using spreadsheet software
- Experience driving 4×4 vehicles
- Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness First Aid certification
- General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) license for operating long-distance handheld radios
Required License or Certification
- Valid driver’s license
Valid NC Driver's License required?
NoCommercial Driver's License Required?
NoAnticipated Hiring Range
$15/hr, plus housingJob Open Date
03/04/2024Quick Link
https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/198469AA/EEO
NC State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as an individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-515-3148 to speak with a representative at the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity.
If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.
NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.
If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.
NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.
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