Giant Hogweed Invasive Species Strike Team Specialists

This is a great position for someone who enjoys working as part of a team, exploring new places, being outside doing physical work, and who wants to spend a season learning about manual and chemical invasive plant control, improving their GIS and plant identification skills, and getting professional experience interacting with the public. 

Giant hogweed is an invasive plant with sap capable of causing injury to humans.  In addition to being a public health hazard, giant hogweed plants decrease plant diversity and can lead to soil erosion. Giant hogweed plants are located in a variety of settings (e.g. riparian areas, fields, yards, forests). This will be NYSDEC’s 17th year of managing a GH control program which assists landowners, town, county, and state highway departments by controlling the GH on their properties for them or providing training to them on how to control it themselves. More information about giant hogweed and DEC’s statewide control program can be found online at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/39809.html.

The position’s duties involve fieldwork on both public and private lands; mapping infestations, collecting site information, surveying for plants and implementing manual and/or chemical control of giant hogweed. Appropriate safety equipment and safety training will be provided at the outset of employment. We are looking for qualified and enthusiastic individuals to join our team.

Basics

Title & Pay Rate: Depending on qualifications: Forestry Technician $18.22/hr OR Facilities Operations Assistant 1 $16.35/hr

Work week: Monday to Thursday 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Season: May 15- August 15 (possible week or two extension)

Location: NYSDEC Office: 700 Delaware Ave Buffalo NY

Job Duties

• Communication and Permissions: Contact property owners to secure permission for survey and control activities and educate them about giant hogweed on their property.
• Site Location and Mapping: Utilize GIS products to accurately locate and delineate specific control sites.
• Invasive Species Control: Implement manual and chemical control of giant hogweed. Safely remove and dispose of invasive plant flower/seed heads, conduct additional scouting near known locations and potential areas of spread, and maintain detailed digital records of control activities. Pesticides will be applied under certified supervision, using backpack or hand-held sprayers as per label instructions.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications for Forest Technician:

Thirty (30) semester credit hours, including twelve (12) semester credit hours in forestry, which must include at least one course in three or more of the following areas: botany, dendrology, forest biology, forest ecology, forest ecosystem management, forest entomology, forest health, forest mensuration, forest pathology, forest protection, forest soils, general soils, geographic information systems, land surveying and silviculture

OR

One (1) year of technical forestry experience in one (1) or more of the following areas: forest management, including sale and removal of timber products; nursery management, including the transplanting of tree or shrub seedlings; forest pest management, including control of diseases and insect pests.

Minimum qualifications for Facilities Operations Assistant 1:

Ability to perform the essential duties of the position

Preferred knowledge and skills:

• Educational Background: Completed coursework in forestry, environmental studies, ecology, natural resource management, conservation biology, or wildlife biology. Experience identifying common tree species of New York and the pests that impact them.
• Invasive Species Expertise: Knowledgeable about invasive species, identification, and control techniques.
• Mapping and Field Skills: Proficient in using maps, GPS, and GIS for effective site location and recording during surveys.
• Physical Fitness: Demonstrates physical capability for labor-intensive tasks in diverse terrains and weather conditions; including digging, cutting, spraying, and hiking for extended survey periods.
• Communication: Exhibits excellent interpersonal, organization and communication skills, providing accurate information about invasive species of concern to the public.
• Work Ethic & Safety: Positive attitude, self-motivated, works well both independently and in a collaborative setting, displays a strong commitment to safety practices.
• Herbicide Application: Ability to learn safe and effective herbicide control methods. Prior experience is a plus.
• Driver’s License: Candidates must possess a valid driver’s license at the time of appointment.