Biological Resource Technician

Summary: American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, is seeking one (1) Biological Resource Technician to contribute to natural resources management and conservation projects alongside the BLM staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit the American Conservation Experience website.

Start Date: September 2024 (flexible for the right candidate, depending on a federal background check; this process can take 1-3 months to complete)

Estimated End Date: 52 weeks after start date

*a 52-week minimum commitment is required*

Location Details/Description: Ridgecrest, CA

The BLM Ridgecrest Field Office has stewardship responsibility for public lands from the eastern edge of the White Mountains outside of Big Pine, CA to the eastern Scodie Mountains outside of California City, CA. The Field Office oversees roughly 1.8 million acres of Public Land, with the highest and lowest points within the continental U.S. a short drive from the office.

For more information about Ridgecrest, CA, please visit the BLM Ridgecrest Field Office website.

Position Overview: This opportunity is intended for enthusiastic professionals with a background in Natural Resource Management, Recreation, Forestry, or a closely related field, with a deep interest in advancing their career goals in the public sector outdoor recreation profession. The ACE member will maintain close interaction with the BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner and Natural Resource Staff to monitor sensitive species and their habitat within and adjacent to Off-Highway Vehicle recreation areas. This position monitors species and habitats outlined in a Habitat Management Plan and requires both a large amount of fieldwork and organizing the data collected in the field. Fieldwork consists of driving throughout the Field Office on a variety of 4WD routes, hiking to sensitive plant populations and sensitive species habitats, using a tablet for data collection, and identifying sensitive plant species. There will also be opportunities to work with the restoration crews, coordinate volunteer events, and give educational talks to Off-Highway Vehicle recreationists.

Most of the work performed by the members will consist of:

• Monitoring sensitive species and habitats
• Collecting data on the survival of species used in restoration
• Monitoring the effectiveness of restoration
• Maintaining a GIS database
• Organizing outreach events and training for restoration crews
• Assisting with other resource-related projects, as assigned.

In addition, the members will complete inventories, prioritize and coordinate work with staff, and initiate NEPA as needed. Members will be responsible for coordinating and completing projects on the ground. The emphasis would be placed on preserving and enhancing recreational opportunities by curbing problems before they become unmanageable and subject possibly to new restrictions and closures.

The ACE member will be mentored by a BLM staff member. The ACE member will coordinate work regularly with the Outdoor Recreation Planner and Wilderness Coordinator but the monitoring work will be carried out independently with little supervision. The member will work mostly from specific instructions, with work reviewed for accuracy and completeness upon completion of assignments.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promote exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: The standard schedule is 40 hours per week and will require some weekend work to do visitor outreach during the busy season. The primary holiday weekends worked will be Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving, and President’s Day weekend. Additional non-holiday weekends may also be required to do outreach and volunteer events.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $900.00/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. The living allowance is a fixed rate determined by the BLM and ACE and is not flexible.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on the American Conservation Experience website.

Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and is not provided by ACE or the BLM.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position-specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, and networks for support. Specific training may include:

• 4WD
• GIS – both field and desktop applications
• NEPA
• Wilderness Act, and Wilderness Stewardship

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning-of-term feedback forms, end-of-term evaluations, and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit the American Conservation Experience website.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a degree in Natural Resource Management, Recreation Management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position and/or have relevant experience in those subject areas.
• Knowledge of general computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite).
• Ability and willingness to safely operate a 4X4 vehicle in rugged terrain.
• Ability and willingness to hike long distances and work alone/in a small group with minimal supervision.
• Ability and willingness to perform plant identification (fieldwork may require the collection of threatened and endangered plant species).
• Bilingual applicants are encouraged and welcome.
• Deep interest in backcountry foot travel.

Physical Demands, Work Environment, and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking, and hearing. Manual dexterity is required for the use of various tools. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral, and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Ability to move up to 50 pounds.
• Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates. Work is performed in an outdoor environment that ranges from very cold and wet to very hot and dry. This work may require physical exertion over very steep, wet, muddy, slippery, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; and may include bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, and similar activities.
• Travel: This position may require domestic travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger themself, fellow staff/members, or resources.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the BLM or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the BLM. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the BLM, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to BLM and ACE equipment training, certification, and safety protocols is required.