Biological Technician (BLM, Applegate Field Office)

The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, is recruiting two (2) Biological Technicians for the Applegate Field Office, located in Cedarville, CA. Under the direction of the agency lead, the selected candidate will help in addressing key management tasks related to multiple projects within the Field Office. 

The primary project focus will be the Greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Tasks completed on this project are providing BLM management with the necessary data to assess whether planned habitat improvement projects can move forward to the implementation phase. 

Specific duties include:

• Lek counts
• Habitat use research
• Vegetation monitoring (e.g. line point intercept)

For the first 8 weeks (March/April), primary duties will focus on Greater sage-grouse lek surveys. The following 7-8 weeks will focus on assisting the BLM Forester with vegetation monitoring using the AIM protocol. Duties during the final two months will vary depending upon project needs and the discretion of the field supervisor. Tentative duties expected during July and August include raptor nest surveys, inspecting and completing minor repairs to wildlife fence exclosures, riparian monitoring, installing and monitoring game cameras at wildlife guzzlers, archaeological field tasks, and assisting state biologists and university researchers with various ongoing wildlife related studies.

The Biological Technicians will be exposed to the operations of a federal land management agency charged with a multiple-use and sustainable-yield mission, gain a greater understanding of how policy decisions are formulated, get hands-on experience with natural resource monitoring protocols and field techniques, enhance skills related to data collection and behavioral observations, and actively participate in formal trainings related to first aid, off-highway vehicle operation, and the BLM’s Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy. 

Upon completion of this position, the Biological Technicians will be better prepared to take on additional responsibility in fields related to rangeland management, wildlife biology, or public land management. Applicants seeking to apply for graduate school will have compelling experience and real-world knowledge to apply to their application.

Timeline 

• 24-week appointment beginning early on March 3, 2025, and ending mid August 2025, pending successful completion of Department of Interior Background Investigation (DOI BI)
  • Please note a DOI BI may take up to 6 weeks to process and clear.
• Applicants should be available for the full-term duration
• Given the intensive training period, time off requests in the first 2-3 months of the term may not be permitted
• Full-time 40 hours/week

Compensation & Benefits 

• Wage: $17.75/hr
• On-site housing (barracks-style, with personal room if available, laundry, fully-stocked kitchen, wi-fi) available to rent at $174.15/month
  • A weekly housing stipend of $150 is provided to offset the monthly rental cost
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums fully paid for by GBI
• Holiday and paid time off

Location: The technicians will serve out of the Applegate Field Office, located in Cedarville, CA. Cedarville is a rural town (population 500) and services are very limited.  There is a small grocery store, gas station, post office, and a few restaurants. The closest larger town, Alturas (population 2800), is located 22 miles to the west.  Alturas, also very much a rural town, has larger grocery stores and more services than Cedarville. The weather is consistent with a high-desert area. Temperatures in the summer can and will reach the mid 90’s°F, and during the first few months of the appointment (March/April) when early morning tasks are scheduled, temperatures can drop well below freezing. Fieldwork can be strenuous, and many trails are in steep, rugged terrain.

Qualifications
 
Technical requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or coursework and experience in biology (wildlife or conservation), ecology or a related field;
• Field experience that included adhering to field data collection protocols and accurately recording field data;
• Office experience that included data entry and report writing;
• Knowledge of wildlife ecology and plant taxonomy including use of technical keys;
• Familiarity with wildlife species in the area; including threatened, endangered, and sensitive species;
• Ability to use a GPS unit for navigation and data collection;
• Experience using ArcGIS to create maps, analyze data, and organize layers preferred;
• Experience in habitat evaluation and collection of vegetation data preferred; and
• Experience in conducting avian surveys and nest monitoring preferred, particularly for gallinaceous species

Additional requirements:

• Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record;
• Ability to safely drive a 4WD vehicle on unpaved roads that can be steep and rutted;
• Experience operating UTV’s preferred (although formal UTV training by the BLM will be provided during first month of term);
• Ability to complete tasks in harsh and rapidly changing environments, in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain, carry upwards of 40 pounds in a backpack, and otherwise maintain good physical condition;
• Willingness to spend multiple days camping in the field;
• Willingness to serve irregular hours (e.g., pre-sunrise mornings, late nights past midnight);
• Ability to perform tasks productively, consistently and cooperatively as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals;
• Familiarity with backcountry, low-impact principles preferred;
• Must be able to pass a DOI Background Investigation;