Botany & Restoration Specialist

Salmon Valley Stewardship (SVS) is seeking a highly motivated individual to assist in improving regional native plant restoration efforts through both hands-on project implementation and engagement with other partner organizations invested in maintaining resilient landscapes in the Salmon River Region of Central Idaho. 

Classification: Full Time (1560 hr/yr; 20 – 40 hr/wk), Permanent (2 years, with extension contingent on funding) 

Salary: $19-24 hourly, DOE 

Benefits: Vacation & sick days, 11 paid holidays, monthly health care stipend, phone stipend, training and development opportunities. 

Location: Salmon, Idaho 

Reports to: Restoration Program Manager 

Start dates: Spring 2026 

About Us: 

Since 2004, Salmon Valley Stewardship (SVS) has promoted a sustainable economy and productive working lands in the Salmon River Region of Central Idaho. Our vision is that of a community where stewardship of our natural resources is at the core of the social, economic, and ecological vitality of the region. Since 2007, SVS has partnered with the USFS, BLM, state agencies, local entities, and non-profit organizations to work collaboratively on vegetation stewardship, monitoring, and restoration. 

SVS’s Native Plants Restoration Program started in 2023 and works in partnership with the Salmon-Challis National Forest (SCNF) Botany, Invasives, and Pollinators program (BIP) as well as other land management agencies to contribute to restoring healthy and balanced plant communities to the region. The Program’s main focus is procuring diverse and ecologically appropriate native seed mixes but also increasing regional restoration capacity by working with potential growers, hosting public education and volunteer events, and leveraging local working groups and partnerships. 

Position Details: 

The Botany & Restoration Specialist will work alongside the Program Manager and partner staff to accomplish the technical aspects of our program, which involves scouting, collecting, processing and distributing seed across multiple project areas. Time will be spent about 50% in the field, 25% in the workshop, and 25% in the office. Outdoor field work is predominantly in semi-arid sagebrush steppe and dry forest habitats. The Specialist will also assist with volunteer and education events and program development work.  

This position is funded for 1560 hours per year for up to 2 years, with 35-40 hours per week expected during the field season (May-Oct) and reduced hours in Nov – Apr. Additional hours each year are not guaranteed but are possible while assisting other SVS programs. Additional years are contingent upon securing additional funding and the employees’ ability to meet program needs. 

Primary tasks and responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

• Field-going activities such as plant identification, phenology monitoring, voucher collection, rare plant surveys, population mapping, seed collection, and hand-seeding
• Workshop work such as seed cleaning, processing, and testing, seed mix design, managing seed storage, and workshop organization and cleaning.
• Office work such as data management, literature research, report preparation, coordinating volunteer events, creating or delivering educational materials
• Assisting the Program Manager with program development and planning such as grant writing, developing agreements with partner organizations, and representing the Program at collaboratives and working groups.
• Assisting with general SVS activities and events as well as other SVS programs as needed.

Minimum Qualifications 

• Prior experience or education resulting in plant identification skills
• Ability and willingness to regularly work outdoors in rough terrain on foot in hot or cold conditions
• Possession of a valid driver’s license

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience or education in botany, plant sciences, ecology, biology, natural resource management, or related field
• Experience working in sagebrush steppe, high desert, or dry forest ecosystems with knowledge of their plant species, ecology, and threats.
• Experience collecting, processing, organizing, and summarizing data
• Experience and high comfort level safely operating 4WD vehicles on rough roads and performing on-foot, off-trail field work in remote (limited service) areas on steep terrain
• Knowledge of software such as ArcGIS software, AGOL, Fieldmaps, Survey123, Avenza, Garmin, MS Office.
• Experience working independently as well as cooperatively within a small-team environment on complex projects with deadlines
• Experience working with a variety of project partners like private landowners, public land management agencies, and non-profits.
• Experience with community outreach, volunteer coordination, and public communication
• Willingness to occasionally work flexible hours and long days.

Salmon Valley Stewardship is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our programs and employment are open to all. We value diversity and do not permit any discrimination against applicants, employees, or volunteers on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law or statute in any of our policies or programs.