Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead

The Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition (ENLC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the advancement of environmental conservation through projects, research, education, and partnerships throughout the arid and semi-arid West.

ENLC is hiring one (1) Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead to lead vegetation and noxious weed monitoring activities on US Forest Service-managed lands in the Ely Ranger District. The crew lead will be responsible for leading one technician in collecting vegetation and substrate data in remote, backcountry settings. This project is funded through a Cooperative Agreement between the Forest Service and ENLC. The position will begin in late April to early May and continue into late September 2024 with potential opportunities to work beyond. The position will be based out of our headquarters in Ely, NV, while the fieldwork will take place in the Schell Creek and north Snake Mountain ranges of eastern Nevada.

ENLC’s vegetation and noxious weed monitoring activities are part of a larger US Forest Service program to establish ecological trends, reduce the threat of noxious and invasive weed introductions, restore native plant communities, improve wildlife habitats within the watersheds of White Pine County, and increase education and outreach efforts related to noxious and invasive weeds management to youth, private and public landowners, and the general public within designated Cooperative Weed Management Areas. Through these efforts, this program makes a meaningful impact on the environment, maintaining the health of our native landscapes on public lands.

The Crew Lead will encounter a variety of opportunities for professional development, including training and leading a team with varied experience in ecological monitoring survey methods and noxious weed inventory methods, and approaches for supporting them; as well as the ability to effectively support the success of a mission-driven non-profit organization. This exciting role contributes to ENLC’s significant positive impacts within the fields of environmental research, education, and conservation.

ECOLOGICAL MONITORING CREW LEAD DUTIES:

• Effectively lead and manage a 2-person crew in a backcountry setting.
• Have strong plant identification skills and be able to efficiently identify Great Basin flora in the field in order to maintain work pace.
• Hike up to 10 miles a day to remote plot locations in varied terrain and topography and in a myriad of conditions including extreme heat, cold, rain, sleet, and even snow while carrying a pack with field equipment.
• Train and oversee field technicians, and collect ecological data using several methods including Line Intercept, Point Cover, Nested Frequency, Plant Rooting Depth, and Photo Points.
• Provide provisional assistance with noxious and invasive weed inventory, aimed to identify and record new introductions, population expansions, and reductions.
• Coordinate with Project Lead to most efficiently, effectively, and safely conduct ecological monitoring activities.
• Drive large, high clearance 4×4 trucks to plots using remote, two track roads in mountainous and variable terrain.
• Navigate to plots using hand held GPS receivers.
• Identify Nevada state listed noxious weeds on sight.
• Ability to work and camp 8 consecutive 10-hour days in field conditions that are highly variable.
• Perform regular data QA/QC.
• Ability to follow and enforce safety protocols such as safely operating vehicles on rough two-track roads and providing and wearing closed-toed shoes and long pants for all field work.

EDUCATON AND EXPERIENCE: Qualified applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree in biology, botany, range conservation, or a related field, as well as strong leadership skills and experience in overseeing field crews working with invasive plant management, biological sciences, natural resources, botany, GIS, or rangeland management. Applicants must have the ability to follow directions and enforce safety protocols in a backcountry setting. Applicants must have strong plant identification skills and be able to use dichotomous keys and other resources to identify plants to species. Applicants must be experienced with 4WD vehicles and should have a clean driving record for the past three (3) years. Applicants must be 21 years or older and pass a federal background check. Preference is given to applicants with knowledge of Great Basin flora and with experience using GPS units and ArcMap.

WAGE AND BENEFITS: $25/hour plus $40 per diem when camping. Benefits include a $200 monthly health insurance allowance and a weekly $75 housing allowance, and eligibility to Pro Deals, such as Outdoor ProLink. Housing for this position is not provided, though due to the 8-on, 6-off schedule, most crews travel during their off days.

SCHEDULE: This is a full-time seasonal position that runs from April through late September 2024, with a schedule of eight 10-hour days on (80-hour work period), followed by 6 days off. This schedule increases efficiency by reducing drive times to and from our office. While in the field, the crew will truck camp in remote locations. Crews will spend 1 night each Sunday mid-hitch back in town to clean up and resupply. A small amount of overtime is allotted per work period to conduct data QA/QC upon returning from the field.

ABOUT THE ELY, NV AREA: Nestled in the heart of eastern Nevada’s Great Basin, ENLC is headquartered in Ely, NV. While the area is remote and sparsely populated, eastern Nevada has incredible outdoor recreation opportunities for the adventurous, including over 700,000 acres of designated wilderness. Hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, backcountry skiing, disc golfing, fishing and hunting are a small sampling of the area’s outdoor activities. Over 90% of White Pine County is publicly owned. This includes lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and the National Park Service. Great Basin National Park is an hour from Ely, providing spectacular hikes, vistas, and camping retreats from 6,200 to 13,159 ft, the summit of Mt. Wheeler (the tallest peak in the area). No matter your preferred outdoor activity, eastern Nevada has something for everyone.