Grasslands Monitoring Coordinator/CWB

Location: Lonoke, Arkansas

(Office space provided in Lonoke USDA Technical Service Center)

Application Deadline: February 4th, 2024

Start Date: February/March 2024

Overview:  In partnership with the USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Arkansas Quail Forever Grasslands CWB – Monitoring Coordinator will coordinate and conduct monitoring and evaluation efforts on WLFW, RCPP, EQIP, CSP and related USDA wildlife programs to document the effectiveness of USDA conservation practices on pollinators, quail, grassland songbirds, and native grassland plant communities during the spring, summer, and fall. This position will be largely focused on in-the-field data collection, protocol development, data entry and preliminary analysis, and generating written reports. A key responsibility of this position will be to implement a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation protocol to document the success of applicable program work to increase quail and pollinator habitat and populations. The Monitoring Coordinator will work with local USDA service centers through the WLFW, RCPP, EQIP, CSP and other USDA conservation programs to assess and communicate working grassland, savanna, and open woodland recovery goals to reverse declines in wildlife populations associated with these habitats. This coordinator will also help lead Arkansas in the WLFW Outcomes Assessment monitoring effort occurring at a multi-state scale. The coordinator will work alongside Quail Forever Farm Bill Biologists and partner agencies to promote, coordinate and implement conservation provisions of the Federal Farm Bill on private lands. General duties will include all aspects of project site monitoring for outcomes, farm bill program effectiveness evaluation, program promotion/outreach, and report writing. Currently, this position is not a supervisory position. However, this position may supervise a WLFW Outcomes Assessment survey technician if necessary.

Specific Duties:

• Work with NRCS and Partners to continue and improve upon a Bobwhite Quail and Pollinator Habitat monitoring program to document program effectiveness and results.
• Continue NRCS Effectiveness Monitoring efforts on USDA-funded wildlife habitat projects, to include Spring Breeding Bird Surveys, Fall Quail Covey Counts, Vegetation and Pollinator Transect Monitoring, and Soil Infiltration.
• Promote and Implement Working Lands For Wildlife Outcomes Assessment Monitoring working in conjunction with a region-wide WLFW monitoring protocol using Autonomous Recording Units and gridded vegetation monitoring on WLFW-specific projects. This assessment is a NRCS/QF/University of Georgia partnership.
• Work alongside AGFC, NRCS, and other partnering agencies to determine and/or develop appropriate monitoring databases, and to compare data collected on public land monitoring efforts.
• Work with Arkansas NRCS and ARS at the USDA Plant Materials Center on joint research projects.
• Generate written reports and presentations to USDA NRCS on monitoring efforts and trends based on data collected from surveys and protocols, with an emphasis on USDA program and practice implementation outcomes.
• Work closely with Quail Forever and AGFC staff to streamline monitoring efforts on USDA funded projects on private lands, and communicate directly with private landowners on the intent, importance, and overall objectives of effectiveness monitoring.

Desired Knowledge. Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to build trust and communicate clearly and effectively with farmers, ranchers, agricultural partners and other agencies is key to making this position successful.
• Knowledge of and ability to develop sampling protocol to assess on the ground outcomes of programs.
• Ability to conduct preliminary research, data entry, and report writing based on monitoring protocols implemented.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision and with diverse clientele. Must be a motivated self-starter with strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong identification skills for song birds and plants desired (both native and nonnative grasses, sedges, rushes, forbs, shrubs, and trees).
• Knowledge of, and/or practical experience with agricultural operations (forestry, pasture, row crop, etc.)
• Knowledge of wildlife ecology, grassland, savanna, open woodland, and upland habitat management including the ability to utilize various habitat management tools for ecosystem restorations.
• Knowledge of conservation and wildlife habitat programs provided by the USDA Farm Bill. In addition, knowledge of how these programs are implemented in an agricultural landscape is desired.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to manage demanding workloads.
• Proficiency with ArcGIS, ArcPro, GPS, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)
• Valid driver’s license required; some use of personal vehicle required (mileage reimbursement provided, monthly vehicle stipend provided, and some access to USDA vehicles provided).
• Must be able to obtain USDA Federal Security Clearance.

Education and Experience Preferred: A minimum requirement for this position is a Bachelor of Science Degree in Range Management, Agriculture, Forestry, Wildlife Management or closely related natural resources field with a minimum of two years related experience. Preference will be given to individuals with a Master’s Degree in the same fields listed above who have proven data collection, data analysis, and report writing experience. Experience working with USDA Farm Bill programs (EQIP, CSP, RCPP, ACEP, and CRP) is preferred. The ideal candidate will exhibit a balance of technical knowledge and interpersonal skills required to develop and conduct sampling protocol for field studies on private lands. A successful applicant must enjoy working with private landowners and must enjoy working outdoors across a wide range of climatic conditions.

Starting Salary: $52,000 + benefits including up to $200 monthly student loan assistance available and 401k match.