Mesonet Assistant

The Montana Climate Office (MCO) within the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation and at the University of Montana is seeking applications for multiple Temporary Mesonet Assistant positions. This is a 6-month, full-time hourly hire under the supervision of the Montana Mesonet Field Manager (MFM). These positions are based in Missoula, Montana. The Mesonet Assistants will provide support and labor to construct weather monitoring stations (Montana Mesonet) across Montana. The Montana Mesonet is being developed through a US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) award to the MCO to aid flood and drought predictions across the state. See https://www.drought.gov/drought-research/usace-upper-missouri-river-basinsoil-moisture-and-plains-snow-monitoring-build  for more details of the USACE project.

The University of Montana is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action: Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always”; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist field technicians as directed with all aspects of station construction and installation.
• Test electronic equipment prior to field deployment.
• Test, organize, and prepare materials and equipment for field deployment.
• Maintain materials and supplies inventories required for station construction.
• Complete construction and installation tasks as directed by MFM in the field and office to complete the on-time buildout of weather monitoring stations.
• Assist with preparing and packing materials, vehicles, and trailers for extended field deployments. Complete office, warehouse, and maintenance tasks as assigned.
• Meet all paperwork and reporting requirements of the University of Montana necessary to fulfill roles and responsibilities for this position.
• Serve as public representative of the Montana Mesonet within the broader mission of the MCO.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma and one (1) year of experience with general construction practices.
• Knowledge of and ability to work with safe construction practices while fostering a safe working environment.
• Lab or similar experience working with technical equipment.
• Ability and willingness to complete overnight travel throughout Montana for durations up to 2 weeks per trip.
• Capacity and willingness to perform field work under extreme environmental conditions.
• Demonstrated ability to follow instructions and complete tasks competently and on time.
• Ability to perform manual field work at Mesonet sites (e.g., working on uneven terrain in remote areas, lifting heavy objects, and digging cable trenches and soils pits).
• Valid driver license and ability to operate a pickup truck pulling a trailer.
• Ability to work collaboratively within MCO’s team-oriented environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven ability to operate small construction machinery, i.e., skid steer with hydraulic attachments.
• Three (3) years of experience with general construction practices.
• One (1) year of experience with environmental monitoring electronics or similar technology.
• Ability to safely drive trucks and trailers with loaded equipment.

Additional Information

Compensation Title: Mapping Technician 

Work Schedule: Full-time, 1.0 FTE (40 Hours a week), Position requires an alternative work schedule, 6-month temporary appointment. 

Screening of applications will begin after the closing date; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.