Working collaboratively with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Redding, CA, the Great Basin Institute is recruiting one (1) AmeriCorps member to assist the BLM Ecologist with a wide variety of field and office tasks that will prepare them for success with future academic endeavors and a career in rangeland or natural resources management. The member will aid the BLM ecology program staff with vegetation surveys and monitoring, vegetation treatments, rangeland/grazing management projects, and post-fire stabilization treatments. The member will also have opportunities to support National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, with particular focus on preparing sections of technical documents and working within the BLM’s geographical information system (GIS).

More specifically, the member will assist the BLM ecologist with office work such as document preparation and review, data entry, analysis and database management, research, outreach and education. The member will be responsible for field work activities associated with rangeland monitoring, botanical surveys, and conducting vegetation treatments. The member will assist with collecting seeds used for native plant material development. Vegetation treatments will include things like native species planting and invasive species control.

Outcomes of these activities will inform the development of maps and reports related to NEPA compliance, vegetation treatments, and other BLM actions. This position will require moderate to strenuous physical exertion, including operating common hand tools (e.g., power drill or backpack sprayer), and hiking over uneven terrain. This is a 6-month position, so the member must be prepared to serve in a variety of weather conditions and recognize that they will be confronted by environmental hazards, such as lightning, poison oak, insects, cattle and other livestock, and other potential hazards commensurate with land management activities.

This project is authorized by the Public Land Corps Act, which supports opportunities for young people (aged 16-30) to work on conservation projects on public lands. Those who successfully complete the PLC requirements are then eligible to use, for two years, a noncompetitive hiring status for consideration when applying to competitive federal service positions.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Botany, Rangeland Management, Natural Resources Management or related field, or combination of related education and field experience;
• Dedication to the position with a displayed interest in and knowledge of rangeland and resource management, plant conservation, and National Service;
• Intermediate skills with GIS and GPS technologies;
• Possess strong written and oral communication skills and high degree of comfort interacting with various stakeholders, including agency representatives, GBI and BLM colleagues, and the general public;
• A high level of proficiency and comfort working independently outdoors in remote field settings;
• Motivated, self-starter who is detail oriented;
• A high level of proficiency and comfort traveling in rough terrain by foot or four wheel drive vehicle;
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Programs;
• Possess clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license; and
• Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: (1) U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status, (2) eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (limit of four in a lifetime or the equivalent of two full-time education awards), (3) pass National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and federal criminal background checks, (4) adhere to the rules, regulations and code of conduct as specified in the Member Service Agreement; and (5) not engage in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement.