The Aquatic Monitoring Program at GBI serves as an excellent development opportunity for natural resource professionals seeking experience in aquatic, riparian, and rangeland surveys. A component of our well-established Research Associate Program, GBI’s Aquatic Monitoring effort is dedicated to providing college graduates and emerging professionals with hands-on survey, inventory, monitoring, and reporting experience in natural resource management. Extensive training and technical field skills development provides employees a unique opportunity to obtain valuable experience that will increase future success.

Description:

GBI is recruiting Riparian Botanists to assist in the implementation of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) National Aquatic Monitoring Framework (NAMF) for Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) of lotic ecosystems, as well as Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) of stream channels and streamside vegetation. The Riparian Botanist will work with GBI staff, BLM staff, and Aquatic Monitoring Field Leads and Technicians. Each Botanist will work as part of a three-person crew (one Crew Lead, one Riparian Botanist, and one Technician) in eastern Oregon to sample streams and assess riparian vegetation on BLM-managed land using the BLM’s Aquatic AIM protocol. As part of a three-person crew, the Riparian Botanist’s main responsibility will be to assess riparian vegetation using the MIM protocol for stream channels and streamside vegetation. AIM seeks to standardize the collection data that can be used at multiple scales to assist the BLM in making resource management decisions.

More information about AIM and AIM implementation can be found at http://aim.landscapetoolbox.org/

More information about MIM:

https://www.blm.gov/or/programs/nrst/files/MIM_handout.pdf

Aquatic monitoring crews will sample streams on BLM-managed lands in eastern Oregon using the BLM’s AIM protocol for wadeable lotic systems. Data collection involves measuring a variety of attributes including water chemistry and instream habitat, collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates, and conducting ocular estimates in the riparian zone. Successful applicants will be required to work and camp in the field during 8-day sampling efforts (8 days on, 6 days off). Applicants should be prepared to encounter strenuous working conditions, including off-trail hiking and traversing of streams. Additional effort might be required to reach difficult sites, including overnight backpacking and use of off road vehicles.

Dependent on performance and completion of work term this position qualifies for Public Lands Corps (PLC) status given that the applicant is 30 years old or younger at the time of application for federal employment.

Field work and duties may include:

• Route planning utilizing ArcMap and Google Earth
• Navigating unmaintained roads and off-trail to sampling sites utilizing GPS and back country navigation skills;
• Establishing sampling plots and transects;
• Collecting riparian vegetation data, including species inventory (green line composition, green line width, woody species high class and age class);
• Identifying plants to species using dichotomous keys;
• Entering and managing data in electronic data collection module.

Additional duties include:

• Maintaining safety awareness and practices;
• Regular communication with GBI support staff and BLM agency staff;
• Participation in GBI and BLM agency trainings.