NDOW Vegetation Monitoring Crew Lead (Reno, NV)

The Great Basin Institute’s Ecological Monitoring Program focuses on collecting monitoring data to inform conservation and management of natural, cultural, and recreational resources in the Intermountain West, while providing emerging professionals opportunities to begin or enhance their careers. This program provides hands-on experience with rangeland surveys, terrestrial vegetation monitoring, and field data collection.

One component of the program works in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to implement NDOW’s Vegetation Health Assessment (VHA) program. The goal of the VHA program is to provide ecological monitoring data to inform conservation planning and adaptive management decisions. This data is used by resource specialists and land managers to inform future resource management decisions focused on protecting Nevada’s biodiversity and restoring productive terrestrial ecosystems to support wildlife.

For the 2024 field season, GBI is recruiting two Vegetation Monitoring Crew Leads to work with GBI staff, NDOW staff, and technicians. Each Lead will coordinate and supervise a field crew (one Lead and three Technicians) to characterize vegetation using VHA protocols, on various sampling sites across northern Nevada. Monitoring projects are predominantly located in sagebrush ecosystems and focused on post-fire restoration, habitat improvement, and baseline condition of sage-grouse habitat. This opportunity differs from other GBI Ecological Monitoring positions as the primary monitoring goal is to conduct long-term vegetation monitoring, excluding soil indicators.

Crew Leads will start a week before technicians for lead specific training before three weeks of combined training focused on botany and protocols. During the first month of training, the typical schedule is 5 days on (Monday-Friday) and 2 days off. During field work, dispersed car camping for eight day “hitches” (Wednesday-Wednesday) in remote locations will be required, followed by 6 days off (Thursday-Tuesday). At the end of the field season, there are three weeks of office work, primarily focused on data finalization and season wrap-up.

Field work will include:

• Maintaining safety awareness and best practices;

• Extensive 4x4 driving on unmaintained roads;

• Navigating off-trail, hiking up to 10 miles to sampling sites;

• Establishing sampling plots and transects;

• Collecting vegetation data (including photo-points, species inventory, forb diversity, species abundance, sagebrush shape, foliar cover, canopy gap, and herbaceous and woody heights);

• Making qualitative treatment and landscape condition assessments;

• Identifying plants to species using field identification skills and dichotomous keys; and

• Applying extensive quality assurance and quality control data checks.

Leadership duties:

• Training, supporting, and managing a field crew of two or three techs;

• Coordinating field logistics and scheduling; and

• Report writing and completing administrative paperwork.

Additional duties:

• Regular communication with GBI staff and agency staff;

• Participation in GBI and agency trainings;

• Maintaining organization and condition of provided gear;

• Using Field Maps and Survey123 software to collect field data; and

• Managing a ArcGIS Online database.

Contract Timeline:

25 weeks from April – September

• Tentative start date: April 15th, 2024

• Tentative end date: September 20th, 2024

Location:

Based out of NDOW Field Office in Reno, Nevada

• Crews will travel across Northern Nevada to monitoring sites on private, BLM, NPS, and/or USFS land, depending on the project.

• Projects include sage-grouse monitoring on USFS, post-fire restoration on BLM, long-term habitat monitoring, etc.

Compensation and Benefits:

Total approximate biweekly compensation, before taxes:

- Office: $2,006.15 - $2,126.15 (approximate hourly equivalent: $25.08 - $26.58)

- Average Field: $2,258.15 - $2,378.15 (approximate hourly equivalent: $28.23 to $29.73)

Compensation Breakdown:

• $1,840.00 to $1,960.00 biweekly salary, depending on experience

• $150 biweekly housing stipend; untaxed, used at applicant’s discretion as housing is not provided

• $36 per diem for every night camped in the field (up to 7 units in an 8-day work week)

• $16.15 biweekly cell phone stipend

• Paid health insurance including vision and dental at no cost; monthly premiums fully paid by GBI

• Paid state holidays

• Paid personal leave

Job Qualifications:

Technical requirements:

• Leadership experience, including supervising field crews and managing projects simultaneously, preferred;

• Experience, education, or a combination of both in botany and/or range management to meet the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, ecology, or other natural resources with at least 9 semester hours in plant or ecological sciences; AND

• A minimum of 1 year of field data collection identifying plants

• Experience identifying plants in the field and using a dichotomous key;

• Experience conducting plant surveys using various monitoring protocols, including standard rangeland monitoring protocols, photo plots, and site observations;

• Ability to train and supervise technicians;

• Ability to collect and manage data of a high degree of quality;

• Ability to read, interpret and navigate using topographic maps;

• Experience navigating and collecting coordinates with hand-held GPS units; and

• Experience safely operating agency 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads;

Additional requirements:

• Familiarity with native and invasive plants of the sampling area and associated natural resource issues, preferred;

• Willingness and ability to productively work in a fast-paced, dynamic setting while consistently maintaining high performance standards through a strong work and team ethic to accomplish goals;

• Willingness to mentor and foster professional development for crew members;

• Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record;

• Ability to communicate effectively with team members, program staff, and a diverse public;

• Ability to accurately complete administrative tasks on time i.e. timesheet, paperwork, etc;

• Possess or learn excellent organizational skills;

• Familiarity with best practices for field safety and Leave No Trace principles;

• Experience in and willingness to spend up to seven consecutive nights camping with no amenities in remote locations;

• Willingness to work irregular hours (e.g., early mornings, long days); and

• Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain for up to 10 miles, carry upwards of 40 pounds in a backpack, and otherwise maintain good physical condition.

If you applied to multiple Ecological Monitoring Program positions, please indicate your position and/or project preferences (if any) in your cover letter when applying. Application review will continue until all positions are filled. Please email any questions regarding this position to: Allison Peterson-Park, apetersonpark@thegreatbasininstitute.org.

NDOW Vegetation Monitoring Tech (Reno, NV)

The Great Basin Institute’s Ecological Monitoring Program focuses on collecting monitoring data to inform conservation and management of natural, cultural, and recreational resources in the Intermountain West, while providing emerging professionals opportunities to begin or enhance their careers. This program provides hands-on experience with rangeland surveys, terrestrial vegetation monitoring, and field data collection.

One component of the program works in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to implement NDOW’s Vegetation Health Assessment (VHA) program. The goal of the VHA program is to provide ecological monitoring data to inform conservation planning and adaptive management decisions. This data is used by resource specialists and land managers to inform future resource management decisions focused on protecting Nevada’s biodiversity and restoring productive terrestrial ecosystems to support wildlife.

For the 2024 field season, GBI is recruiting Vegetation Monitoring Technicians to work with GBI and NDOW staff. Each Tech will work under the supervision of a Crew Lead to characterize vegetation using VHA protocols, on various sampling sites across northern Nevada. Monitoring projects are predominantly located in sagebrush ecosystems and focused on post-fire restoration, habitat improvement, and baseline habitat condition. This opportunity differs from other GBI Ecological Monitoring positions as the primary monitoring goal is to conduct long-term vegetation monitoring, excluding soil indicators.

During the first month of training, the typical schedule is 5 days on (Monday-Friday) and 2 days off. During field work, car camping for 8 day “hitches” (Wednesday-Wednesday) in remote locations will be required, followed by 6 days off (Thursday-Tuesday). At the end of the field season, there is one week of office work, primarily focused on data finalization and season wrap-up.

Field work will include:

• Maintaining safety awareness and best practices;

• Extensive 4x4 driving on unmaintained roads in an agency work truck;

• Navigating off-trail, hiking up to 10 miles to sampling sites;

• Establishing or revisiting sampling plots and transects;

• Collecting vegetation data (including photo-points, species inventory, forb diversity, species abundance, sagebrush shape, foliar cover, canopy gap, and herbaceous and woody heights);

• Making qualitative treatment and landscape condition assessments;

• Identifying plants to species using field identification skills and dichotomous keys; and

• Applying extensive quality assurance and quality control data checks.

Additional duties include:

• Regular communication with GBI support staff and agency staff;

• Participation in GBI and agency trainings;

• Maintaining organization and condition of provided gear; and

• Using Field Maps and Survey123 software to collect field data.

Contract Timeline:

Two options available:

• Duration: 21 weeks from April to August

- Tentative Start Date: April 22nd

• Duration: 15 weeks from May to August

- Tentative Start Date: Week of May 13th, TBD

- Start date flexibility available depending on applicant

Location:

Based out of NDOW Field Office in Reno, Nevada

• Crews will travel across Northern Nevada to monitoring sites on private, BLM, NPS, and/or USFS land, depending on the project.

• Projects include sage-grouse monitoring on USFS, post-fire restoration on BLM, long-term habitat monitoring, etc.

Compensation and Benefits:

Total approximate biweekly compensation before taxes:

- Office: $1,590.00 (approximate hourly equivalent $19.88)

- Average Field: $1,842.00 (approximate hourly equivalent $23)

Compensation Breakdown:

• $1,440.00 bi-weekly salary

• $150 biweekly housing stipend; untaxed, used at applicant’s discretion as housing is not provided

• $36 per diem for every night camped in the field (up to 7 units in an 8-day work week)

• Paid health insurance including vision and dental at no cost; monthly premiums fully paid by GBI

• Paid state holidays

• Paid personal leave

Job Qualifications:

Technical requirements:

• Experience, education, or a combination of both in botany and/or range management to meet the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, ecology, or other natural resources with coursework in botany or plant sciences (or currently enrolled); AND/OR

• A minimum of 1 year of field data collection identifying plants, preferred

• Field botany experience preferred;

• Experience conducting plant surveys using various monitoring protocols, including standard rangeland monitoring protocols, photo plots, and site observations, preferred;

• Ability to collect and manage data of a high degree of quality;

• Ability to read, interpret and navigate using topographic maps;

• Experience navigating and collecting coordinates with hand-held GPS units; and

• Experience safely operating agency 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads;

Additional requirements:

• Familiarity with native and invasive plants of the sampling area and associated natural resource issues, preferred;

• Willingness and ability to productively work in a fast-paced, dynamic setting while consistently maintaining high performance standards through a strong work and team ethic to accomplish goals;

• Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record;

• Ability to communicate effectively with team members, program staff, and a diverse public;

• Ability to accurately complete administrative tasks on time i.e. timesheet, paperwork, etc;

• Possess or learn excellent organizational skills;

• Familiarity with best practices for field safety and Leave No Trace principles;

• Experience in and willingness to spend up to seven consecutive nights camping with no amenities in remote locations;

• Willingness to work irregular hours (e.g., early mornings, long days); and

• Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain for up to 10 miles, carry upwards of 40 pounds in a backpack, and otherwise maintain good physical condition.

If you applied to multiple Ecological Monitoring Program positions, please indicate your position and/or project preferences (if any) in your cover letter when applying. Application review will continue until all positions are filled. Please email any questions regarding this position to: Allison Peterson-Park, apetersonpark@thegreatbasininstitute.org.

NDOW Rangeland Assessment Technician (Reno, NV)

The Great Basin Institute’s Ecological Monitoring Program focuses on collecting monitoring data to inform conservation and management of natural, cultural, and recreational resources in the Intermountain West, while providing emerging professionals opportunities to begin or enhance their careers. This program provides hands-on experience with rangeland surveys, terrestrial vegetation monitoring, and field data collection.

One component of the program works in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to implement NDOW’s Vegetation Health Assessment (VHA) program. The goal of the VHA program is to provide ecological monitoring data to inform conservation planning and adaptive management decisions. This data is used by resource specialists and land managers to inform future resource management decisions focused on protecting Nevada’s biodiversity and restoring productive terrestrial ecosystems to support wildlife.

For the 2024 field season, GBI is recruiting three Rangeland Assessment Technicians to work with GBI and NDOW staff to implement novel rapid ecological assessment methods to evaluate restoration treatment success. Under the supervision of a Project Manager, technicians will characterize vegetation and site condition on several pilot post-wildfire sites primarily located in eastern Nevada on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.

During the first week of training, the typical schedule is 5 days on (Monday-Friday) and 2 days off. During field work, car camping for 8 day “hitches” (Wednesday-Wednesday) in remote locations will be required, followed by 6 days off (Thursday-Tuesday). At the end of the field season, there is one week of office work, primarily focused on data QC and season wrap-up.

Field work includes:

• Maintaining safety awareness and practices;

• Extensive 4x4 driving on unmaintained roads in an agency work truck;

• Navigating off-trail, hiking up to 10 miles to sampling sites;

• Establishing or revisiting sampling plots and transects;

• Collecting vegetation data (including photo-points, species inventory, ocular cover of vegetation and soils, and species density);

• Making qualitative landscape condition assessments for treatment success;

• Identifying plants to species using field identification skills and dichotomous keys; and

• Applying extensive quality assurance and quality control data checks.

Additional duties include:

• Regular communication with GBI support staff and agency staff;

• Participation in GBI and agency trainings;

• Maintaining organization and condition of provided gear; and

• Using Field Maps and Survey123 software to collect field data.

Contract Timeline:

• 21 weeks from March to August

- Tentative Start Date: March 11th

Location:

Based out of NDOW Field Office in Reno, Nevada

• Crews will travel across Northern Nevada to monitoring sites on BLM lands in the Ely District.

Compensation and Benefits:

Total approximate biweekly compensation before taxes:

- Office: $1,590.00 (approximate hourly equivalent $19.88)

- Average Field: $1,842.00 (approximate hourly equivalent $23)

Compensation Breakdown:

• $1,440.00 bi-weekly salary

• $150 biweekly housing stipend; untaxed, used at applicant’s discretion as housing is not provided

• $36 per diem for every night camped in the field (up to 7 units in an 8-day work week)

• Paid health insurance including vision and dental at no cost; monthly premiums fully paid by GBI

• Paid state holidays

• Paid personal leave

Job Qualifications:

Technical requirements:

• Experience, education, or a combination of both in botany and/or range management to meet the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, ecology, or other natural resources with coursework in botany or plant sciences (or currently enrolled); AND/OR

• A minimum of 1 year of field data collection identifying plants, preferred

• Field botany experience preferred;

• Experience conducting vegetation surveys using various monitoring protocols, including standard rangeland monitoring protocols, photo plots, and site observations, preferred;

• Ability to collect and manage data of a high degree of quality;

• Ability to read, interpret and navigate using topographic maps;

• Experience navigating and collecting coordinates with hand-held GPS units; and

• Experience safely operating agency 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads;

Additional requirements:

• Familiarity with native and invasive plants of the sampling area and associated natural resource issues, preferred;

• Willingness and ability to productively work in a fast-paced, dynamic setting while consistently maintaining high performance standards through a strong work and team ethic to accomplish goals;

• Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record;

• Ability to communicate effectively with team members, program staff, and a diverse public;

• Ability to accurately complete administrative tasks on time i.e. timesheet, paperwork, etc;

• Possess or learn excellent organizational skills;

• Familiarity with best practices for field safety and Leave No Trace principles;

• Experience in and willingness to spend up to seven consecutive nights camping with no amenities in remote locations;

• Willingness to work irregular hours (e.g., early mornings, long days); and

• Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain for up to 10 miles, carry upwards of 40 pounds in a backpack, and otherwise maintain good physical condition.

Please indicate your location and/or project preferences if you applied to multiple Ecological Monitoring Program positions in your cover letter when applying. Application review will continue until all positions are filled. Please email any questions regarding this position to: Allison Peterson-Park, apetersonpark@thegreatbasininstitute.org and Blake Ferrell, bferrell@thegreatbasinsinstitute.org.

Hesler Visiting Researcher Fellowships

Visiting Researcher Fellowships provide opportunities for scientists to use the collections at the University of Tennessee Herbarium (TENN) in Knoxville, Tennessee to enhance and facilitate a biodiversity-focused research project. TENN houses over 649,000 specimens of vascular plants, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens. Our vascular plant collection is unique in having the largest collection of specimens from the state of Tennessee and the historical collections documenting the flora of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a World Biosphere Reserve. Our bryophyte collection houses 183,000 specimens from throughout the world, with a strong emphasis on species found in Tennessee (Appalachian Region), North America (particularly the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the southeastern US), Mexico, and Asia. Our fungal collection houses nearly 73,000 specimens with searchable online records, including international and domestic collections with an emphasis on the southern Appalachians.

Graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and independent researchers from any country are eligible to apply. Funds are for travel, housing, and other visit-related expenses while conducting research at the TENN Herbarium. A maximum of two awards will be given out annually. Please see the application for further information about requirements, how to apply, and deadlines.

● Application deadline: 4 February 2024

● Letter/s of support deadline: 4 February 2024

● Applicant awards announced: 4 March 2024

● Awardee accept/decline deadline: 18 March 2024

Time to submit your abstract for the IBC 2024!

The organizers of the IBC are now inviting submissions of abstracts for oral and poster presentations! https://ibcmadrid2024.com/index.php

See the guidelines for abstract preparation here and the list of 233 accepted symposia here. Prepare your abstract according to the specifications and select 1-3 symposia that are the most appropriate for your presentation.

The abstract submission deadline for oral presentations in symposia is November 30, 2023. The abstract submission deadline for posters is February 1, 2024.

Links for guidelines and symposia:

https://ibcmadrid2024.com/index.php?seccion=scientificArea&subSeccion=abstractGuidelines

https://ibcmadrid2024.com/index.php?seccion=scientificArea&subSeccion=symposiums

Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany

The Garden Club of America’s Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany provides at least one grant award of $4,500 annually to support research related to medicinal plants. An important aspect of the award is that it is intended to enable a student to pursue an avenue of research that might otherwise prove closed. Accordingly, the funds may be used to cover direct costs associated with travel, field studies, or laboratory research. However, fellowship funds may not cover indirect costs, overhead, or student stipends and should not be used to pay for lab space or supplies normally provided by universities. In recent years, up to three awards have been made.

Eligible candidates include U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are currently enrolled in PhD programs in U.S.-based institutions, in any field of specialty, or who have received a doctoral degree within the last five years. The fellowship is administered by the Missouri Botanical Garden. Fellowship recipients will be selected by a panel of botanists with expertise in economic botany or ethnobotany, subject to approval by the Garden Club of America Scholarship Committee. Please note that an applicant may only apply to one GCA scholarship, fellowship, or award per year.

Please submit the following:

• a brief application letter

• an abstract of 200 words or less

• a two-page research proposal, single-spaced in 12 pt type, giving the project’s background and purpose and describing activities to be conducted (proposals will be treated as confidential; proposals longer than two pages will be considered ineligible)

• a one-page budget that explains how funds would be used

• a current curriculum vitae

• for graduate students, a letter from an advisor certifying enrollment in a PhD program

• copies of permits for field work or studies including animals, research clearances, and permission from governmental agencies for foreign research (if permits are being applied for but have not yet been obtained, please ensure that the proposal explains the situation)

Proposals must be received by January 31.

Mail applications to:

Dr. Wendy Applequist
Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63110

Proposals may also be submitted by e-mail to wendy.applequist@mobot.org. Please enquire if you do not receive a response to electronic submissions within two business days.

Assistant Curator - NY

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is excited to announce four full-time career-track research positions in Science. We are searching for creative, collaborative thinkers to join us in a multidisciplinary approach to developing effective nature/biodiversity-based solutions to 21st century problems. NYBG scientists leverage the existing strengths of the institution and its staff while building unique and collaborative opportunities. We seek to enhance NYBG’s Science Division by inviting individuals with creative, innovative, synergistic research programs who are interested in joining an accomplished group of researchers to apply for these positions.

NYBG is seeking Biologists and Data Scientists with interdisciplinary experience in biodiversity informatics, data science, systematics, evolutionary biology, genomics, ecology, food security, remote sensing, machine learning, ethnobotany, and/or conservation.

The new hires will join a growing interdisciplinary research and scholarship team at NYBG to build fundamental and applied knowledge that contributes to developing solutions-oriented approaches to biodiversity and urban conservation, climate change mitigation, climate and community resilience, and/or food security. This Cluster Hiring Initiative will help NYBG meet its strategic goals to drive faculty diversity and grow the impact of NYBG research locally, nationally, and internationally. Curators will be expected to leverage the NYBG collections (living, herbarium, library, and/or laboratory) in creative ways to address pressing issues facing the world, while having the opportunity to develop long-term programs ranging from local to international as a primary focus of their responsibilities.

Additionally, this position support, through actions and conduct, NYBG’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility initiatives and actively helps to build and maintain an inclusive organizational culture throughout the institution.