Seed Crew Lead - Individual Placement

Title:  Seed Crew Lead

Start/End Date: July 7, 2025 to November 21, 2025 (anticipated)

Term Length:  20 Weeks

Pay: $22.50/hour

Reports To: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – Taos Field Office Botanist/Ecologist

Location: 1024 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, Taos NM, 87571

Status: Individual Placement; 40-hours/week

Benefits: Travel & training budget of $1,400; Public Lands Corps Certificate* (that allows for competitive hiring for USA jobs/government jobs) – available upon successful completion of term

Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM)

Conservation Corps New Mexico, a program of Conservation Legacy and AmeriCorps partner, aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. CCNM is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across New Mexico and Texas that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. The CCNM Las Cruces office manages the Individual Placement Program.

Mentorship

These Individual Placement Positions are unique development opportunities. Participants are paired with a local supervisor and gain technical, hands-on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies. Site supervisors commit to facilitate career development; provide an introduction to numerous pathways within the conservation field; and create accessible, meaningful, learning opportunities and experiences for participants.

Position Summary:

The Bureau of Land Management in partnership with Conservation Corps New Mexico seeks to fill a need for a Seed Crew Lead out of the Taos BLM Field Office. The BLM Botany Department provides botanical expertise in rare plant conservation, restoration efforts and plant material development. The primary focuses for this position include but are not limited to landscape-level ecology, native seed collection, landscape restoration, special status plant species surveying and monitoring, and consultation for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes. A large portion of the Botany Department is dedicated to surveying for and minimizing impacts to special status plant species (SSPS), Native Plant Material Collection, and Restoration.

The Seed Crew Lead will oversee a three-person cohort on a project centered around Native Plant Materials Collection, development, restoration, and monitoring within the Taos Field Office. Specific duties include but will not be limited to native plant population mapping, seed scouting, native seed collection, seed production, and restoration using native seeds. Crews will also monitor restoration sites post-treatment and design techniques to improve restoration methods within the Taos Field Office.

Native Plant Materials Collection (seed collections) are crucial for the development of genetically appropriate and adapted seeds that can be used to restore landscapes after major and often catastrophic events. Currently, the BLM National seed warehouse lacks local seed from Northern New Mexico that could be used in the event of wildfire or after a large-scale disturbance. The seeds collected by this crew will go into seed production that can be used for future restoration. This crew will also seed and restore previously identified sites (at least 2,000 acres) to minimize the presence of noxious weeds on the landscape and improve overall ecosystem health.

The Seed Crew Lead will work directly with the BLM botanist, Botany Support Specialist, Rare Plant Intern, and BLM state seed Crew to study, scout, and collect native seed throughout the Taos Field Office. The Seed Crew Lead will gain exposure to technical skills in data management, data collection, different restoration methods, and monitoring. This position will be based out of a field office managing several resources, such as wildlife, range, recreation and hydrology. Opportunities to cross-train with other programs will be encouraged.

Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

• Oversee two crew members during project term
  • Manage field safety, crew coordination, seed scouting, Native Plant Materials collection following SOS protocol, data management/QA/QC, broadcast seeding by hand, site preparation, and monitoring.
• Ecological Restoration
  • Operate seeding equipment
  • Identify ecologically at-risk sites
  • Help research and design restoration techniques
• Site Monitoring and Botany Department Deliverables
  • Monitor treated sites
  • Run simple statistical analyses on site datasets to detect changes in treated sites
  • Write final project reports

Trainings Provided:

• SOS Protocols
• GIS relevant to project
• Guidance and direction for project activities
• Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Protocols
• Field training in Plant ID
• Access to herbarium and taxonomic keys
• Examples of past reports for reference

Working Conditions:

Driving on uneven terrain; hiking off-trail; exposure to rattlesnakes, insects, extreme heat, and rain; packing up to 40lbs of gear to collection sites; lifting more than 50lbs at one time

Minimum Qualifications:

• Per federal grant requirements, this position is for young adults between the ages of 17-30 (35 for veterans), inclusive, at the time the individual begins term of service.
• Valid U.S Driver’s License - Drivers must be over 21 or have had a license for at least 3 years
• S Citizen, U.S National, or Lawful Permanent Resident
• Received or on track to receive high school diploma or GED
• Willing to undergo and must pass required criminal history checks
• Minimum of 1 field season working in a biologically relevant field (ecology, botany, range, restoration, etc.)
• Experience with plant identification and using technical keys
• Experience with ArcGIS and various ESRI data collection applications (Survey123, FieldMaps)
• Experience driving a 4x4 vehicle in backcountry conditions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field (botany, conservation management, environmental science, biology, ecology, etc.) or multiple seasons of AIM or SOS experience
• Proficiency in scientific writing
• Knowledge or familiarity of Southwest native plants

Physical Requirements:

• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 25 pounds on a routine basis. He/she must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer and reach with hands and arms.
• Ability to hike and navigate in rough terrain.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Participation and Expedition Behavior:

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept
• Contribute to a safe learning environment, no harassment of others for any
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization
• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, the BLM and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all
• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work

Safety and Judgment: 

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high
• Effectively perceive and understand significant and apparent hazards and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during the exposure to the hazard. Ability to respond appropriately to stress or
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self- medicating without assistance from

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager. 

Substance Free:

• In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

Background Check:

A DOI background clearance must be completed before the selected candidate may report for service. The BLM will provide instructions for completion of the clearance after a candidate has been selected and will notify them when they have been cleared to start service. This process will determine the participant’s exact start date.

Participants will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Participants must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Consideration will be given as resumes are received and this position may close at any time. If you have questions, contact CCNM’s Individual Placement Program Coordinator, SamJean Simmons at ssimmons@conservationlegacy.org.

For more information about Conservation Corps New Mexico, please visit www.corpsnm.org. Conservation Corps New Mexico is a program of Conservation Legacy.

Salary : $23