Wildlife Crew Lead (Boise NF and Payette NF)

Description

USFS; Southern Idaho Landscape: Boise and Payette

 

The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the US Forest Service, is recruiting a Wildlife

Crew Lead to support the study and review of proposed actions on the Council and New

Meadows Ranger Districts of the Payette National Forest. Crew Lead will support Wildlife

Technicians in performing field surveys, collecting data, and providing technical assistance to

assess wildlife habitat for various species. Fieldwork will consider federally listed species,

candidate species, those proposed for listing, and regional sensitive species while assessing

the ecosystems upon which they depend.

 

Crew Lead will assist agency personnel and crew members with applied management

objectives for sensitive, threatened and endangered species. The majority of surveys will focus

on northern Idaho ground squirrel but the surveys may include other sensitive and management

indicator species such as American goshawk, flammulated owl, great grey owl, white-headed

woodpecker and Columbia spotted frog. Work will focus on monitoring populations and

surveying habitats used by these species to 1) support population data on specific species; and

2) ensure adequate protections are in place for areas undergoing vegetation management and

restoration projects. These positions support legally mandated compliance measures and

obligations and will help serve USFS vegetation management and fuels reduction efforts,

supporting initiatives for healthy, productive, and resilient forest landscapes and resources.

 

This work provides professional development and leadership opportunities including:

• Increased exposure and responsibility enacting USFS processes, procedures, and compliance measures;
• Assisting in reporting and data entry/quality assurance and control;
• Increased technical experience and expanded opportunities and exposure to additional disciplines (e.g. archaeology, forestry, hydrology, etc.).

 

A Temporary Special Assignment (TSA) employee is one who is hired for a specific temporary assignment external from the institute’s administrative operations with one of GBI’s partners for 52 weeks or greater or less than 52 weeks and may work full-time (30 or more hours per week) or part-time (less than 30 hours per week).

Essential Job Functions may include the following:

Surveys for northern Idaho ground squirrel (~70% of season);

1. Broadcast acoustical surveys for American goshawks and white-headed woodpecker;
2. Nesting and reproductive status monitoring;
3. Frog surveys;
4. Maintaining passive and baited camera stations;
5. Setting up bat survey stations

 

The Wildlife Crew Lead will perform a wide variety of activities to support all stages of project

Work.

 

 The Lead will be responsible for crew safety and oversight, including coordination of daily

tasks and affiliated project and crew needs, provide or assist in training, converse frequently

with agency staff to plan and assess crew accomplishments, and converse with GBI staff as

needed. Crew size will range between 3-4 people. 

LOCATION

Teams will alternate between Boise and Payette NF. 

Boise National Forest is located in southwestern Idaho, offering expansive wilderness with rugged mountains, alpine lakes, and dense forests. It spans over 2,600 square miles and provides opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Notable for its scenic beauty, it includes the Sawtooth Mountains and offers access to numerous trails, including those leading to iconic locations like Lucky Peak and the Boise River.

Payette National Forest is in central Idaho, encompassing over 2.3 million acres of diverse landscapes, including the majestic Salmon River Mountains, vast forests, and pristine lakes. It’s known for outdoor recreation, including rafting on the Salmon River, hiking in the Seven Devils Mountains, and exploring its deep wilderness areas. Payette is also home to the famous McCall area, offering a wide range of year-round activities from skiing to backcountry adventures.

 

WORK SCHEDULE

Projects begin in early May and will go until October 3, 2025. These dates are tentative to change.

 

Most Wildlife Crew Lead positions follow 10 hour days, 4 days a week schedule. Many crews will work a varied schedule including nighttime surveys. Some crews may work 8 days on 4 days off schedules. 

 

Temporary Special Assignment employees are eligible to receive holiday pay, if partner approved. TSAs holiday schedule will comply with the project partner holiday schedule, unless otherwise specified in their employment offer. TSAs working five (5) eight (8) hour days per workweek will be paid eight (8) hours for all holidays. TSAs working four (4) ten (10) hour days per workweek will be paid ten (10) hours for all holidays.  Same with other approved/allowable workweek configurations; these can be accommodated accordingly with Banked Holiday(s).

 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

 

Wage: $26/hour with overtime at 1.5x hourly rate. Full time, average 40 hours per week

 

BENEFITS WILL NEED REVIEW EVERY TIME POSTED ( 1 YR OR <1 YR OR <90 DAYS)

>1YR duration In addition to a competitive base salary, this full-time,onsite position includes company-paid comprehensive medical, dental (with option to upgrade in coverage), and vision insurance, as well as $25,000 Life/AD&D policy. Voluntary short-term and long-term disability policies are available, and voluntary Life/AD&D policies for family members.  Mental health support resources are employer provided, competitive PTO accrual, and paid holidays. This exciting role contributes to GBI’s significant positive impacts within the fields of environmental research, education, and conservation.

 

TSA employees who serve a term under 52 weeks in duration, and have a thirty (30) day or less break between terms, and then sign a second term that (cumulatively) becomes greater than 52 weeks of employment, will be eligible for the >1-year TSA benefits (equivalent to Regular full-time employees).

 

Qualifications

Requirements/Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, employees must be able to satisfactorily carry out each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

1. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

 

At least one of the following: 

 

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Ecology, Natural Resource Management or related discipline, including field-based coursework AND one year of wildlife related field work;

• Three years of professional fieldwork experience

 

Required:

• Experience in conducting surveys for call play-back surveys for American goshawk or other raptors

• Experience in standard field methods for wildlife surveys, status assessments, and habitat characterization;

• Proficiency in navigation using GPS, topographic map and compass;
• Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license with the ability to safely operate and

maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads;

• Ability to work effectively in a team setting with USFS staff, GBI staff, interns, volunteers,

academic, state, and federal partners;

• Ability to work safely and productively in remote field settings under adverse conditions. This includes occasionally overnight camping in remote areas for consecutive nights;

• Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection, inventory,

assessment, and monitoring protocols;

• Capacity to collect and maintain field data in an organized manner that is easily understood

and accessible to other resource staff;

• Strong organizational skills and ability to work cooperatively as well as independently;
• Strong communication skills with diverse audiences, both written and oral; and
• Physically fit to work outdoors, carry up to 50 pounds of personal and/or field equipment, and withstand the rigors of a forested and/or high desert environment in all seasons.

 

Preferred:

• Experience surveying for and/or identifying small mammals
• Experience leading crews in the field, including oversight of crew safety, communication,

fidelity to methods and data quality;

• Familiarity with, and interest in, resource management issues of western states and the

ecology of the western Idaho;

• Experience using ArcGIS to create maps;
• Advanced skill using other specialized software;
• Experience identifying hydrologic concerns, recognizing forest entomology/pathology issues, identifying heritage sites and experience with fire/fuels assessments or related field tasks.

TO APPLY

Qualified applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview. For questions regarding this position, please contact

kmckinnon@gbinstitute.org

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands, stand, walk, bend, and have specific vision abilities to include close and distance vision, and ability to adjust focus working with computer business equipment and other job/industry specific equipment. The noise level in the work environment is usually low.

 

NOTE:  This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the organization's ongoing needs.

 

Disclaimer: Although the organization has attempted to accurately and thoroughly describe this position, GBI reserves the right to change the same, including to change, add to or subtract from the duties outlined, within the sole discretion of the organization, at any time, with or without advance notice.

 

 

Salary : $26