Description: Northern Arizona University is looking to hire 2-3 bio-techs (including 1 botanist) to work in Zion National Park this fall. Technicians will work on a crew sampling vegetation within the Dakota Hill Complex Fire. This site was treated at a landscape level with the herbicide Plateau in 2007 in an attempt to reduce the post-fire spread of Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Duties will include identifying plants to species, collecting unknown species for later identification with the aid of keys (A Utah Flora & the Jepson Manual), performing a variety of vegetation sampling techniques, soil collection, accurately recording data on datasheets and collection of photo points. A certain degree of fitness and possession of a positive attitude are necessary. Field work will involve long hours of standing, bending, walking and hiking over rugged, steep terrain. Extreme temperatures and weather conditions are possible and exposure is a concern as we will be working in burned areas with little or no canopy cover.
Compensation: Pay will be $9-16 per/hr depending upon experience. In addition to your hourly salary, you will receive $20/day in per diem. Travel and Living Accommodations: Employees will be responsible for travel to Zion National Park. If you are traveling from the Flagstaff, AZ area you can travel with the crew vehicle. Employee vehicles will be left in a safe location in Zion Canyon, and employees will be transported to a location near the site using a university vehicle. We will then hike into a backcountry campground in Zion National Park, where we will be camping for the duration of the field sessions. Personal camping gear and food for meals must be supplied by the individual. Timeline: The work will consist of a 7-10 day session. We will likely meet in Zion National Park on October 9th and hike out to the site the morning of October 10th. Exact dates are subject to change. We will work for 7-10 days until all work is completed. Employees also may have the opportunity to work on data entry or plant identification for a few days after the field season if interested. Qualifications: I am looking for at least one qualified botanist familiar with the plants of Southern Utah. Previous botanical field experience is desired for the additional technicians, however this is not a requirement. Due to the backcountry location of these sites, an adequate level of fitness is required for hiking in personal gear as well as some crew equipment. There may be a day or two of hiking collected soil and biomass to the car. Contacts: If you are interested in working in the backcountry on the Dakota Hill Complex, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and include a statement of interest and a resume with references.
