Summer Field Opportunities in Plant Ecology and Restoration
College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana
The University of Montana's Forest Ecology and
Restoration Ecology Labs
(<http://www.cfc.umt.edu/nelsonrestorationlab/default.html>www.cfc.umt.edu/nelsonrestorationlab/default.html)
seek to hire field research assistants to assist
with several plant ecology studies during summer
2012. Assistants will work in teams, collecting
data on overstory and understory vegetation as
well as environmental conditions. Overnight
travel and camping will be required. Field vehicles will be provided.
For summer 2012, we will be hiring for the following projects:
Successional Dynamics and Regeneration of
Whitebark Pine after Mountain Pine Beetle Attack
(Montana and Idaho) A two-person teaam will
collect data on overstory structure and tree
regeneration in high-elevation whitebark pine
stands previously impacted by mountain pine beetle.Â
Efficacy and Ecological Impacts of Treatments
to Restore Whitebark Pine in the Inland Northwest
(Montana, Idaho, and Washington) A three-four
person team will collect data on whitebark pine
growth, cone production, and survival after
restoration treatments. Data on key understory
plants will also be collected. Study sites will
be located across the inland Northwest and will
require extended periods in the field.
Efficacy and Ecological Impacts of Restoration
Treatments in the Southwest Crown of the
Continent (Montana) Three crews of two-four
people will collect dataa on 1) understory plant
abundance and fitness (growth, survival, and
reproduction), 2) overstory structure and spatial
patterns, 3) surface fuels, and 4) soils. This
project is part of the Southwest Crown of the
Continent Collaborative Forest Landscape
Restoration Program (<http://www.swcrown.org/>http://www.swcrown.org/).
Validating satellite-inferred measures of burn
severity with field data (Montana and New Mexico)
One creew of two - three people will collect
data on burn severity in areas that burned
durning the 2011 fire season. Study sites will be
located in the Bob Marshall (Montana) and Gila
Wilderness Area (New Mexico). Data collection
will occur in remote locations and will involve
substantial travel by foot or horse.
Qualifications: Positions are best suited to
individuals that: have or are working toward a
degree in ecology or a related field; have
previous experience sampling vegetation; and are
familiar with flora of the interior Northwest. Â
Candidates should have a high aptitude for
following complex data-collection protocols,
solving problems with minimal supervision, and
working both independently and in teams of two or
three. Candidates must have the patience to move
through rough terrain with delicate and expensive
equipment, be in good physical condition and be
able to work long hours in adverse weather.
Salary: $11.00â$14.00/hr, depending upon experience.
Duration and schedule: A few positions will
begin mid-May, the majority will start in June
and last through midâAugust or mid-September
2012. The work schedule will vary by project,
but in general will either be four or eight
consecutive 10-hr days, followed by three or six days off, respectively.
Application process: Application review will
begin on February 20 and continue on a rolling
basis until all positions are filled. To apply,
please assemble the following into a single PDF
and email to
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]:
1) a one-page cover letter describing a) your
interests and qualifications for one or more of
the positions described above, b) your dates of
availability; 2) a resume or CV; 3) copies of
either college transcripts (unofficial copies are
acceptable) or professional work products; and 4)
contact information for two references with
firsthand knowledge of your work experience and
aptitude (please do not send letters of reference).
For more information, please contact Ashley Juran
(<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]),
Research Coordinator, Restoration Ecology Lab,
College of Forestry, University of Montana, 32
Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812.
