Sage Grouse Resource Technician Job Open Until May 2

Salmon Valley Stewardship

Job Description
Title: Resource Technician
Status: .75 FTE
Location: Salmon, Idaho
Reports to: Executive Director
Start Date: May 15, 2013
End Date: May 14, 2014
Job Announcement Date: April 18, 2013
Job Closing Date: May 2, 2013

Send a resume and letter of interest to info@salmonvalley.org or to SVS, 107 South Center Street, Salmon, Idaho 83467

Background:
Salmon Valley Stewardship, founded in 2004, works to promote a sustainable economy and productive working landscapes in the Salmon Valley Region of Central Idaho. The greater sage-grouse is the largest North American grouse species and one of only two sage-grouse species in the world. Sage-grouse depend on a variety of semiarid shrub-grassland (shrub steppe) habitats throughout their life cycle, and are considered obligate users of sagebrush. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), Salmon-Challis National Forest, Challis Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management and the Salmon Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management in conjunction with the Challis Sage-Grouse Local Working Group are working to compile baseline information on sage-grouse populations and their habitat use in the Salmon area. This data will help local biologists and agencies understand the needs of the bird to support decisions related to sage-grouse that will be made over the next few years.
Position Summary:
The Resource Technician’s duties at Salmon Valley Stewardship will be to work in partnership with wildlife management professionals from Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Salmon Field Office Bureau of Land Management, and the Salmon-Challis National Forest to track radio-collared sage-grouse and assess sage-grouse habitat condition. This position is currently funded as a one-year position but may be extended should additional funding be obtained.
Qualifications:
• Familiar with vegetation of the sagebrush steppe ecosystem in the Upper Salmon River Basin of Central Idaho, and an ability to use a dichotomous key to determine or confirm plant genus and species.
• Possess skills suitable for working in remote and rugged outdoor environments, sometimes alone.
• A safe driving record and a high comfort level with operating a 4-wheel-drive vehicle on rough roads.
• A high level of physical fitness (ability to hike up to 5 miles with a light pack).
• Experience using radio telemetry.
• The ability to use a hand-held GPS device.
• Familiarity with downloading GPS coordinates and working within a basic GIS software platform, such as ArcView.
• Self-motivation and initiative.
• Organization and efficiency.
• Willingness to work flexible hours to accommodate field days when necessary.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment.
• Eagerness to learn new skills.
Primary Responsibilities:
• Track radio collared sage-grouse weekly on BLM/USFS managed lands and adjacent private lands where permission can be obtained.
• Using GPS technology record the location or each bird.
• Compile data electronically and work with the BLM to provide the data in a timely manner to other cooperators.
• In addition, and as time allows, the employee would work with other BLM field personnel to collect and compile vegetation data primarily at nest sites or as part of habitat assessments for sage-grouse.
Work Expectations:
Temporary, ¾ time position, with periods of 40-hour weeks during the field season (estimated March – October) and periods of 20-hour weeks during the winter months (November – February). A more specific work plan will be developed in coordination with the successful applicant. Much of the sage grouse project work will be done in conjunction with IDFG and the BLM, and the applicant will most likely be using BLM-furnished vehicles and work space, and will have to meet the standards (defensive driving course, computer security protocols, etc.) required by that agency. The employee would be expected to work as part of the BLM Salmon Field Office team. Should these priority workloads be accomplished other tasks will be assigned on a weekly basis.
Salary:
$13-$15/hour based on experience. As a .75 FTE employee of Salmon Valley Stewardship, the successful applicant will receive the following federal holidays as paid time off:
Monday, May 27, 2013 Memorial Day
Thursday, July 4, 2013 Independence Day
Monday, September 2, 2013 Labor Day
Monday, October 14, 2013 Columbus Day
Monday, November 11, 2013 Veterans Day
Thursday, November 28, 2013 Thanksgiving Day
Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Christmas Day
Wednesday, January 1, 2014 New Year’s Day
Monday, January 20, 2014 Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 17, 2014 Washington’s Birthday

Orignal Article