The Pacfish Infish Biological Opinion (PIBO) Monitoring Program is seeking to fill multiple positions to conduct aquatic habitat monitoring on streams in the Columbia and Missouri river basins. These monitoring efforts are used to help guide management on federal lands to conserve bull trout and anadromous fishes.
Application Period: September 29 – October 6, 2022 (apply at usajobs.gov using grade-specific announcement numbers) Applicant Selection Period: December 2022 - January 2023
Approximate Project Start Date: May 8, 2023
Location: Employees will report to one of three remote duty stations in ID, OR, or MT. Field projects will take place in various locations on Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Park Service (NPS) lands in OR, WA, ID, MT, and northern NV. During the application process, applicants should identify all duty stations (see below) in which they are willing to be stationed.
Selected applicants will be placed in one of the three following locations: John Day, OR; Leadore, ID; or St. Regis, MT
Pay: Positions will be filled at the GS3, GS4, and GS5 wage grades (pay range: $13.78 - $17.31 per hour). Employees also receive a per diem stipend to compensate for personal expenses while in the field. There is very limited housing available. Employees will camp during their 8 days on while conducting field surveys.
Position Description: In this field position, employees monitor watershed conditions on USFS, BLM, and NPS lands. Stream technicians conduct stream habitat surveys including channel morphology, habitat typing, substrate measurements, large wood surveys, and potentially collecting benthic macroinvertebrates, environmental DNA (eDNA), or identifying invasive species. Plant technicians are responsible for riparian vegetation data collection and extensive plant identification. Employees will be on a crew with two to three other seasonal employees. Employees also deploy/retrieve in-stream temperature sensors and assist with extensive planning and logistics which involves mapping routes, navigating to remote sites and regular backpacking trips. Highly qualified applicants will have course work or experience in natural resource management, especially fisheries, plant taxonomy, water resources, and stream morphology. This is a field-based job. Seasonal employees spend 95% of their time living, hiking, and working in remote areas with uneven terrain and inclement weather conditions.
Employees will receive four weeks of training including technical aspects of completing surveys and comprehensive safety training. You will use data tablets, survey equipment, GPS units, and satellite communication devices.
Crews work 8 10-hour days (Tuesday to Tuesday) to conduct surveys, followed by 6 days off. Crews camp in rustic dispersed campsites (no bathrooms or running water) in remote areas. Many sites require backpacking into remote areas where surveys are conducted. Field surveys involve extensive hiking and bushwhacking off-trail on steep slopes. Hiking to sites may involve hiking up to 10 miles in a day. Employees will work in cold water, walk on uneven surfaces, and climb over logs while carrying field equipment. Employees can expect to work in variable weather conditions including cold, rain and 90+ degree days throughout the summer and may even see some snow at the end of the season. This is a physically demanding position.
For more information about PIBO, the seasonal positions, and how to apply please visit our website at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r4/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=... or e-mail Carl Saunders, the PIBO Program Lead at: william.saunders@usda.gov
The USDA Forest Service is an equal opportunity employer.