Senior Monitoring Technician

Las Vegas , NM 87701

• Salary Range: $52,000.00 - $54,000.00 Salary/year
• Position Type: Term - Full time
• Education Level: Bachelor's Degree
• Travel Percentage: Up to 50%
• Category: Staff

Department: New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute (NMFWRI)

Salary Grade: 13

Salary: $52000+ DOE

The New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute seeks an eager and creative-minded Senior Technician to join its diverse team of ecological restoration professionals.

The Ecological Monitoring Senior Monitoring Technician is an integral member of the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute (NMFWRI). The Ecological Monitoring Program at NMFWRI maintains a professionally managed field crew to collect data on short and long-term ecosystem responses to restoration treatments, wildfires, climate change, and other disturbances. This data provides a critical scientific basis for adaptive management decisions and improved treatment effectiveness. The program also works with partners to build statewide capacity in ecological monitoring, adaptive management, and restoration.

This Senior Technician is responsible for supporting a team carrying out NMFWRI’s ecological monitoring and restoration activities on public and private lands throughout New Mexico. This position works with the Ecological Monitoring program manager and our team, and other FWRI teams as needed.

We welcome candidates who can work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of professionals working towards wildfire resilience, post-fire restoration, and watershed conservation. This position will require excellent attention to detail; good self-care; a passion for working outdoors; a strong safety ethic and robust organizational skills.

Responsibilities will include but are not limited to participation in monitoring field crew data collection (including some overnight travel); assisting with quality assurance/ quality control; helping to mentor student workers and interns; equipment inventory and maintenance; assisting with data analysis and reporting; participating in the creation, revision and publication of training, and other materials such as technical guides and science communication products; providing training to various audiences; and some administrative tasks.

• We are looking for someone with solid technical and social skills.

• Our new teammate will have strong organizational skills and will be able to creatively apply their skill and knowledge to new and emerging projects.

• They will enjoy getting out of the office and gathering field data in challenging and scenic places.

• They will showcase their talent for high-quality field data collection and development of technical materials in service of a community passionate about the conservation and restoration of our New Mexico forests and watersheds.

* They will be excited about working with a close-knit team and model a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and professionalism

We take care of our staff!

Once hired, the Senior Technician will have opportunities for professional development. They will work with a passionate team engaged in and excited about education, ecological monitoring, and collaborative conservation.

As a New Mexico Highlands University employee, benefits include superb health, paid leave, and retirement benefits, an extended winter holiday break, and tuition waivers at New Mexico Highlands University.

Where you will work.

From city to wilderness, valley to the mountaintop, our Las Vegas, New Mexico-based team serves our communities from the office and in the field. NMFWRI’s Senior Technician will also train others and receive training at locations throughout the state. They will help collect data and train others for selected projects in forested, grassland, and riparian settings, bringing it back to the office for processing, analysis, and distribution to others, as well as developing technical materials and science communication products. The job is located in Las Vegas, NM. A hybrid work schedule may be available for the right candidate, however regular attendance on campus will be required at least 50% of the time.

Duties & Responsibilities 

Participate in ecological fieldwork. Support crew leadership in preparation, management, and accomplishment of field tasks. Support project leads in providing to mentorship to work-study interns in the field, and at times in office settings. Periodic overnight travel and camping required.

Perform field measurements and assessments of forest resources and ecological indicators, including data recording and quality assurance. Work is often performed in remote locations over difficult terrain.

Clearly communicate expectations and schedules. Emphasize and model a strong culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and professionalism.

Perform computer entry and quality control of field data including using FFI, Microsoft Excel, or other database software with attention to detail, including working with complex historic data.

Generate summary reports and analysis of field and vegetation treatment data; work with NMFWRI staff to communicate results and management implications to partners.

Maintain quality control and quality assurance of entered field data. Conduct quality control analysis on collected data using R scripts and other tools.

Perform field mapping of project sites using Global Positioning System and Geographic Information Systems technology

Development of training guides, manuals, monitoring plans, and other technical support materials.  Development of science communication products appropriate for different audiences.

Work with the NMFWRI herbarium, technical literature, and equipment libraries including collection of samples, identification, equipment inventory, and providing managed access and training to professional and student partners. 

Conduct training related to forest measurement, treatment, and analysis techniques, including in coordination with other NMFWRI staff and external partners.

Assist with maintenance and organization of files, photos, documents, office resources, and field equipment, including equipment inventory and management via AssetCloud.

Perform routine cleaning and maintenance of NMFWRI equipment, including basic vehicle maintenance

Maintain a Wilderness First Responder or higher certification; maintain eligibility for a wildland firefighting " red card" (FFT2), consistent with position duties.

Support NMFWRI in their accomplishment of forest and watershed restoration treatments; participate in other professional development opportunities.

Assist with education and outreach initiatives of the Institute, including cross-program support.  

Maintain regular attendance and clear communication with supervisors and colleagues in office, field, and online working environments.

In-person attendance at NMFWRI and SWERI staff meetings and functions, when permitted by field schedule.

Serve on search committees for Monitoring and other hires.

Perform other duties as assigned in support of NMFWRI programs and operations.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements 

Education:  

Bachelor’s degree in a natural resource field including coursework pertinent to the duties described above such as botany, ecology, forestry, water resources, and GIS; or equivalent experience (e.g. work experience or a combination of coursework and work experience where 1 year of work experience equates to one year of coursework)

AND

Experience: 

Familiarity with ecological monitoring and safety protocols  

At least one field seasons’ experience on a field crew 

Wilderness First Aid or higher

Effective time management – continued employment is contingent upon grant/contract funding which come with time-sensitive deliverables

Strong organizational and communication skills

Basic GIS competency

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with R coding and ArcGIS software
Wilderness First Responder or higher
GIS certificate or equivalent experience

1-year or more experience in the measurement of riparian, wetland, forest and related ecological indicators

1-year or more experience with plant ID 

Experience in outdoor leadership

Previous work experience providing technical writing

Experience delivering technical training, including on monitoring protocols and field safety. 

Preferred Skills

Special Conditions for Employment

Must possess and maintain a valid NM driver’s license; must possess a full valid New Mexico Driver’s license within 60 days of employment and maintain a clean motor vehicle record.

Must be willing to work weekends, evenings and odd hours as required

Must be willing to travel, at times to remote locations.

Must be able to engage in field work, often under difficult/challenging environmental conditions, including, but not limited to, steep slopes, dense vegetation, extreme heat and cold, and snow cover.

Continued employment is contingent on grant funding.

Continued employment is contingent upon the employee maintaining authorization to work in the United States. New Mexico Highlands University and New Mexico Forest & Watershed Restoration Institute do not provide employment visa sponsorship for this position.

Physical Demands:

• Sitting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Frequently
• Standing: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frequently
• Walking: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Frequently
• Bending: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Occasionally
• Squatting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Occasionally
• Climbing: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Occasionally
• Kneeling: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Occasionally
• Lifting up to 20 pounds: . . . . . . . . . . . .. Frequently
• Lifting greater than 20 pounds: . . . . . . Occasionally

Working Environment:

40% outdoors; 60% indoors