Preserve Management Assistant – Prairie Forest Border Ecoregion

The Preserve Management Assistant will travel throughout the Prairie Forest Border Ecoregion in central and southeast Minnesota participating in preserve management activities.  This is a short-term position from March 24 - November 6, 2015.  (Litchfield position runs March 24 – October 2.  Cushing position runs April 7 – November 6.)
 

The Preserve Management Assistant will travel throughout the Prairie Forest Border Ecoregion in central and southeast Minnesota participating in preserve management activities which may include some or all of the following functions: 

• Assist with leading volunteers, seasonal staff, and interns
• Assist in directing and interacting with Student Conservation Association (SCA) interns, Conservation Corps Minnesota (CCM) crews, and private contractors on various projects.
• Assist with maintaining public lands including state-owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMA's) and federally-owned Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA's), as well as TNC preserves and other protected lands. 
• Prescribed burn preparation, implementation, and post-fire monitoring with TNC, MN Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) staff.
• Remove and chemically treat herbaceous and woody exotic species.
• Maintain tools and equipment.
• Monitor and record data entries for various logs, photo points, and vegetation research monitoring.
• Post and sign properties.
• Seed harvest.
• Other preserve management activities.

All TNC staff actively participating on a prescribed burn must be qualified as a FFT2. 

This position may spend up to 70% of the time away from the home base.  Housing away from the home base will be at a bunk house or camp ground facility.
 

• Supervises no staff, but may help plan and direct preserve work groups, including staff or volunteers.    
• Requires considerable physical exertion and/or muscular strain.                                                                                           
• Requires long hours in isolated settings.                                                                                                                       
• Makes day to day decisions as delegated by supervisor.                                                                                                  
• May work under infrequent supervision.
• Ability to pass US Forest Service work capacity test at arduous level (3 mile walk with 45 lb pack in 45 minutes).
• Ability to operate and maintain various types of equipment in a safe and efficient manner (e.g. engine, pumps, ATV, brush-cutter, chainsaw, two-way radio).
• Ability to recognize plant and animal species as required for preserve management activities.
• Experience working with natural systems. 
• Ability to follow instructions from colleagues.

• High school diploma and 1 year’s training in science-related field or related experience in land management.
• Must be qualified as or able to meet qualifications of a Fire Fighter Type 2 (FFT2), including Introduction to ICS (I-100), Human Factors on the Fire line (L-180), Introduction to Wild land Fire Behavior (S-190), and Firefighting Training (S-130).  See http://www.tncfiremanual.org/firefighter.htm
• Experience recognizing plant and animal species.       
• Experience operating various types of equipment.                       
• Experience working in a team environment.                                           
• Must be able to obtain related licenses or certifications as required. (e.g. First Aid, CPR, herbicide application, and driver’s license).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 1 - 2 years’ experience in land management.                    
• Experience working with or knowledge of natural systems. 
• Ability to recognize plant and animal species to complete preserve management activities.
• Ability to operate various types of equipment in a safe and efficient manner (e.g.; lawn mower, chainsaw, tractor, two-way radio, etc.).
• Ability to follow instructions from colleagues.
• PC familiarity, including database knowledge. 

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT

• Will work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.  These conditions:
  • require considerable physical exertion and/or muscular strain
  • require long and irregular hours in isolated settings
  • require independent and group work efforts
  • present frequent possibility of injury

This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with the Conservancy's Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." Please see further details in the Auto Safety Program document available at www.nature.org/careers.

Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.
 

To apply to position number 42703, submit resume and cover letter as one document. All applications must be submitted in the system prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 18, 2015.

Click “submit” to apply for the position or “save for later” to create a draft application for future submission. Once submitted, applications cannot be revised or edited. Failure to complete required fields may result in your application being disqualified from consideration.

If you experience technical issues, please refer to our applicant user guide or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer