GG-404-5 Field Technicians   Salary: $20.40 per hour  Vacancy # CRG-25-001

Duration of job: March 23, 2025 through approx. September 20, 2025

Type of appointment: Temporary - Fulltime, with possible periods of PT or Intermittent work.

Duty Station: Corvallis, OR. 

QUALIFICATIONS: Must have 9 months of field experience OR 3 years of sub-professional work experience OR 3 years of college with courses related to the work of the position to be filled (equivalent to 90 semester/135 quarter hrs) PLUS 3 months of lab or field work experience.  DESIRED CANDIDATE will have amphibian or turtle field survey experience (including identification to species of all life stages), within Pacific Northwest ecosystems (including strong background in wetland ecology and biota), and experience identifying fish, aquatic/terrestrial plants, and invertebrates.  PRIMITIVE CAMPING AND BACKCOUNTRY BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE IS HIGHLY DESIRED.  Interest in the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on field skills and behind-the-data perspectives in ecology and conservation research.

DUTIES (specific): Under the oversight of a Field Manager, candidate conduct pre-designed field and/or laboratory experiments dealing with the population biology & survival of amphibians & turtles. Methods include visual encounter, mark/recapture, habitat quantification, trapping, fungal screening, and canoe surveys. Candidate is responsible for data entry & error-checking as well as any required gear and equipment maintenance. Candidate may often be required to work in excess of ten hours a day, occasionally and/or on weekends, and must have the flexibility to accommodate an unconventional schedule on short notice. Candidate must be aware of and follow personal safety precautions. 

REQUIRED SKILLS:  Candidate must possess a valid driver’s license and the ability to competently drive a government vehicle in urban, interstate, and off-road (4x4) environments.  Must be able to work in a small group or with one other individuals for several days at a time.  Candidate should be able to demonstrate good organizational skills and proficiency with technical equipment (including but not limited to GPS units, backpack electroshockers, and PDAs) and map reading/navigation.  Candidate must be willing to learn and perform marking techniques (including toe-clipping, PIT tagging, radio transmittering, and carapace notching).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  Requires significant physical exertion on a daily basis & a high degree of safety awareness at field sites. Physical exertion in the form of heavy lifting/bending, wading through streams & ponds of widely varying size & complexity, & potentially working in a variety of weather conditions. Candidate must be able to hike over rough terrain carrying personal gear & field equipment, and should be able to safely, accurately, and effectively navigate to & around study sites using compass, topographic maps, and GPS units. Work Environment: Most duties will be performed in the field environment, in or near wetlands, ponds, lakes& streams. Weather is highly variable. Field work consists of overnight trips (with paid per diem) away from the duty station, 4-25 days in duration, & will primarily include primitive camping conditions (tent and camp stoves will be provided). Survey sites may be in remote areas, and candidate may be required to go on multi-day backcountry backpacking trips. Special safety precautions are required in many cases, & the employee may typically wear life jackets, waders, and special handling gear. Housing will not be provided.