GG-404-6 Field Technicians   Salary: $22.74 per hour  Vacancy # CRG-25-002

Duration of job: March 24, 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 1 year and 9 months of field experience OR 4 years of sub-professional work experience OR 4 years of college with courses related to the work of the position to be filled (equivalent to 120 semester/180 quarter hrs) PLUS 3 months of lab or field work experience.  DESIRED CANDIDATE will have at least 3 months amphibian or turtle field survey experience (including identification to species of all life stages); have working knowledge of Pacific NW ecosystems (including strong background in wetland ecology & biota); will possess good judgment, leadership, dependability & time management skills; have experience identifying fish, aquatic/terrestrial plants & 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 oversight of Field Manager, candidate will conduct pre-designed field and/or lab experiments dealing w/population biology & survival of amphibians/turtles via visual encounter, mark/recapture, habitat quantification, trapping, fungal screening, & canoe surveys. Is responsible for high-quality data collection & welfare of lower ranking field members away from the duty station. Will help plan logistics & schedule daily activities for project field crew, & coordinate activities with state & federal biologists & managers. Is responsible for data entry & error-checking, required gear & equipment maintenance, & may collaborate w/ project leaders to compile, interpret, and tabulate field data according to established project protocol. May be required to work over ten hours a day, occasionally and/or on weekends, & must have the flexibility to accommodate an unconventional schedule on short notice.   

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.  Must be willing to learn and perform marking techniques (including toe-clipping, PIT tagging, radio transmittering, visual elastomer implantation, and carapace notching).; and should be able to safely, accurately, and effective navigate to and around study sites using compasses, topographic maps, and GPS units. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: This position requires significant physical exertion on a daily basis & a high degree of safety awareness at remote field sites. Physical exertion will take the form of heavy lifting/bending, wading through streams and ponds of widely varying size and complexity, and working in variety of weather conditions. Must be able to hike long distances carrying personal gear & field equipment. Housing will not be provided. Work Environment: Most duties will be performed in field environment, in or near wetlands, ponds, lakes & streams. Weather is highly variable. Survey sites may be in remote areas, and may require multi-day backcountry backpacking trips. Special safety precautions are required in many cases, and the employee may typically wear life jackets, waders, and special handling gear.

Field work consists of overnight trips (with paid per diem) away from the duty station, 4-25 days in duration.  Survey sites may be in remote areas, and candidate may be required to go on multi-day backcountry backpacking trips.  Housing on field trips will be primarily primitive camping (tents and camp stoves will be provided).