Oregon State University’s Applied Plant Ecology Lab led by Dr. Bryan Endress is hiring several seasonal technicians in 2025.  The Lab focuses on research that advances our understanding of and ability to sustainably use and manage natural resources. We collaborate with various partners, including agencies, Tribes, non-governmental organizations, and other research groups.

Up to five technician positions will be hired for up to six months, beginning April 15 and ending October 15, 2025. These positions are based out of Union, in Northeast Oregon, and offer the unique opportunity to work on multiple projects in an ecologically diverse region.

Technicians will work primarily (~70% of the time) on field-based research projects.

Projects include research on the diet, forage availability, and habitat of mule deer, the ecology, management, and restoration of First Foods with our tribal partners, and seed ecology and ecological restoration in the interior Pacific Northwest.

Primary duties include: navigating to sample plots using GPS, identifying plant species, estimating plant abundance, density, collecting mule deer scat for diet analysis, collecting and processing native seeds, and conducting forest, grassland, and shrubland vegetation surveys. Some tasks will be at the field station (indoors), such as drying and processing biomass samples, seed sorting and cleaning, and data entry (~20% of the time). Depending on the project, camping for several days at a time is likely, and some projects may require backpacking into Wilderness Areas. Camping gear will be provided as needed. Employees will be provided with housing when not camping. Positions require driving a university-owned vehicle and a valid driver’s license.

Requirements and Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Two years of college-level courses in (specific field of biological science); OR an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Must be able to lift objects that weigh up to 50 pounds and kneel/squat for extended periods of time during field monitoring and for sample collection.
• Must have a valid state motor vehicle operator's license and be able to operate motor vehicles.
• Must be able to work in adverse weather conditions and hike over rugged and steep terrain

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, botany, plant ecology, natural resources, rangeland ecology, wildlife, or related discipline.
• Experience measuring and collecting natural resource and/or ecological data (e.g., soil, slope, aspect, richness, diversity, composition, density, etc.) in field settings (forest, grassland, shrubland, wetlands, etc.).
• Experience using GPS units to navigate to locations and record spatial data in the field.
• Experience and/or training in the use of dichotomous keys, plant identification and plant/vegetation measurements.
• Working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Docs.

Salary, Housing, and Benefits

Full-time (40 hours/week), 4 day/week (Mon-Thu), 10 hour/day schedule. At times, employees may be required to work an alternate field schedule (eight days on/six days off) to facilitate field data collection. Employees should be prepared to work long hours, sometimes in inclement weather and challenging terrain. Shared housing is provided at no cost.