Ecological Monitoring (Vegetation & Soil Survey using the Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation Methodology) with Southwest Conservation Corps in partnership with The Bureau of Land Management

Position Title:  Crew lead

Position Type:  Full time, temporary

Location: Uncompahgre BLM Field Office (Montrose, CO)

Term Dates: March 31st, 2025 – Oct 31st, 2025 (31 weeks)

Salary: $1128/week

Southwest Conservation Corps’ Mission
It is the mission of the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) to empower individuals to positively impact their lives, their communities, and the environment.

Bureau of Land Management’s Mission
The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Crews operate out of BLM Field Office buildings and will be under the direct mentorship and technical guidance of BLM staff and contractors of the Field and State Office. This relationship provides invaluable mentorship to early-career individuals, investing in the future of natural resource management. They will also have direct remote administrative supervision and mentorship under Southwest Conservation Corps. This position uniquely provides the opportunity to develop relationships within and become familiar with the workings of the agency.

Position Overview:

Work with BLM staff at the Uncompahgre field office to conduct botanical and soil monitoring data using the BLM’s Terrestrial Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) methodology on the Western Slope. To dive deeper into the AIM methodology, visit the following website: https://www.blm.gov/aim/. Work to inform land management and get paid to camp in remote landscapes and explore areas ranging from high deserts to low canyons!

Crews typically consist of three individuals: two crew members and one crew lead. Together, they monitor land health by collecting AIM data on BLM lands including National Monument lands, vegetation treatments, burn scars, rangeland allotments, and wilderness study areas. In collecting data, observing the soil, and examining the diverse vegetation using the AIM methodology, crews contribute to a massive, publicly available data set that is used by land managers and in academia to inform and assess land management decisions. The crew may also contribute to other public land management projects, encompassing wildlife, range, recreation, rare plant monitoring, and forestry. The Fuels/ESR crew monitors fuels reduction and wildfire rehabilitation (ESR) treatments across the Uncompahgre, Tres Rios, Gunnison, and Grand Junction field offices. They complete all core AIM methods, as well as additional methods to capture fuel loading and treatment success (ex: tree diameter measurements, plant density quadrats).

The crew lead will begin the season some weeks ahead of the members to become acquainted with the project, field office, and BLM staff. During the first 2+ weeks, crews undergo extensive technical training with the BLM and receive an in-depth orientation to the SCC culture and needed strategies for a successful field season.

After this foundational period, the rest of the term is typically routine, with the goal to sample a target number of plots using the AIM methodology. On each plot, the crew is tasked with identifying plants to species, gathering species cover and composition data using line-point intercept and gap measurements, measuring soil stability, and describing the site and soil pits. All data are georeferenced and stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase. Data are entered into a database on site with ruggedized tablets to be later synthesized into various reports for future land management planning. Crews maintain and track botanical specimens of known and unknown species throughout the field season and keep records updated as needed. They continuously learn the local flora and build botanical knowledge. We need crew participants who are driven by curiosity about soil, botanical, and other natural systems.

Season & Daily Schedule:

Crews drive a company or government vehicle to several different areas of the Field Office and hike several miles per day, off trail, carrying equipment throughout a “hitch”. While on hitch, the crews will typically work 10-hour days, either 8 days on with 6 days off or 4 days on with 3 days off. As a standard, they camp multiple nights, and they share camp meals and chores. Day trips are possible, but the frequency of day trips varies between field offices and time of year. Crews return to the office at the beginning and end of the hitch for equipment and data management, unknown plant identification, and planning. We also encourage and enable several supplemental professional development days related to other public land management projects involving wildlife, range, recreation, rare plant monitoring, or forestry. Embracing an unconventional schedule and a level of flexibility are necessary to be successful.

Crews are responsible for their own housing, transportation, and food between camping trips. For the most part, housing is not provided. Certain BLM Field Offices offer limited partially subsidized housing or domicile parking. We are glad to talk through your options with you in the interview and onward. For those lacking personal camping gear, we may be able to loan you gear.

Crew Lead’s Responsibilities:
The crew lead manages the field crew’s risk management, field logistics, hitch planning, crew member tasks, budget, scientific integrity, and professional development. They plan accordingly to reach the sampling volume target by the end of the field season. The lead facilitates a crew culture of transparency, positivity, pride in work, and improvement. They should provide and ask for feedback to and from crew members regarding performance. The crew lead is the primary contact between the crew, SCC supervisor, and BLM staff.

The lead is responsible for the organization and quality control of all AIM data collected in Field Maps for ArcGIS. At the end of the season, the crew lead may analyze, interpret, or make deductions for varying data, and will report data to various BLM offices and stakeholders. Especially in the longer contracts, written reports are completed and involve the presentation of scientific data and pre/post treatment analysis. The crew lead should be passionate about sound science principles and plant identification, be an advocate for the AIM program and have a willingness to learn about how AIM data could be used in range, forestry, fire and wildlife programs within the BLM.

Minimal Qualifications, Familiarity, & Experience:

• Aged at least 21 years upon hire.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Able to produce identification as stipulated by I-9 upon hire.
• Valid U.S. driver's license and insurable driving record.
• College graduate (Bachelor’s, at minimum) with coursework in ecology, botany, range science, soil science, wildlife biology, natural resource management, conservation biology, environmental studies, or a related field.
• Capable of standing and walking (up to 6 miles/day on rough, steep, off-trail uneven terrain using a handheld GPS for route-finding), bending and crouching for long periods while taking precise, repetitive measurements, and lifting/carrying items that weigh up to 40 pounds, in upwards of 100-degree (F) heat while maintaining attention to detail and overall positive attitude.
• Spend several hours per day safely operating 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads.
• Excellent judgment in assessing physical, mental, and emotional risk while effectively working in and around adverse conditions, including extreme heat, sun exposure, monsoonal rains, and hazardous wildlife (i.e., rattlesnakes, scorpions, biting/stinging insects, cattle, and horses).
• Experience camping in remote areas for multiple days.
• Navigation software (Field Maps, Avenza, GAIA, etc.) as well as a compass for route finding.
• Experience with (digital, preferred) data collection and Microsoft Suite software, or similar.
• Excellent communication (including in-person, email, and phone), organizational, and planning skills.
• Able to rapidly learn and organize the scientific names of dozens of plants per week, especially in the beginning of the season.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently with limited supervision after the initial training period, with excellent discernment of when to ask for help and when to make decisions on your own.
• Willingness to empower crew members to improve in performing their duties and developing personally and professionally.
• Willingness to learn, teach, and adhere to best practices for field safety, comfort, and Leave No Trace principles.
• Have self-awareness, desire for a positive crew culture, and excitement at the chance to have a close experience with the land.

Preferred Qualifications, Familiarity, & Experience: 

• Leadership, facilitation, teaching, or conflict management.
• Vegetation or rangeland health assessments, botanical inventory, or standardized ecological monitoring.
• Terminology, techniques, data collection, and analysis methods, as well as equipment used in field biological research.
• Local flora or identifying plants to species in the field, from photos, taxonomic keys, and/or pressed specimens.
• Texturing soil by hand, characterizing soil pits, and identifying soil series or ecological sites based on observational and quantitative data.
• Navigating with handheld GPS units.
• Mobile data collection, like Field Maps for ArcGIS and Survey123.
• ArcMap, ArcCatalog, and ArcGIS Online interface.
• Statistical principles and programs, especially R.
• Creating maps, performing basic analysis, and organizing data.
• Working or recreating in desert or rangeland ecosystems.

Benefits & Pay:

• Salary: $1128 per week. As we are a partnership with a federal agency, we are subject to halting work and pay in the case of a government shutdown, and backpay is not typical.
• $18+/day food allowance while in the field camping. Smaller allowance for day trips.
• Health benefits package that comes into effect on the 1st of the calendar month after the first 60 days.
• Paid days off personal leave and sick leave.
• Paid attendance to Wilderness First Aid Certification, Wilderness First Responder Recertification, or possible reimbursement.
• Two SCC field shirts.
• Supplemental career development opportunities and funds available throughout and upon successful completion of the season.
• Network with the BLM and expand your skillset for your career!
• Hiring Benefits: Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: a noncompetitive hiring status for consideration when applying to competitive service positions for a federal agency. Eligible to be used for two years upon completion of term.

Public Land Corps: 
The Public Land Corps program provides the opportunity for young people between the ages of 16 and 30 years to work on conservation projects on public lands. Participants must successfully complete 640 hours that include at least 120 hours on federal lands through the PLC.  PLC members are not federal government employees, but those who successfully complete the PLC requirements are then eligible to use, for two years, a noncompetitive hiring status for consideration when applying to competitive service positions.