The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife & Heritage Service is currently accepting applications for one full-time and one part-time Seasonal Contractual position (Natural Resources Technician III). The Department seeks two highly motivated individuals to assist with a project to test a rapid assessment protocol for characterizing stream-associated wetland habitats and providing information on their condition. Field work will take place in southern Maryland (Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Calvert, and Charles counties). Job duties will include (1) collection of data on dominant woody and herbaceous vegetation (vegetation composition, structure, percent cover), physical site characteristics (including hydrology and soils), and stressors (including invasive plant species) at a variety of sites in the project area; (2) use of existing GIS data layers to characterize landscape condition and other measures relevant to habitat condition; and (3) assistance with data entry, data summary, landowner/land manager contacts, and equipment maintenance in support of the field work. Expect occasional long field days with varied weather conditions and biting insects. May need to use own vehicle.
Candidates must have a strong work ethic, good problem-solving skills, and the ability to work well independently and in a small team in remote areas with minimal supervision. Candidates must also have the ability to identify dominant herbaceous and woody vegetation of riparian wetland systems in the mid-Atlantic region, including associated uplands. Experience with ArcMap and handheld GPS units is required.
Education: Completion of sixty credit hours from an accredited college or university, 18 of which are in biology, biochemistry, environmental science, forest technology, arboriculture, aquaculture, natural science, natural resources management, botany, marine biology, marine ecology, physical oceanography, ichthyology, fisheries management, wildlife management, zoology, or a natural resources management related field of study.
Experience: Two years of experience in technical biological work in the field of natural resources management.
Notes:
1. Additional experience performing technical biological work in the field of forestry, arboriculture, wildlife, aquaculture, natural resources management, or fisheries may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.
2. Additional education beyond sixty credit hours from an accredited college or university in a natural resources related field of study can be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis for up to two years of experience.
3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in the natural resources management and biological sciences classifications or natural resources management and biological sciences specialty codes in the biological science technician field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Plant identification skills, including rare species.
Prior experience with collection of plant community data and wetland delineations.
Prior use of rapid assessment methods for wetland condition and characterization, including an understanding of the Floristic Quality Assessment Index and familiarity with NatureServe's EIA L2 protocols.
Experience with Microsoft Access and Excel.
For more information and to apply go here