Trout Unlimited is hiring an Natural Resources Technician to dually serve TU’s Inland Trout Program and the Inyo National Forest. This is a temporary position located out of the White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop, CA. The incumbent will support Inyo National Forest Range, Botany, and Hydrology staff on a variety of field data collection, grazing allotment management, and monitoring tasks. The technician will primarily work in the Kern Plateau in the southern Sierra Nevada, though may travel throughout the Inyo National Forest to complete additional work duties.  

Major Duties: 

• Conducts inventories and monitoring of rangeland resources and activities to document the degree of impacts occurring, plant community changes, and trend of ecological status or diversity to assist the Forest in determining the effectiveness of ongoing management actions and possible alternatives or planned management practices or changes.
• Assists staff in conducting watershed-scale inventory of special aquatic features (fens) within active and rested grazing allotments.
• Assists staff in collecting data on vegetation species diversity on long-term meadow monitoring plots.
• Assists staff in conducting meadow health assessments.
• Conducts inventory, repair, and/or removal of rangeland infrastructure, including fences, water troughs, and corrals.
• Conducts monitoring independently and in an interdisciplinary team setting.
• Maintains and organizes management data collected in both physical and digital file formats.

Qualifications

• At least two years of education in natural resources, rangeland management, hydrology, or a related field; B.S. or higher degree preferred.
• 1 or more years prior field experience in natural resources work preferred.
• Comfortability working independently in a remote, backcountry setting for multiple days as a time. 
• Positive outlook and ability to adapt to schedule flexibility, varying environments and plans.
• Ability to hike & carry heavy gear (up to 50lbs) through rough terrain off-trail. 
• Ability and willingness to travel. 
• Familiarity with field-based data collection and navigation applications such as ESRI Applications (Survey123, Esri Field Maps, etc.), Avenza, etc. 
• Experience with basic identification of grasses; familiarity and understanding of hydrologic processes and meadow ecosystems; knowledge of fish habitat or willingness to be trained in these areas.
• 4x4 or OHV driving skills preferred.
• Valid driver’s license and own vehicle required. 
• Basic First Aid and CPR; Wilderness First Aid or similar.
• Passion for protecting and restoring trout populations and their watersheds.