Noxious Weeds Team Member, Roseburg District Office with American Conservation Experience in Roseburg, OR

The BLM will strive to provide the members with opportunities to shadow conservation professionals to learn about botanical disciplines. However, a foundational knowledge of botany and plant identification is required for this position and prior experience in the field is preferred.

The town of Roseburg is located at an elevation of 465 feet. Average temperatures range from a low of 36 degrees in the winter to a high of 86 degrees in the summer. Some 100 degree days are to be expected in the summer. Average annual rainfall is approximately 33 inches. Snowfall on the valley floor is unusual, and summer humidity is very low.

The BLM Roseburg District stretches from the foothills of the coastal range to the foothills of the Cascade mountains. Much of the terrain is steep and uneven. Vegetation ranges from forests dominated by Douglas-fir to oak woodland and grasslands. Poison oak is common in non-forested sites. Ticks are common, especially in grassy or shrubby areas. Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are known to occur within the area. Some field locations have poor or no cell-phone reception; however, the BLM will supply two-way radios with excellent coverage and dispatch support. Most BLM roads are natural dirt- or gravel-surfaced. After completing a driving assessment conducted by the BLM, the Members will drive BLM vehicles.

For more information about Roseburg District Office, please visit Roseburg District Office | Bureau of Land Management for further location details and check out this great video of the area https://youtu.be/5cCT71knkyY.

Position Overview: This position will support the Roseburg District’s invasive plants management program. The work will be in support of various activities taking place on the Roseburg District, including timber, riparian restoration, recreation, and post-fire Burned Area Rehabilitation. Additional projects will take place at the North Bank Habitat Management Area, a 6,000 acre Area of Critical Environmental Concern managed for Columbian white-tailed deer habitat and several rare plant species.

Primary duties:

• Survey and map noxious weed infestations.
• Treat noxious weed infestations using integrated pest management methods including manual treatment (hand tools), mechanical treatment (e.g., weed whips), and herbicide.
• Monitor noxious weed treatment areas to determine efficacy of treatments and need for future treatment.

Additional duties include but are not limited to:

• Planting native plants and seed in conjunction with ongoing riparian restoration projects and burned area rehabilitation.
• Rare plant monitoring at North Bank Habitat Management Area.
• GIS data management.
• Data entry.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: The work schedules will generally be five 8 hour days with weekends off. Some summer projects may require four 10 hour day work weeks. This will be primarily a field going position.

Qualifications

Applicants will hold (or be pursuing) a bachelor’s degree in a natural resource field, and have experience with botany, either in the field or through coursework. Prior outdoor field experience is preferred. This is a demanding outdoor position that requires substantial physical fitness and mobility, participation in the field, and a tolerance for extreme weather and demanding conditions.

ACE Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• A valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required [two-part criminal history check].
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements“>here.

BLM Required:

• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• Must be able to communicate clearly and concisely with resource professionals.
• Members must have experience with Botany in an academic and/or field setting.
• Members must be comfortable using herbicide. Training on safe herbicide use will be provided.
• Must be comfortable working long hours in the field under sometimes arduous conditions (heat, cold, rain, biting/stinging insects) and able to travel long distances on foot over rugged terrain with a backpack sprayer.
• Pass a federal background check.