The Kankakee Sands Land Steward will be based at the Conservancy’s Kankakee Sands Office which is located on the 8,400-acre Kankakee Sands preserve in northwest Indiana. The preserve is part of the larger Kankakee Sands Macrosite, a 34,000-acre prairie and savanna complex in northwest Indiana and eastern Illinois, that is home to over 7,000 acres of planted prairie and TNC’s newest bison herd established in 2016. The Steward will perform and participate in preserve operations including the maintenance, management, development, and coordination of conservation programs. They will work with other Kankakee Sands stewardship staff to develop treatment priorities and work plans and turn those plans into action with the assistance of a seasonal crew composed of 3 to 4 Field Technicians.
This is a full-time, 3-year assignment (with the possibility of an extension).
The Kankakee Sands Land Steward will hire, train, and supervise seasonal staff to ensure the coordination and implementation of preserve management plans. They will maintain preserve areas frequented by the visiting public, remove exotic species, maintain tools and equipment, operate heavy machinery, help implement prescribed fire, collect and process native seed, and open/close the preserve to the visiting public.
This position will require irregular work hours and long days. While the position will work primarily on the Kankakee Sands macrosite, it will require occasional travel and overnight stays at other work locations.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Lead the hiring and training process for seasonal staff.
- Work with seasonal staff daily to organize logistics, promote crew cohesion, and ensure a safe working environment.
- Control invasive species in tallgrass prairie and oak barrens ecosystems via herbicide application from UTVs, ATVs, tractors, and backpack sprayers.
- Control of woody invasive species using brush cutters and chainsaws.
- Perform as part of a burn crew to implement prescribed fire.
- Transplant native plants; harvest and process native seed.
- Daily maintenance and upkeep of equipment.
- Use GPS and GIS to record and map invasive species treatments on the preserve.
- Track and record data relating to invasive species control and crew time logs.
- Preserve site maintenance (trails, infrastructure, etc.).
- Open and close the bison viewing area to the visiting public.
- Assist with upkeep of bison viewing area, maintenance of bison fence, and other related infrastructure.
- May participate in outreach events and work with and/or lead volunteers.
- Financial responsibility may include working within a budget to complete projects, negotiating and contracting with vendors, assisting with budget development and fundraising targets.
- May work under minimal and/or distant supervision; may make some independent decisions based on analysis, experience and context.
- May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.
- 1-year related experience in custodial and ecological land management or similar field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience with natural systems.
- Experience in ecological land management principles.
- Experience with plant identification.
- Experience operating and or repairing various types of equipment and machinery.
- Must have a valid driver's license.
- Experience working in a team environment.
- Qualified at the Fire Fighter Type 2 (FFT2) standard set by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) and the TNC Fire Manual. The Fire Manual can be found at http://www.tncfiremanual.org/firefighter.htm
- Must achieve physical fitness standard as determined by local Fire Program Manager and the TNC Fire Manual.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 1 – 2 years related experience in ecological land management or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Some experience managing volunteers or entry level staff.
- Willingness and ability to develop botanical skillset.
- Knowledge/understanding of current trends and practices in conservation, land management and natural resource preservation/conservation or similar field.
- Ability to complete tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).
- Working knowledge of common software applications (e.g.; Word, Excel, Web browsers).
- Communicating clearly via written, spoken and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
- Qualified at the Fire Fighter Type 1 (FFT1) standard set by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG).
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.