The Precision Restoration Scientist will work closely with Conservancy science staff and external academic partners to advance ecological understanding of novel restoration seeding approaches on arid lands in a term position (2.5 years). The successful candidate will help the Precision Restoration project team transition from small-scale field trials to large-scale.
The Precision Restoration Scientist will work with a team of researchers who are focused on increasing success of native perennial vegetation restoration on annual grass invaded sagebrush rangeland. Improved seed and seeding technologies are a means to increase success of seeded native perennial plant species. Increased seeding success would help to mitigate expansion of non-native annual grass species and associated increased fuel continuity and fire frequency across tens of millions of acres of western U.S. rangeland. The Precision Restoration Scientist (PRS) will work with Conservancy staff and external partners (e.g., USDA-Agricultural Research Service) to develop and test seed technologies across environmental gradients in the sagebrush ecosystem. The PRS will use geospatial information to identify and prioritize treatment areas, design and implement experiments to test seeding efficacy and relationships with key environmental variables, and lead development of predictive modeling of seed technology cost-effectiveness across a range of environmental conditions on western rangelands.
RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE
- Design and implement experiments relative to program area, oversee data collection, lead data analyses and prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- May lead staff, interns or volunteers on a project basis.
- May manage a grant, contract or request for proposal.
- Must be able to work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, in hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's Degree in science related field and 2 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience leading and working with cross functional teams.
- Experience synthesizing, interpreting and communicating scientific information.
- Record of peer reviewed publications in scientific journals.
- Experience working and communicating with a wide range of people.
- Familiarity with seed ecology and seeding practices.
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- Multi-language skills and multi-cultural or cross cultural experience appreciated.
- Aptitude with statistical analysis of complex ecological data at entry post-doctoral level.
- Experience with geospatial modeling.
- Familiarity with sagebrush steppe ecology or similar arid lands ecology
- Experience with ecological study design and implementation in highly controlled settings (e.g., growth chamber, greenhouse).
- Expertise with vegetation and soil sampling techniques, measurement and interpretation of climatic and edaphic influences on plant development.
- Experience in seeding, agronomy technologies and/or agricultural engineering.
- Demonstrated ability to develop working relationships with public and private land managers.
ADDITIONAL JOB INFORMATION
- Preferred hiring range: $62,000-65,800
- This is a 2.5 year term position with a target start date in January/February 2018.