The Kankakee Sands Field Technician is a full-time, short term position that performs land management tasks on the 8,300-acre Kankakee Sands preserve. The preserve is part of the larger Kankakee Sands Macrosite, a roughly 25,000-acre prairie and savanna complex in northwest Indiana and eastern Illinois. This position will function as part of a crew supervised daily by the Kankakee Sands Crew Leader and other Kankakee Sands staff. Three positions are expected to run from the middle of February through the middle of November 2018. A fourth, shorter duration position, is expected to run from the middle of February through the middle of August 2018. Optional, on-site housing is available.
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS:
- Control invasive species in tallgrass prairie and oak barrens ecosystems via herbicide application from UTVs and backpack sprayers.
- Control of woody invasive species using brush cutters and chainsaws.
- Perform as part of a burn crew to implement prescribed fire. In an average year the crew will help implement fire on approximately 2,300 acres.
- Clean and process native seed, primarily during the final weeks of the position.
- Daily maintenance and upkeep of equipment.
- Use GPS and GIS to record and map invasive species treatments on the preserve.
SECONDARY FUNCTIONS:
- Native seed harvest.
- Site maintenance (trails, infrastructure, etc.).
- Opening and closing the bison viewing area to the visiting public.
- Public outreach.
Unless previously qualified, all Field Technicians will be trained to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standard of Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2).
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- May interact with visitors.
- Works under close or infrequent supervision.
- May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations for long periods of time in isolated settings, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.
- Requires considerable physical exertion and/or muscular strain.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience operating various types of equipment in a safe and efficient manner (e.g. Lawn mower, chainsaw, tractor, two-way radio, etc).
- Must be able to obtain qualifications of a Fire Fighter Type 2 (FFT2), including Introduction to ICS (I-100), Human Factors on the Fireline (L-180), Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior (S-190), and Firefighting Training (S-130). See http://www.tncfiremanual.org/firefighter.htm
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Ability to follow instructions from colleagues.
- Ability to work in a team environment.
- 1-2 years’ experience in land management.
- Already qualified at the Fire Fighter Type 2.
- Ability to recognize plant and animal species to complete management activities.
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.