The Stewardship Field Assistant assists with a variety of stewardship and management duties on Conservancy preserves within Maine. Duties include monitoring land, invasives species control, research, updating plans, maintaining equipment, enforcing preserve policies and monitoring visitor use, performing trail, boundary, and sign maintenance, and maintaining cooperative relationships with preserve neighbors, agency partners, the general public, and partner organizations.
This is a full-time, 26 week, temporary position that runs from April 16, 2018 to October 12, 2018. The Assistant may work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. This position requires considerable physical exertion and/or muscular strain, long hours in isolated settings, and presents frequent possibility of injury.
- Conducts legal compliance monitoring and drafts compliance reports; enters monitoring data; assists in training volunteers to conduct legal compliance monitoring; works with Preserves Manager to notify parties in the event of a violation; works with Stewardship Program Assistant and Preserves Manager on volunteer mailings.
- Works with stewardship staff and volunteers to perform preserve maintenance tasks (maintains signs and registration boxes, clear and maintain trails, mark boundaries, invasive species control).
- Interacts with preserve visitors by providing information, promoting the Conservancy, answering questions, and enforcing preserve policies.
- Researches and acquires ecological and legal information and field collects natural resource information pertinent to the management of Maine Chapter preserves and conservation easements, and assists with updating preserve management plans.
- Deals with problems as they arise on preserves (may include timber and other forms of trespass, unauthorized vehicular use, camping, etc.).
- Assists stewardship staff with ecological monitoring throughout the state.
- Assists with maintenance of basic equipment such as hand and power tools, chainsaws, outboard boat motors, etc.
- Participates, when available and as certified, as crew member on controlled burns in Maine.
- Assists with special projects, as needed.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience recognizing plant and animal species.
- Experience with GPS units and interpreting mapped information.
- Experience performing physical work.
- Valid driver’s license.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience.
- 1 – 2 years training in science-related field or related experience in land management.
- Ability to perform physical work, sometimes under adverse conditions.
- Ability to hike over rough terrain for extended periods of time, lift and carry up to 40 pounds, and be willing to work outdoors sometimes in foul weather; ability to navigate in the field.
- Willingness to travel throughout Maine over extensive periods of time, work weekends and occasional evenings, sometimes providing own reliable transportation.
- Communicates effectively in person and in writing with a wide variety of people, including preserve neighbors, private landowners, partners, and volunteers.
- Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, GIS, and Access.
- Knowledge of, and demonstrated experience with, a GPS unit- to find and mark field locations, have experience navigating roads in remote locations. Able to read and interpret road and topographic maps, aerial photos, and other sources of mapped information.
- Fire Red Card certification helpful; must be willing to meet physical fitness standards for controlled burn crew.
- Knowledge and familiarity with Maine geography, natural history, environmental science.