Employment Information

EFFECTIVENESS MONITORING OF STREAMS AND RIPARIAN AREAS
USDA FOREST SERVICE & USDI BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Thank you for your interest in the PACFISH/INFISH Biological Opinion Effectiveness Monitoring (PIBO EM) Program of Streams and Riparian Areas. This could be an extremely rewarding position, allowing you to learn regionally applied sampling techniques, work as part of a large team, and travel extensively throughout eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, Idaho, Montana, and northern Nevada.

At this site you will find information about:

• Position Announcements
  
• The Application Process
  
• What you might experience this summer as a stream or vegetation technician
  • Things to know before signing on
  • Work Schedule
  • What to bring
    

Caption: 2011 Effectiveness Monitoring Crew at training outside Potlach, ID

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Forest Service Fish & Aquatic Ecology Unit

Positions:

• 16 botany/range (GS 3-5)
• 32 fisheries/hydrology/geomorphology (GS 3-5)

Riparian Vegetation Surveys Technicians - These positions involve collecting data about vegetation to determine the condition of riparian areas. You will learn a variety of sampling techniques and how to identify many riparian plant species including: sedges, grasses, forbs, willows, and other woody plants.


Successful applicants will have the following:

• At least one plant taxonomy course
• Experience identifying plants using dichotomous keys (such as the Flora of the Pacific Northwest, by Hitchcock and Cronquist)
• Field experience / course work collecting vegetation data and/or identifying grasses, sedges, woody plants, rangeland plants, etc.
• Outdoor / field experience (job requires camping for extended periods of time)
• An excellent attitude and a willingness to learn

Stream Morphology and Habitat Technicians - PIBO EM implements an intensive reach scale stream survey. Using one of the most rigorously tested sampling protocols available, technicians collect information on a variety of stream attributes including pools, channel geometry, substrate, streambank characteristics, gradient, water chemistry, large woody debris, and macro-invertebrates. Using the PIBO EM stream protocol, technicians will become familiar with a variety of sampling procedures and will apply them to a wide range of stream systems.

Successful applicants will have the following:

• Course work in natural resources; especially fisheries and water resources
  
• Field experience collecting fisheries or stream habitat data.
  
• Outdoor / field experience (job requires camping for extended periods of time)
  
• An excellent attitude and a willingness to learn

Additional Opportunities: Experienced applicants can qualify to be the leader of a 3-person crew. Also, additional work may be available to qualified individuals after the field season concludes. Initially, this work will primarily consist of gear organization and assisting full-time staff with data quality assurance in Logan, Utah. Further, strongly qualified technicians have been selected for graduate projects directly resulting from their association with this program; this trend will continue.


Work Schedule: Positions will begin Monday, May 21st and extend through at least September 3rd, with a high probability of extending longer. The duration of the field season will depend on work load, available personnel, fire season, etc. We will accommodate students who need to start school in August. However, all students will be expected to work through Tuesday, August 7th. Work is divided into 14-day pay periods; all technicians work 8 consecutive ten-hour days with the following 6 days off (see calendar below). You are required to work all hitches in their entirety unless otherwise approved by Becca Scully PRIOR to the initiation of the hiring process. If you ‘need’ to miss a work day, discuss this with Becca during the application process.

Wages (2012 values): Depending on qualifications, the job grade and corresponding pay ranges are: GS-03 ($11.95/hour), GS-04 ($13.41/hour), and GS-05 ($15.00/hour). In addition, employees receive a daily travel per diem of $24 for each work day ($192 every pay period). However, travel per diem allowances will change when technicians chosen to work post-field season start working at PIBO EM headquarters in Logan, UT.

Housing (subject to change): Basic housing is provided at a fee of $3/day, automatically subtracted from per diem. You will be based out of one of three bunkhouses: Ukiah, Oregon, St. Regis, Montana, or Leadore, Idaho. We attempt to accommodate technician preferences for particular locations, although the possibility of moving between stations during the field season is high due to sampling priorities. These buildings are property of the U.S. Government for seasonal use. Household supplies (e.g. furniture, microwave, cookware, etc.) are not necessarily provided.

Caption: Frank-Church Wilderness in Central Idaho

Program Description: This program monitors stream and riparian conditions on USDA Forest Service (FS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and National Park Service (NPS) lands. The program has been operating since 1998, with a current budget of approximately $1.5 million. During each field season, PIBO EM collects information on approximately 450 randomly selected watersheds throughout eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, northern Nevada, Idaho and Montana. For more detailed information, please visit our web page at www.fs.fed.us/biology/fishecology/emp/.
Locations: The Effectiveness Monitoring Program samples throughout eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, Idaho and Montana. Although you will be stationed in one of three bunkhouse locations (central Oregon, western Montana or central Idaho), you will likely travel throughout the study area (see map below).

Caption: Map showing sites sampled 2001-present within the PIBO EM study area.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications should be submitted by MARCH 1, 2012
Hiring will continue until positions are filled

Important
Please follow the directions on this page carefully to apply for summer positions.
Do not mail applications to staff members listed on the ‘Staff’ web page; only those mentioned here!
Send application materials via email. Do not send paper application materials via postal mail.

HIRING and JOB INFO CONTACT:

Becca Scully
E-mail: rscully"at"fs.fed.us
Phone: 435-755-3579

NOTE: The hiring procedure is different for Students and Non-students

STUDENTS:

Students do not need to apply through AVUE. Current students who will be graduating in the spring and not returning to school need to apply through AVUE (see Non-Student section below).

To qualify as a student:

• You must be currently enrolled as a student during the spring quarter/semester or be accepted for fall;
• Be a degree seeking student
• And, be enrolled in school for the fall semester

If you meet these 3 qualifications: send your resume (show specific dates for each job), cover letter, references, and an official transcript (or a copy of an official transcript. No Microsoft Word or editable documents will be considered. Transcripts need to show: GPA, type of degree being sought, and whether student is half or full time) to Becca Scully. Send application materials via email. Do not send paper application materials via postal mail.

Include the following information in your application materials:

• Full name
• Social security number
• Birth date
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• E-mail address

NON-STUDENTS:

In addition to completing an application with AVUE (see directions below), send your resume (show specific dates for each job), cover letter, references, and an official transcript (or a copy of an official transcript. No Microsoft Word or editable documents will be considered) to Becca Scully. Send application materials via email. Do not send paper application materials via postal mail.

Include the following information in your application materials:

• Full name
• Social security number
• Birth date
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• E-mail address

AVUE ELECTRONIC APPLICATION

It is very important to fill out your application completely and correctly the first time; you may not get a second chance. Be sure to attach an official transcript to your AVUE application.

TIP: in AVUE, don’t use the ‘back’ buttons, use hyperlinks instead.

1. Access the AVUE website: www.avuedigitalservices.com/usfs/applicant.html

2.
a. Select 'SIGN UP!' if you do not have an AVUE profile or;
b. enter your user name and password and enter 'LOGIN'

3. From the main menu, select 'Job Search' then select 'Search by Filters'

4. Enter one of the following announcement numbers under ‘Announcement Number’, select 'Add', and then select ‘Find Jobs’.

ADS Number/USA Jobs Vacancy Numbers	Job Titles, GS Level:
Fisheries announcement numbers:
OCRT-404-3-GENERAL-DT	Biological Aid, GS-03
OCRT-404-4-FISH-DT	Biological Technician (Fisheries), GS-04
OCRT-404-5-FISH-DT	Biological Technician (Fisheries), GS-05
Botany announcement numbers:
OCRT-404-3-GENERAL-DT	Biological Aid, GS-03
OCRT-404-4-PLANT-DT	Biological Technician (Plants), GS-04
OCRT-404-5-PLANT-DT	Biological Technician (Plants), GS-05

5. Select the job title under ‘Vacancy’ column.

6. Select 'Apply Now'.

7. All information under the Mandatory title must be filled out. Also, be sure to attach a copy of an official transcript(s) to each AVUE application. Optional information is encouraged.

8. Under 'Applicant Information', 'Superior, MT', 'Leadore, ID', and 'Ukiah, OR' must be selected under 'PREFERRED LOCATION(S)'. Select this location and then choose 'Save' and then select 'Save and Continue' on the next screen. This is a very important step, as the applicant pool we receive (who we can hire) must be directed to one of these locations. We fully expect the job to be offered in these 3 locations and it is VERY HIGHLY recommended that all 3 locations are chosen.

9. After all information is thoroughly and correctly filled in, select 'Send Application', select 'Continue and Send pplicaiton', and select 'Save and Submit Application'.

PLEASE NOTE: These are nationwide job announcements that are very general and do not include the specifics of the job duties. Please thoroughly read the detailed job descriptions.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE SIGNING ON

• This job requires living, hiking, and working outside all day, every day.
• You will be camping every night of your eight-day work hitch (mostly undeveloped sites; rarely at campgrounds). You will almost never stay in motels.
  
• Crews hike into remote wilderness areas periodically and are flown into these areas on occasion. In such cases, crew members can expect to be far from cars, people, buildings, etc.
  
• Some streams you sample will be near a road, while others will require long and rigorous hikes to access. Bushwhacking is common and part of the job.
  
• You will be crossing/wading streams all day, every day (i.e. you will be wet/in the water A LOT!).
  
• You will be working in all kinds of weather. Crews may experience beautiful clear days, temperatures exceeding 100°F, heavy rain, and sometimes snow!
  
• Be prepared to see wildlife regularly. Our crews have encountered wolves, coyotes, elk, moose, mule deer, bulltrout, Chinook and Kokanee salmon. The study area is also within the habitat ranges of grizzly bears, black bears, and mountain lions. Taking proper precautions while camping / working is necessary.
  
• Scrapes, bruises, and blisters are all part of the job.

WORK SCHEDULE

(subject to change)

During each two-week pay period you will work eight consecutive ten-hour days (i.e. a hitch) followed by six days off. However, the first pay period consists of ten eight-hour days. Work days are highlighted GREEN and summarized after the calendar (table). You will be asked to work holidays. If there is an issue, please notify Becca during the application process. 'H' in the calendar means 'Holiday'.

MAY
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28-H	29	30	31

JUNE
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
27	28-H	29	30	31	1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30

JULY
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1	2	3	4-H	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31	1	2	3	4

AUGUST
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
29	30	31	1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31	1

SEPTEMBER
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
		28	29	30	31	1
2	3-H	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	1	2	3	4	5	6

OCTOBER
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
30	1	2	3	4	5	6

Work Schedule in non-calendar format:

• Work days for May: 21-30; May 28th is a worked holiday
  
• Work days for June: 5-12 and 19-26
  
• Work days for July: 3-10 , 17-24, 31; July 4th is a worked holiday
  
• Work days for August: (July 31); 1-7, 14-21, 28-31 (September 1-4)
  
• Work days for September: (August 28-31); 1-4; 11-18; 25-30 (October 1-2); September 3rd is a worked holiday
• Work days for October: (September 25-30); 1-2
• Subject to change: September 11-18; September 25 through October 2

All employees not returning to school will be guaranteed work through mid September. Depending on performance, available work load, and weather (etc.) many will be provided with work through mid October.

Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Central Idaho

WHAT TO BRING

You need equipment that will keep you safe / comfortable while backpacking for multiple days, car camping extensively, and recreating on your off days. No pets allowed.

Important to Have:

• Good rain gear –- multiple sets if you have them
  
• Warm sleeping bag (20° F or cooler works well) and sleeping pad
  
• Sun hat/sunglasses
  
• Cold weather clothes
  • Even though our field season is during the summer months, temperature and precipitation types (e.g. rain, sleet, snow) vary substantially. Avoid cotton.
    
• Hiking boots (broken in and comfortable)
  
• Flashlight / Headlamp

Nice to Have:

• Personal Backpack and tent
• Rubber knee boots
• Music (many people bring musical instruments)
• Good books to read fireside
• Recreational gear: fishing gear, hacky-sack, disc, games, etc.
• Personal eating utensils

Provided: We provide basic camping equipment and all sampling equipment while you are working (work gear may not be used for recreation during your days off), including:

• Waders and wading boots
  
• One tent per crew and backpack/person
  
• Vehicles, bear spray, sat phone, SPOT
  
• Camp chairs and table, cook kits, stoves, coolers, and water jugs
  

Eagle Cap Wilderness in eastern Oregon