Wildlife & Vegetation Member- Pacific Northwest Research Station

Summary
American jobshiringnearme.org Experience, a nonprofit jobshiringnearme.org Corps, in partnership with US Forest Service Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station is seeking TWO Wildlife and Vegetation Members to contribute to wildlife and vegetation projects alongside PNW Research Station Staff in association with timber production, forest fire fuel reduction, habitat restoration, and wildlife monitoring.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: May 5, 2025
End Date: October 31, 2025
*a 26-week minimum commitment is required* 

Location Details/Description: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, Oregon

May – July: Members may be based in a shared bunkhouse at any of the following locations throughout the season depending on project assignments, but should expect frequent travel throughout the Pacific Northwest: 

• Cascade Head Experimental Forest, Lincoln City, OR
• H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Blue River, OR
• Pringle Falls Experimental Forest, La Pine, OR
• Starkey Experimental Forest and Range, La Grande, OR
• Mount St Helens Headquarters, Amboy, WA
• Wind River Experimental Forest, Carson, WA

From August – October members will be based at Pringle Falls Experimental Forest near La Pine, OR. Pringle Falls Experimental Forest is a natural laboratory within the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon, dominated by ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests in a rugged volcanic landscape. The shared bunkhouse at Pringle Falls is roughly 50 feet from the banks of the crystal-clear Deschutes River. Members may enjoy after-work activities like hiking, fishing, inner tubing, swimming, bird watching, and exceptional stargazing. Weather at Pringle Falls ranges from 100°F temperatures in August to heavy rains and snow in October. 

The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station is a leader in the scientific study of natural resources. We generate and communicate impartial knowledge to help people understand and make informed choices about natural resource management and sustainability. The station has 11 laboratories and research centers in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington as well as 12 active experimental forests, ranges, and watersheds. The PNW Research Station is an integral component of USDA Forest Service Research and Development (R&D), which is the most extensive natural resources research organization in the world. Forest Service R&D comprises five regional research stations, the Forest Products Laboratory, and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry. These research facilities, complemented by a network of 80 experimental forests, are strategically located to reflect the diversity of natural resources across the country. 

For more information about the Pacific Northwest Research Station, please visit the US Forest Service website. 

Position Overview:  

Members will travel using a government-provided vehicle to locations in the Pacific Northwest to conduct field work for multiple scientists at the Pacific Northwest Research Station of the US Forest Service. Members will contribute to a variety of projects from May through August. From August through October, members will shift to trapping small mammals near La Pine, OR.  

Ecologists at the Olympia, WA and Corvallis, OR laboratories of the Pacific Northwest Research Station will work with ACE members to determine summer project assignments after onboarding. Summer project tasks may include:

• Deploying or retrieving autonomous recording units (ARUs) for birds and bats
• Maintaining and downloading data from weather stations and data loggers
• Conducting surveys for fish, amphibians, and birds
• Measuring and identifying vegetation including woody fuels and herbaceous plants
• Occasional camping in the field. Tents and camping equipment will be provided.

In the fall, these members will be housed at Pringle Falls Experimental Forest near La Pine, OR to trap small mammals. Trapping tasks include: 

• Hiking, sometimes while carrying heavy loads, to place or retrieve Tomahawk and Sherman traps along trapping grids.
• Handling live small mammals and applying ear tags.
• Collecting samples from live animals including blood, feces, and skin/mouth swabs.
• Baiting traps with a peanut butter, molasses, and oat mixture.
• Sanitizing traps after use.
• Recording and entering high-quality data independently.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: May work varying time schedules throughout the season, but will not work more than 80 hours every 2 weeks. Work may be done during the day, night, and/or early morning. Will be expected to work on Labor Day and Indigenous Peoples Day due to the small mammal trapping schedule. 

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age (You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.

Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in provided USFS  housing at no cost for the duration of the term.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support. 

Qualifications 

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website located on our Indeed homepage.
• Must be willing to travel frequently and move between bunkhouses over the course of their term. A government vehicle will be provided for travel between bunkhouses and all field work.
• Must be willing to handle small mammals. This includes eartagging and collecting samples of blood, feces, or tissue swabs.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for these positions can hold or be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a natural resource field, and have experience with wildlife and/or vegetation, either in the field or through coursework.
• This is a highly physical outdoor position that requires substantial physical fitness and mobility, and a tolerance for extreme weather and demanding conditions.
• Experience driving 4×4 and/or all-wheel drive vehicles safely in off-road conditions
• Strong experience hiking over long distances in remote, steep, and rocky terrain and in adverse weather conditions (off-trail)
• Competency with data entry, summarizing and compiling data
• Ability to navigate in remote areas using GPS, mobile devices, and paper maps/compass
• Knowledge of the basic theories and practices of biological science sufficient to analyze findings
• Knowledge of the technical processes, procedures and techniques related to biological science samples, measurements, and analysis
• Ability to work as part of a team to meet project goals, as well as independently to complete survey tasks
• Familiarity with Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft products
• Experience conducting field work and biological surveys with established protocols
• Ability to work independently, and in small groups with minimal supervision, at day or night including hiking, driving, following survey protocol

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions: 

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for handling small animals and plants, and for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain carrying up to 40 lbs., and camp overnight under field conditions.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus. Strong color vision is needed to identify some animals and plants, but accommodations are possible.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 40 lbs., ability to move up to 50 pounds.
• Environmental: Work will be mostly outdoors. Outdoor conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions such as snow, heavy rain, and extreme heat is expected. Wildfire smoke in the summer is common; members may be required to wear N95 masks.
• Travel: This position requires domestic travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards:  The ACE members may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, poisonous or thorny plants, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The members may be exposed to wildfire smoke in the late summer/early fall but will be provided with N95 masks to protect airways and/or given alternate tasks to limit exposure and exertion on days where air quality is poor. These positions include handling animals, which may expose members to zoonotic diseases despite wearing PPE. The members are expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members, equipment, or resources. 

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety:  If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the US Forest Service. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the US Forest Service. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the US Forest Service, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to US Forest Service and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.