Monitoring Technician Aide

Department:  New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute (NMFWRI) 

Job Type: NMHU Student Worker (Monitoring Technician Aide)

The position is open to students only! This position will be responsible for working on crews carrying out NMFWRI’s ecological monitoring and restoration activities on public and private lands throughout New Mexico. Projects will require in-state travel. Activities are related to all phases of restoration from research and planning through project implementation and capacity building. This position will be filled only if adequate funding is available. 

Hourly rate: $15-16.5/hr DOE  

The New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute seeks eager and creative-minded Monitoring Technician Aides to join its diverse team of ecological restoration professionals. 

 The Ecological Monitoring Program at NMFWRI maintains professionally managed field crews to collect data on short and long-term ecosystem responses to restoration treatments, wildfires, climate change, and other disturbances. This data provides a critical scientific basis for adaptive management decisions and improved treatment effectiveness. The program also works with partners to build statewide capacity in ecological monitoring, adaptive management, and restoration.  
 
This Technician Aide will assist with data collection, and field logistics. This position works with the Ecological Monitoring program manager and our team, and with other FWRI teams as needed. 
 
We welcome candidates who can work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of professionals working towards wildfire resilience, post-fire restoration, and watershed conservation. This position will

require excellent attention to detail; good self-care; strong time management capabilities; and engaging communication skills with audiences diverse in age, socioeconomics, and cultural backgrounds. 
 
This position's primary responsibility will include but is not limited to working closely with the field crew in data collection and analysis (including regular overnight travel and camping). The majority of the Technician Aide's work will be in the field.

 Our Technician Aides will gain experience in: 

*Backcountry work, including navigation, cooking, campskills, first aid, etc 

*Off-road/rough road driving (e.g. mud, rocks, sand, snow) & familiarity with vehicle mechanics and equipment maintenance 

*Tree, shrub, and other plant identification 

*Process & mechanics of ecological restoration (thinning, prescribed fire, etc) 

*Application of ecological monitoring protocols, projects, and use of specialized equipment (e.g. Brown’s transects, GPS units, densiometers) 

*Data entry, quality control, reporting 

The Right Person:

* is reliable and dependable

* is able to camp/travel overnight regularly

* has excellent attention to detail even during repetitive tasks

* loves the outdoors even when it's hot, raining, or there's an oak-covered ridge to climb

* will showcase their talents for high-quality field data collection in service of a community passionate about the conservation and restoration of our New Mexico forests and watersheds. 

Where you will work. 

From city to wilderness, valley to the mountaintop, our Las Vegas, New Mexico-based team serves our communities from the office and in the field. NMFWRI’s Ecological Monitoring Team will also train others and receive training at locations throughout the state. They collect data and train others for selected projects in forested, grassland, and riparian settings, bringing it back to the office for processing, analysis, and distribution to others. The ideal candidate should reside within a two-hour drive of our Las Vegas, NM office, as regular in-office attendance on campus and fieldwork in the HPCC burn scar is required. 

Duties & Responsibilities  

Assist crew leads, specialists, crew logistics, and program manager in achieving the goals of the monitoring program.  

Perform field measurements and assessments of forest resources and ecological indicators, including data recording and quality assurance.  Work is often performed in remote locations over difficult terrain.  

Perform computer entry of field data including using FFI, Microsoft Excel, and other protocols with attention to detail.  

Assist with quality control and quality assurance of entered field data. Conduct quality control analysis on collected data using R scripts and other tools. 

Perform routine cleaning and maintenance of NMFWRI equipment, including basic vehicle maintenance.  

Perform field measurements and assessments of forest resources and ecological indicators, including data recording and quality assurance.  Work is often performed in remote locations over difficult terrain.  

Perform field mapping of project sites using Global Positioning System and Geographic Information Systems technologies.  

Take a support role in crew preparation, management, and accomplishment of field tasks.   

Take a leadership role in crew safety.  

Support NMFWRI in their accomplishment of forest and watershed restoration treatments; participate in other professional development opportunities. 

Maintain regular attendance and clear communication with supervisors and colleagues in office, field, and online working environments.  

Assist with education and outreach initiatives of the Institute.  

Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Requirements  

Education:   

*College student at NMHU and classified as a sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student; and enrolled with a minimum of six (6) credit hours 

*Successfully completed one semester at NMHU

Applicants must: 

Have an interest in forestry, natural resource management, and/or ecological restoration 

Be a team player with a strong work ethic, attention to detail, a positive attitude, and good self-care 

Be willing to hike, camp, and travel 4 days per week during the summer (sometimes out of cell range, in remote areas of New Mexico) 

Have effective time management skills – continued employment is contingent upon grant/contract funding which come with time-sensitive deliverables 

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in the measurement of riparian, wetland, forest and related ecological indicators; Plant ID; outdoor leadership

Preferred Skills

Special Conditions for Employment 

Must possess and maintain a valid NM driver’s license; must possess a full valid New Mexico Driver’s license within 60 days of employment and maintain a clean motor vehicle record.

Must be willing to work weekends, evenings and odd hours as required 

Must be willing to travel. 

Must be able to engage in field work, often under difficult/challenging environmental conditions, including, but not limited to, steep slopes, dense vegetation, extreme heat and cold, and snow cover. 

Continued employment is contingent upon the employee maintaining authorization to work in the United States. New Mexico Highlands University and New Mexico Forest & Watershed Restoration Institute do not provide employment visa sponsorship for this position.

Salary : $15 - $17