Individual Placement - Botany Crew Members at Sierra National Forest

Position Summary 

Garnet Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER): Conduct field surveys for invasive non-native plants (invasive weeds) in the area burned by the Garnet Fire in fall 2025, and promptly control new, small infestations when found (Early Detection, Rapid Response or EDRR). In addition, crews will manually control previously existing priority weeds to prevent their spread. Crew members will work closely with USFS Botanists and will receive training in plant identification, data collection techniques, orienteering, AGOL, Avenza, safe field practices, data entry; and gain exposure to duties of Forest Service botanists.

Location 

Prather, CA

Schedule 

May 18, 2026 - October 30, 2026

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

Job duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Early Detection/Rapid Response (EDRR) surveys and control treatments for invasive plant species within the Garnet Fire footprint and associated dozer lines. Invasive weed treatments may be conducted manually or mechanically (e.g., hand pulling, digging, using tools such as weed wrenches, shovels, pulaskis)
• Invasive plant mapping and monitoring using ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Field Maps and Avenza on FS provided tablets
• Keeping a list of plants encountered during surveys to document post-fire species composition, collecting and pressing specimens as directed by FS botanists
• Plant identification to the lowest practical taxonomic unit (with help from FS botanists using photos and specimens collected by crew)
• Data management and QA/QC using ArcGIS, AGOL, Microsoft Excel and other software
• Drafting botanical reports from field notes

Marginal Duties 

• Assisting Forest Service botanists with cleaning and organizing equipment, offices, living quarters, vehicles
• Ensuring vehicles are safe and functioning, alerting FS botanists when a maintenance or repair need arises
• Help with random tasks expected of all Sierra NF personnel (examples are moving furniture for carpet replacement, taking a load of recycling to the recycling center, driving to Fresno to get a vehicle serviced).

Required Qualifications 

At least one of the following (or a combination) is required along with a good attitude and ability to go with the flow when schedules change:

• Degree or substantial coursework in botany, plant ecology, or a closely related field in the biological sciences, including coursework in plant taxonomy and/or systematics (transcripts may be requested)
• Experience using dichotomous keys and online data sources (e.g., Jepson eFlora, Calflora, iNaturalist)
• Experience conducting floristic plant surveys and/or other botanical field work
• Four-six months of professional fieldwork experience
• Working in a professional or academic herbarium, with experience ranging from collecting specimens through identification and curation

This SCA Position is authorized under the Public Land Corps Authority. All participants must be between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. Participants must also be a citizen or national of the United States or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States. Hours served can be applied toward the Public Land Corps (PLC) hiring authority.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Knowledge of the flora of the Sierra Nevada
• Genuine interest and eagerness to learn
• Skills related to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Comfortable with noxious weed control in hot, exposed, steep sites
• Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection, inventory, assessment, and monitoring protocols
• Ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads.

Hours 

40 per week

Living Accommodations 

This opportunity does not offer on-site housing, local candidates preferred but there is a monthly housing allowance of $425 to help offset personal living expenses.

Compensation  

$1,100 Round Trip Travel Allowance (Paid once)

$450 Weekly Living Allowance (Paid Bi-Weekly)

$425 Monthly Housing Allowance (6 Disbursements)

All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. 

Personal Vehicle Information

Required

Additional Benefits 

Bear Safety

Defensive Driving Training

First Aid/CPR

Off-Road Vehicle Safety

AmeriCorps: Not Eligible

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The Student Conservation Association, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members and is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere where lifestyles may grow personally and professionally.