Channel Islands Restoration is a non-profit organization that restores habitat in sensitive and unique natural areas on the California Channel Islands and adjacent mainland. We help protect rare and endangered native plant and animal species by restoring the natural habitat they depend on for survival. We help educate school children and a variety of other groups about the value of native habitat and how to protect it.  We recruit volunteers and help identify and develop public and private funding sources for habitat restoration programs.

TITLE: Invasive Plant Field Technician (California Channel Islands and mainland)

POSITION TERM: Minimum of one year; two-thirds time minimum, with additional hours possible based on project-need.  
STARTS WHEN: Immediately
REPORTS TO: Executive Director/Operations Manager

SUMMARY: This position offers tremendous opportunities for experience in native plant restoration on the California Channel Islands.  Primarily this person works as part of a team (but sometimes individually) to eradicate invasive plants on Anacapa Island in Channel Islands National Park (approximately %70 of time) and on various mainland locations in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties (approximately 30% of time).  The candidate will be involved with a wide range of invasive plant removal techniques and will help propagate, grow and plant native species.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

An ideal candidate will possess a substantial combination of all these requirements:

1. Conduct eradication and control of priority invasive plants at various restoration sites on the Channel Islands and Mainland.  Utilize hand tools, power brush cutters, chain saws, herbicide spray bottles, backpacks, and motorized rigs.
2. Supervise individual volunteers, volunteer groups and sub-contracted crews in invasive plant management activities and installing and maintaining native plants at project sites.
3. Possibly propagate and grow native plants in an island nursery
4. Record locations of invasive and rare native plant populations using Global Positioning Systems (GPS units) and hard copy maps.
5. Maintain program equipment.
6. Participate in desk duties relating to position including compiling and disseminating field notes and data.
7. Perform other duties as directed by supervisors.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

The ideal candidates will possess:

• A Bachelor’s degree in weed science, botany, biology, ecology, natural resource management, or equivalent from an accredited institution.
• Experience with propagating and growing native plants

The candidate must possess:

1. Good knowledge of native and invasive plant species.
2. Willingness to work with herbicide (training in herbicide safety and application will be provided as needed).
3. Knowledge of the use of hand tools and power tools needed, such as loppers, Pulaski, McLeod, shovel, hoe, chainsaws, backpack sprayers etc.
4. Knowledge of GPS equipment (training with specific equipment will be provided).
5. A Class C Driver’s License.  Applicant must be willing to commute to neighboring communities to perform work.
6. The ability to work and hike outdoors in all weather conditions, ability to work long hours outdoors, ability to lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Fieldwork involves manual labor, hiking over steep, rugged terrain with frequently unstable rocky substrate while carrying hand tools and filled backpack sprayers. Handling of plants is routine. Contact with cactus, stinging nettle and poison oak is common. Must be willing to wear appropriate safety gear such as coveralls, hiking boots, gloves, and goggles.
7. The ability to deal with field conditions that are strongly weather-dependent and may be hot, dusty, cold, muddy, and/or wet depending on season and degree of exposure. Must be willing to make multi-day trips to the Channel Islands.
8. The ability to live on a small, isolated island for five days or more while working with a team in an effective and congenial manner.
9. A great work ethic,  work efficiency, enthusiasm, ability to pay attention to detail and the ability to be a positive functioning member of a diverse team. 

Salary level:

$18 to $22 per hour, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

TO APPLY:

Submit cover letter of intent to apply (limit one page), and a résumé (limit two pages) and previous employment references (at least three) via email. The most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. Further details can be provided by contacting:

Ken Owen, Executive Director, Channel Islands Restoration. (805) 448-5726.  ken@cirweb.org