Research Technician IV (Temporary)

Research Technician IV (Temporary) Posting Number req26792 Department Sch of Nat Resource&Enviro-Res Department Website Link https://snre.arizona.edu/ Location Tucson Campus Address 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA Position Highlights The School of Natural Resources and the Environment is seeking a Research Technician IV. This position will focus on leading the implementation of a varied range of ecological restoration techniques and monitoring to support a landscape restoration in the Altar Valley. Activities will involve overseeing field efforts by a small field crew in remote areas and managing staff during work focused on:

1) Planting saguaro cacti to create habitat for wildlife, and measure and record data on individual saguaros and local habitat.

2) Erecting nest boxes on trees and tripods with ladders and hand tools, and cleaning, maintaining, and making small repairs to existing nest boxes.

3) Deploying native seed at restoration plots and pre- and post-seeding vegetation monitoring and data collection.

4) Assisting hand crews building erosion control structures of rock and brush.

5) Cleaning and purchasing field equipment, planning logistics, and communicating effectively with managers and contractors to foster efficient and safe implementation of field work.

6) Travel and navigating overland with needed equipment and supplies and mapping structures to implement work.

7) Assuring data gathered is accurate, complete, and supplied to research staff for processing in the office.

The Research Technician IV should be prepared to spend long days hiking and navigating in field settings in rugged terrain, begin work early, work long shifts, camp or stay in local housing at times for 1-3 nights, and work well as a team. Work schedule will often be 10 hours, 4 days a week with some overnight stays to reduce travel time to job sites in the Altar Valley. Per diem at allowable State of AZ rates (max of $70/day) will be authorized for overnight work.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Duties & Responsibilities

• Transport, salvage, re-plant, and measure saguaro cacti at field locations. This will include uprooting and transplanting of wild plants, and some re-planting nursery grown cacti.
• Map locations of plantings and measure cacti.
• Work as leader of small team sometimes co-supervising with a contractor in the field.
• Drive to field sites to plant saguaros and occasionally camp overnight.
• Prepare field equipment including slings, netting, wire cages, water and other materials to protect and transport plants.
• Erect nest boxes on trees and tripods and transport boxes and other materials and tools into the field to foster box setup at selected locations.
• Use ladders and hand tools including saws and chainsaws to prepare sites for mounting boxes, then clean, maintain, and make small repairs to existing nest boxes or ones already set up.
• Oversee purchase and availability of needed field equipment and assess equipment needs, plan travel and work logistics, and work with and communicate effectively with field staff, and land managers, contractors and supervisor to foster efficient and safe implementation of field work for the field team.
• Lead, oversee and schedule field crew by working and helping to manage schedules of contractors and staff in collaboration with supervisor.
• Assure efficient implementation of field work, integration of on-the-ground knowledge, and accurate and complete data collection and transfer of information to office staff.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to traverse rugged often off-trail terrain and carry or wheel saguaros and other equipment and supplies with hand trucks, wagons, and AT vehicles to planting sites.
• Knowledge of native plants, landscaping, horticulture, erosion control, seeding, and experience planting and transplanting native plants.
• Ability to use hand and power tools such as hammer drills, drills, saws, chainsaw.
• Skill and ability to climb a ladder