Invasive Plant Management Technician (NPS, Yosemite National Park)

The Research Associate Program at GBI, in cooperation with NPS at Yosemite National Park is recruiting four (4) Invasive Plant Management Technicians to support vegetation management throughout the park. In addition to using mechanical and chemical methods for invasive plant treatment, responsibilities of these positions also include volunteer management, seed collection and processing, and rare plant survey and protection. The work is a mix of front-country and off-trail work in a wildland setting and may include travel outside the park to neighboring public lands and other National Parks. The primary projects these positions will support include: Yosemite Valley restoration projects, Washburn Fire and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias post-fire rehabilitation.

This work will take technicians to many places throughout this spectacular National Park. The foothills are lovely in the spring with amazing flower displays carpeting the hills. Higher in elevation, work will be conducted in montane meadows including in Yosemite Valley under Half Dome and El Capitan. Project work will also take place in old growth giant sequoia groves, montane forests, and subalpine ecosystems under snow-covered peaks in Tuolumne Meadows. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Survey and sight identify target species for treatment;
• Handle and mix chemical herbicide following direction from the crew lead;
• Conduct inventories and safety checks for equipment and supplies;
• Implement mechanical methods to control invasive plants including hand pulling, shovel shearing, weed whacking, and tarping;
• Utilize handheld GPS enabled mobile devices to collect data on plant populations and treatment;
• Collect and process native plant seed and restore disturbed sites;
• Collect native plant seed for restoration, prep restoration sites, and maintain previously restored sites;
• Survey, document, collect data on, and protect rare plants;
• Survey and document rare plants concurrent with invasive plant survey and treatment led by the early detection and rare plant specialist;
• Rare plant mitigations may be implemented including flagging for avoidance, seed collection, and/or plant salvage;
• Lead and educate volunteers to accomplish invasive plant control and native plant restoration;
• Manage data in GIS; and
• The position will handle backpacks, truck mounted sprayers, and hand tools including shovels, rakes, loppers, pruners, etc.

Timeline:

• August 25th, 2025 - December 4th, 2025, 15 weeks;
• Full time (40 hours/week); and
• Schedule: Weekly schedule, 4/10s.

Location:

Yosemite National Park is world renowned for its giant granite walls, waterfalls, sequoias, beautiful meadows, and snowcapped mountains. The Park encompasses nearly 750,000 acres of the central Sierra Nevada Mountains in California and is 94% designated wilderness. The elevation ranges from just under 2,000’ to just over 13,000’, and many ecosystems can be found within, including foothill chaparral, oak woodland, mixed conifer forest, subalpine meadows, and alpine fell fields. The Park hosts over 1,500 plant taxa and many animals, including special status, threatened, and endangered species. Yosemite is one of the most sought after climbing and hiking destinations in the world. Many additional recreational opportunities abound including botanizing, birding, fishing, swimming, and skiing.

Duty Station Wawona or El Portal:

Wawona, CA is a small, relatively isolated community in Yosemite National Park with limited services. Wawona is located on the west side of