Southwest Botanist

Institute for Applied Ecology - Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Position Type:
Permanent Position

Institution:
Institute for Applied Ecology

Department/Division:
Southwest Branch

City:
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

The Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE) is a non-profit founded in 1999 with a mission to conserve native species and habitats through restoration, research, and education. Our vision is a world where all people and wildlands are healthy and interact positively, biological diversity flourishes, and environmental challenges are met with a social commitment to solving problems with scientific principles.

IAE will support the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Plant Conservation and Restoration Program (PCRP) by maintaining a full-time staff member to support staff for the PCRP at BLM NMSO. The PCRP staff will lead projects related to native plant materials, restoration, and Special Status Plant Species for NM BLM. The PCRP staff will lead seed crew planning, hiring, training, reporting, and coordination of field scheduling and logistics.

The PCRP will meet with BLM Field Office staff to advise on and increase awareness of native plant materials development and restoration practices. The PCRP staff will work with BLM staff, the Southwest Seed Partnership, and Seeds of Success to compile information on available seed quantity and geographic distribution of collections; assessing seed needs for different production scenarios (i.e. acreage, establishment methods, etc.);

and synthesizing information into a stepwise strategy for seed collection and accession building including species, priority areas, and amounts needed. When time permits, this role will support other BLM and IAE projects, such as rare plant demographic monitoring, at-risk plant and pollinator recovery, and restoration research projects (e.g. Restore Net).

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Experience managing and coordinating several projects simultaneously.
• Positive attitude and excellent oral and written communication skills.
• A minimum of three years of experience in plant ecology, or a related field.
• Familiarity with plant families of the Southwestern region.
• Experience using hand-held GPS units to navigate to field sites and/or record data.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) & Google Suite.
• Demonstrated proficiency with collecting and managing data with ArcGIS Online and ESRI mobile applications such as Field Maps and Survey
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• Experience with ecological data QA/QC.
• Intermediate proficiency in seed biology, as well as collection and handling practices, and the experience of desire to instruct others on seed collection and handling.
• Ability to work long hours in adverse weather conditions (heat). Ability to hike up to 3 miles carrying a 40-pound pack and work in a bent-over/kneeling/sitting position for long periods.
• Current U.S. driver’s license and acceptable driving record.

• Experience making maps using ArcGIS desktop software with existing layers.
• Proficiency with R for database queries and basic data analyses.
• Experience working with native seed producers.
• Familiarity with SOS protocols.
• Familiarity with BLM protocols and policies.
• Experienced using plant taxonomic keys.
• Familiarity with restoration practices.

• Project management (55%)
  • Develops and manages budgets and project work plans. Implements project work plans, including field work components, with support from supervisor and Southwest team. Types of projects include:
  • Lead Seeds of Success Crew Coordination
    • Develop and manage target lists.
    • Work with IAE and BLM staff to maintain updated Target Species Lists for priority ecoregions.
    • Coordinate with Field Office botanists and researchers to include targets throughout NM.
    • Prioritize crew safety while achieving crew seed collection goals.
    • Support scouting and collection efforts as needed; join NM SOS crews in the field.
    • Ensure SOS crews submit accurate reporting materials to the National SOS Coordinator at the end of the field season (perform final QA/QC).
  • Lead BLM Seed Production
    • Work with the BLM PCRP lead to identify…