See Below

FROM: CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
DATE: 2/14/2013
CLOSING DATE: UNTIL POSITION IS FILLED
APPLICATIONS REVIEWED BEGINNING  2/18/2013
POSITION TITLE: ASSISTANT FIELD BOTANIST

The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is seeking a part-time to full-time Assistant Field Botanist for its Rare Plant Treasure Hunt Program (RPTH) from at least mid-March until mid-June, 2013.  The field work will be primarily focused along the Central Coast of California and may range from the North Bay Area south to San Luis Obispo County. The position includes some office tasks as well as field work.

Background (www.cnps.org)
The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide non-profit conservation organization, founded in 1965, with thousands of members in 33 chapters, and 21 staff. The mission of CNPS is to conserve California native plants and their natural habitats, and increase understanding, appreciation, and horticultural use of native plants.

The Rare Plant Treasure Hunt is a citizen science program that began in 2010, in which teams of experienced botanists and volunteers search for historical and new populations of rare plants.  This position is for a portion of the project, along the Central Coast between Marin and Santa Barbara County.

The Rare Plant Treasure Hunt is funded by grants from the National Forest Foundation, the California Coastal Commission, Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and other donors. You may read more about the Rare Plant Treasure Hunt on our webpage at http://cnps.org/cnps/rareplants/treasurehunt/. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in rare plant biology, invasive plant biology, environmental education, ecology, botany, geography, wilderness management, and conservation.

The Position:
The successful candidate will work in coordination with the Botanist/Project Coordinator to help organize and lead teams of botanists and amateurs to collect rare plant and invasive non-native plant data within the Central Coast and Bay Area Regions of California.  The Assistant Botanist will spend a significant amount of time in the field, participating in 1-4 day botanical surveys.  The surveys will involve a mix of backpacking, car camping, and day trips, and will often be accompanied by volunteers.  Field work duties will be focused on plant data and specimen collection, use of a GPS unit and topographic maps to navigate to and map plant populations, and maintaining a positive, educational environment for volunteers.  After an initial training period, the Assistant Botanist may be asked to occasionally lead field trips with volunteers.  The Assistant Botanist will spend the remainder of the time (1-2 days per week) working at office tasks or occasionally at an herbarium.  Office duties may include field trip preparation, volunteer outreach, plant identification, plant material collection for a UC Jepson phylogenetics project, data entry, and report writing. Significant training will be provided to the applicant including:
Safety protocols in Wilderness Areas, wilderness first aid, invasive species data collection protocols, Rare Plant Treasure Hunt protocols, and possibly molecular phylogenetics and comparative methods (with emphasis on applications to conservation) as well as collecting techniques for the UC Jepson study.

This position will require considerable travel to conduct field work and outreach, so the Assistant Botanist should be available to travel 2 -4 days per week, including many, but not all, weekends.  A large portion of the field work will be located in the Big Sur Region of Monterey County, but the work will also extend as far north as Marin County and could extend to San Luis Obispo and/or Santa Barbara County.  Note that the Assistant Botanist’s travel expenses for field work will be paid for by CNPS, but housing will not be provided. Office space in the Central Coast area may be available.

Physical job requirements include sitting, driving, carrying, lifting up to a 50 pound pack, standing, hiking, camping, and backpacking. The position requires the ability to work long field days under rigorous conditions (including inclement conditions), hike in rugged terrain, camp in primitive conditions, and to lift/carry equipment that is up to 1/3 of your body weight. A physical exam will be required for field work.

Preferred Qualifications for the successful applicant include the following:
. Familiarity and field experience with the flora of California’s Central Coast and/or Bay Area . Background in plant identification to the species level using keys, botanical floras and manuals, and online resources.
.Excellent people and organizational skills, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude.
. Ability to give and take direction, and to work well in a team setting.
. Strong oral and written communication skills.
. Undergraduate degree in, or working towards, a degree in biology, botany, or related field.
. Experience with plant and vegetation surveying techniques.
. Proven ability to conduct fieldwork in varied environmental conditions, including hot and otherwise inclement weather.
. Ability to drive for 2 to 3 hours on winding coastal roads and to drive
4X4 vehicles over variable terrain.
. A valid driver’s license, proof of current car insurance, and a safe driving record are required.
. Ability to lead/train people and ensure safe environment while navigating in variable terrain.
. Experience working with volunteers.
. Ability to manage data for volunteer field teams, ensuring data are recorded and entered accurately, consistently, and efficiently.
. Experience using GPS (Global Positioning System) units and other plant survey equipment (e.g., tape measure, topographic maps, compass).

The position is offered at $15-17 per hour, commensurate with experience.
This is a part-time to sometimes full-time, seasonal, at-will, field and office position, beginning in March, 2013 at least through June, 2013 pending further funding. The duration and time commitment of the position may be somewhat flexible, but the Assistant Botanist should be available to work at least 25-30 hours per week.

To apply, submit the following materials: cover letter of interest with résumé or curriculum vitae, and three references (including reference name, address, phone number, and email) to Josie Crawford. Please do not call this office regarding this position. Send your application materials via post mail, fax, or email to:

California Native Plant Society
2707 K Street, Suite 1
Sacramento, CA 95816
Attn: RPTH Assistant Botanist position
Fax: (916) 447-2727 Email: jcrawford@cnps.org

Application deadline and interview: All applications must be received on or before Friday, February 22th, 2013. Review of applications will occur upon receipt (before closing deadline), and interviewing and hiring will occur in late February, 2013. Please see the CNPS website for detailed descriptions of the CNPS organization and the various Programs at www.cnps.org.

The California Native Plant Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer