Eastern Sierra Land Trust is hiring a temporary/seasonal Land Stewardship Associate! Go to work every day protecting the Eastern Sierra with our team here in beautiful Bishop, California. The application deadline for this position is May 31, 2019, so apply today! Scroll to the bottom of this page for information about how to apply.

The Land Stewardship Associate will work to support the stewardship of our existing and new conservation properties. They will conduct a broad range of land management activities on ranches, wetlands, sagebrush steppe, and forest properties. This means assisting the Land Stewardship Manager with responsibilities like creating and updating Baseline Documentation Reports, inspecting conservation easements, preserves, and deed restrictions, and organizing and overseeing volunteer groups.

As part of the ESLT team, they will also assist with other aspects of community outreach, ESLT events, and special projects as necessary. This is a dynamic position that can be quite unpredictable from day to day due to weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances. The successful applicant must be both flexible and well-organized. This position reports to the Land Stewardship Manager and is based out of our office in Bishop, California. An upbeat attitude, attention to detail, organizational skills, teamwork, flexibility, and good judgment will be critical to success. In addition to working with our staff, the Land Stewardship Associate will also have frequent interaction with volunteers, landowners, and agency/community partners. The position will require a mix of office and administrative work, as well as substantial field work across the Eastern Sierra region of eastern California and western Nevada. During field days, they may be required to camp or overnight at a hotel in shared accommodation for up to a week at a time. They will supervise no staff, but may help plan and direct work groups, including volunteers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Land Stewardship

  • Assist the Land Stewardship Manager during monitoring visits to ESLT’s protected land (preserves, conservation easements, and deed restrictions.)
  • Assist the Land Stewardship Manager in writing and editing landowner correspondence, restoration plans, and monitoring reports for protected lands.
  • Respond to landowner, agency, and partner questions and requests.
  • Manage and file stewardship records in accordance with ESLT’s Records Policy.
  • Assist with the creation of adaptive land management plans for new preserves.
  • Collect data in the field for baseline documentation reports such as photographs, coordinates, and observations, and assist in preparing written baseline reports.
  • Conduct stewardship activities, including invasive species control, habitat restoration efforts, fence building/repair, equipment maintenance, trail building/maintenance, and ecological/vegetation monitoring. Order, install and maintain boundary markers and ESLT signs.
  • Assist in supervising volunteers, interns, or staff during stewardship work days.

Outreach

  • Contribute to outreach and communications (e.g. write newsletter articles, blog posts, etc.) as requested. Assist with outreach projects and public education events including interpretive outings, volunteer stewardship days, farm and ranch tours, and assist with fundraising events and other special events as needed.
  • Develop updated materials and information for ESLT conservation property signage, fact sheets, and web pages.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. Preferred focus on natural resources, ecology, botany, environmental sciences, land stewardship, rangeland science, or a similar field.
  • At least one year of experience in land management, ecological restoration, farming, ranching, field work, or related area.
  • Must have (or be willing to get) a valid driver’s license with insurance.
  • Experience orienteering with map and compass.
  • Proficiency using/troubleshooting GPS, digital cameras, and tablets. Working knowledge of software applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, etc.).
  • Excellent writing and interpersonal communications skills, as well as attention to detail. Strong aptitude for communicating oral and written ideas in English.
  • Experience working productively and efficiently in a team and alone minus direct supervision; including ability to independently learn, plan, problem solve, improvise, be collaborative, and adapt to shifting demands.
  • Experience and proficiency in the operation and maintenance of various types of equipment in a safe and efficient manner (e.g. UTV, ATV or OHV, or similar equipment; 4-wheel drive manual and automatic pick-up trucks; trailers; chainsaws, weed trimmers, and a variety of other hand and power tools.).
  • Experience working competently and confidently in the outdoors.
  • Ability to be aware and observant as well as objectively assess risks, employ sound judgment and avoid potential hazards.

 

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

  • Two or more years of experience in land management.
  • Basic knowledge of land conservation, land trusts, or similar conservation organizations
  • Ability to recognize plant and animal species in California and Nevada as relevant to completing land management activities such as weed control and monitoring projects.
  • GIS experience, including field data collection, especially working with ArcGIS Collector.
  • Experience working with volunteers or interns and/or leading volunteer work activities in a field setting.
  • Possess a friendly, positive disposition including interacting well with people of diverse ages and backgrounds.
  • Experienced in horseback riding.
  • Experience driving narrow and steep dirt roads with trucks and trailers.

 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

  • This position requires the ability to work outside, in variable weather conditions, including hot and dry conditions at high elevation, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. Requires considerable physical exertion and/or muscular strain including frequent standing, bending, twisting, lifting, and push/pulling, long hours in isolated settings often alone, and hiking over several miles through mud, creeks, desert, and mountain terrain.
  • This position requires work in an environment with the possibility to encounter ticks, mosquitoes, venomous snakes, and bears.
  • Some evening and weekend work is required. Out of area and overnight travel, including camping, required.

 

COMPENSATION/BENEFITS AND SCHEDULE:

This is a Temporary Full Time (intended to be of limited duration) non-exempt position, paid at $15.50 to $18.00 an hour, contingent on demonstrated experience. Temporary employees are eligible for legally mandated benefits such as Workers Compensation Insurance and California Disability Insurance; no additional benefits. This position runs June-November 2019 (flexible start and end date depending on the candidate), with potential for renewal in spring 2020.

 

HOW TO APPLY:

Please email a single PDF with your cover letter, resume, and list of three references to: . No phone calls or drop-ins, please.

Candidate applications will be reviewed as received, and we request that a candidates submit their application no later than May 31, 2019. Phone interviews will be scheduled for June 3-4, with an anticipated start date of mid-June, 2019.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

ESLT Staff in February 2019.