Seasonal Beaver Restoration Technician

About the role

Trout Unlimited is a national organization with 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. The Wenatchee-Entiat Beaver Project was established in 2018 to provide technical assistance, education, and support to the communities of Washington’s Chelan and Douglas counties to help resolve human-beaver conflicts through coexistence and relocation. The Seasonal Beaver Restoration Technician will report directly to the Restoration Program Director and will be responsible for helping implement TU’s beaver restoration program in the Upper Columbia River region.

Responsibilities

The primary duty station will be the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery in Leavenworth, WA. Duties will include:

• Restoration (Beaver Dam Analogues, etc.) site preparation, construction, and maintenance (80%)
• Trapping, handling, acclimating, and releasing beavers (5%)
• Field site evaluation, preparation, and monitoring (less than 5%)
• Acclimation facility and equipment preparation, maintenance, and cleaning (less than 5%)
• Construction and maintenance of drip irrigation system and maintenance of riparian planting site (less than 5%)
• Public outreach, and education/interpretation (less than 5%)
• Administrative, collecting/analyzing field data, grant writing, reporting (less than 5%)
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Field experience in fisheries, wildlife, or other natural resources discipline (gained through education and/or employment). Additional requirements include:

• Enthusiasm for natural resources conservation
• Ability to work well independently and in a group setting with people of different ages and backgrounds
• Ability to problem-solve, think creatively, and handle conflict and contentious situations to achieve a conservation mission
• Must be adaptable to challenging field conditions and changing schedules
• Ability to write and speak about complex or controversial information in a way that is both understandable and non-confrontational to different audiences
• Ability to take interest in and understand the perspective of others
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Must have a valid driver’s license and willingness to drive unimproved roads; no special certifications required
• Ability to walk several miles on/off trail in remote forested, mountain, range, and stream settings
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting restoration projects
• Experience handling/trapping fish/wildlife, particularly mammals
• Experience collecting/analyzing field data
• Knowledge of culture, language, customs and traditions of Colville, Yakama, or other tribes
• Experience with hand tools and power equipment
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, ArcGIS software (including Field Maps and Survey123 applications), and GPS units
• College-level coursework or degree in fisheries, wildlife, natural resources, water, parks and recreation management, landscape architecture, watershed planning, geography, land use planning, biology, forestry, environmental studies, or a related field
• Experience communicating with resource professionals and the public

Working Conditions and Hazards

Works primarily in a field setting, with minimal time in an office setting. Beaver trapping and acclimation will occur in parks, agricultural settings, a fish hatchery, and on both public and private properties. Applicants will work in swift streams, thick brush, heat/cold, and may be exposed to biting insects, thorny plants, and other challenging field conditions.

Pay

This is a temporary position up to 40 hours/week, August 10 through October 31, or longer depending on the needs of the program, with a pay range of $20-$22 (DOQ). Technicians accrue sick leave biweekly. A personal vehicle may sometimes be required, and mileage will be reimbursed at the current federal rate.