Temporary Plant Ecology Field Technician - CA/OR

About the role

The Sheth evolutionary ecology lab in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, North Carolina; USA) and the Angert Lab in the Departments of Botany and Zoology at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, British Columbia; Canada) are looking for two enthusiastic people to work as a team collecting demographic data during our annual range-wide survey of the riparian plant, scarlet monkeyflower.

The project aims to understand how plant population dynamics vary along latitudinal and elevational gradients; how populations recover from extreme climatic events; and how rapid evolution increases population persistence under climate change. The data collection team will work with Drs. Sheth and Angert for one week, beginning mid/late August (exact date TBD), to become proficient in site relocation and data collection methods across a representative sample of sites. Upon completion of training, the team will continue to complete data collection independently across all remaining sites (21 in total, from southern California to central Oregon).

• Duties include: (1) relocating sites and plots from written descriptions, photos, and GPS records; (2) censusing survival of previously recorded plants; (3) measuring size and reproduction of marked individual plants; (4) mapping and tagging new recruits; (5) maintaining plot markers and updating plot notes; and (6) collecting fruits off-plot.

Responsibilities

This position is expected to run for approximately six weeks, beginning in mid/late August and concluding in late September or early October. Exact start and end dates may vary depending on project needs and field conditions.

Requirements and Preferences

• Minimum Experience/Education: An upper undergraduate student or recent graduate who has taken at least one ecology course
• Department Required Skills: Previous field experience, Experience in extended remote camping and driving on 4WD roads, Positive attitude, great work ethic, and strong communication skills for collaborative teamwork and problem solving, Strong work ethic and willingness to sustain a fast-paced work schedule, Excited to participate in field ecological research, Ability to complete repetitive tasks and work outside for long periods of time in potentially adverse conditions (e.g., in high or low temperatures, with poison oak and blackberry bramble, and traveling off-trail with slippery or uneven footing)
• Preferred Years Experience, Skills, Training, Education: Familiarity with plant identification, Wilderness safety training
• Required License or Certification: Valid driver’s license
• Valid NC Driver's License required?
• Commercial Driver's License Required?

Pay

$25/hr

Schedule

Working hours can range from 7 AM to 7 PM, 5-6 days per week (not always Monday – Friday), with a typical field day lasting 8-10 hours depending on site access and plot conditions. Days off are scheduled according to the team’s needs and preferences, in consultation with the PIs.