Visiting Wildlife/Forestry
Biology Specialist
Department of Natural
Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES)
University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Sciences (NRES) seeks three 12-month, 100%-time visiting academic professionals
to conduct natural resources management and prescribed burns at Fort Polk,
Louisiana with the goal of improving natural habitats for endangered species.
This position may become non-visiting in the future dependent upon funding and
programmatic needs.
Responsibilities:
· Conduct systematic
monitoring of vegetation and bird communities.
· Collect and analyze monitoring
data; create and maintain databases.
· Make independent,
informed decisions in the field regarding natural resources management.
· Be creative in addressing
novel issues with the ultimate goal of creating and maintaining high-quality
habitat, as well as understanding the monitoring protocol and the need for
experimental and control plots.
· Determine and strategically
remove invasive plant species, identify and selectively cut trees to improve
forest conditions, and create fire breaks.
· Conduct wildland fire
operations which include ignition, control, mop-up, suppression, preparation of
fire lines, maintaining equipment, and monitoring.
· Collect vegetation data
related to fuel loads.
· Manage Red-cockaded
Woodpeckers, maintain appropriate habitat via prescribed burns, and monitor
woodpecker populations.
· Monitor other endangered
species for research on the population dynamics of endangered species.
· Collect and archive field
data using basic field equipment (e.g. GPS).
· Produce reports on the
status of endangered species and the effects of prescribed burns.
· Operate equipment
required to perform routine maintenance of natural resources (e.g. backhoe,
tractor, chainsaws, ATVs, etc.).
Qualifications:
Required: Bachelor’s degree in NRES or related field. Two years of experience that includes
prescribed burns, monitoring wildlife, operating equipment associated with
natural resource management (chain saws, ATVs), and organizing data for
analysis. Must obtain a CDL, a red card,
and fulfill the physical/medical requirements necessary for Federal Interagency
Wildland Fire Fighter Medical Qualification Standards within 90 days of being
employed.
Preferred: Knowledge of Fort Polk, Louisiana wildlife
and vegetation, and the ability to identify local vegetation and bird species
(by both sight and sound).
Salary and Starting Date: Salary is commensurate
with qualifications and experience.
Starting date is as soon as possible after closing date.
Closing Date: For full consideration
all requested information must be received by October 5, 2014.
Application Procedure: Please create your
candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu and upload your cover
letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three professional
references. For further information regarding application procedures, you may
contact Carol Preston at preston1@illinois.edu. For more information about the
Department of NRES, please see our website at http://nres.illinois.edu/.
Illinois is an equal opportunity employer and all
qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard
to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as a protected
veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. Illinois
welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace
and value diversity and inclusivity. (www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu).
