Monitoring Technician

Job Title: Monitoring Technician (3 open positions)

Date: 09/16/2024 

Reports To: Monitoring Manager

Category: Regular, Seasonal 

FLSA Status: Nonexempt

Employment Dates: May 1, 2025- September 30, 2025

Compensation: $18-20/hr

Application deadline: Open until filled

TO APPLY

Send a cover letter, resume, and list of three references to cmatheny@wallowaresources.org (Attn: Clayton Matheny). Please provide your available employment dates in the cover letter.

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY

Wallowa Resources is a community-based 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, established in 1996 with leadership from Wallowa County Commissioners. Since then, Wallowa Resources has worked to bring people together to empower rural communities to create strong economies and healthy landscapes through land stewardship, education, and job creation. We strive to balance rural economic well-being with the stewardship and conservation of its resources, preserving each rural area’s heritage of making a living from the land.  Wallowa Resources is nationally recognized for its leadership and on-the-ground results in land stewardship, watershed restoration and education.

JOB SUMMARY

The Monitoring Technician (Technician) implements ecological monitoring protocols across Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington. Specifically, the Technician supports the Northern Blues Monitoring Team by collecting pre- and post-fuels treatment forest stand structure, wildlife habitat, and/or grassland plant community data across public, private and tribal lands. The Technician is part of a multi-person Monitoring Crew and reports to the Monitoring Manager. 

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintains effective communications with staff, management, and business partners of all Wallowa Resources companies
• Performs field and office work, both supervised and unsupervised, and maintains and submits project data and records
• Collects detailed, accurate ecological data on forest and grassland conditions 
• Supervises no staff, but may help plan and direct work for other staff on specific projects
• Works in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain under physically demanding circumstances, and/or the office for extended periods.  
• Requires regular overnight travel, often camping or staying at provided housing for 2 – 4 consecutive days 
• Assists with other tasks as needed 

EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The following are the minimum levels required to successfully perform the Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities.

• Strong attention to detail with an understanding of, or the ability to quickly grasp, how to take and record accurate forest measurements
• Basic understanding of forest and grassland ecology, and/or ability to learn to identify trees and plants
• Ability/willingness to conduct field work in remote settings and frequently travel for up to 4 consecutive days
• Ability to make sound decisions that consistently demonstrate teamwork and positive day-to-day work relationships and interactions with co-workers, agency partners, members of the public, and community stakeholders
• Experience managing and prioritizing tasks from multiple sources
• A valid Driver’s License, or ability to get one, and an acceptable driving record according to WR’s auto liability policy requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• First aid and/or Wilderness first aid
• Skill and experience navigating in remote areas, off trail, without cell phone or internet connection
• One year of undergraduate study in in natural resources, forestry, or environmental studies or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• For the lead position, previous field and data collection experience is preferred 

LOGISTICS:

• All employees are required to follow general field safety protocols.
• Dormitory style housing will be available at Wallowa Resources’ headquarters in Enterprise, Oregon (Wallowa County). If staying at this location, employees are responsible for rent and their meals, but have access to a communal kitchen area.
• Employees are responsible for their own transportation to and from work; however, transportation for accessing field sites is provided.
• Employees are required to provide their own personal clothing and footwear appropriate for the terrain; essential safety and camping equipment is provided. This includes, but is not limited to a tent, sleeping bag, pad, cooking stove, water jug, dishwashing station, backpack, hard hat, safety vests, GPS, and SPOT communication device.
• Employees will be outfitted with all necessary field safety and measuring equipment for the duration of the position, and access to computers, printers, etc., provided.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Environment and Physical Requirements: The Technician works in an office (10%) and field environment (90%).  Those outdoor locations are subject to a variety of extreme weather conditions including heat, rain, snow, wind, and dust. The position travels by 4-WD vehicle over rough and remote roads, and includes overnight travel. The Technician interacts frequently with staff, partners, government agencies, and others. The technician must be able to sit, stand, walk, bend, lift, stoop, and move intermittently during working hours. The technician must be able to lift, push, pull and move files and other equipment in excess of 40 pounds. 

Hours: The Technician works full time, 40 hours per week, but the exact schedule will be flexible depending on the location and type of field plots. 

Other Duties and Responsibilities: This job description is a summary of the essential duties and responsibilities for this job, and it does not necessarily represent an all-inclusive list of duties, responsibilities, tasks or procedures. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instruction or assignments. Nothing in this description restricts WR’s right to assign or reassign duties at any time.

Accommodation Statement: Essential job duties and responsibilities are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform the job successfully, an incumbent must possess the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform each essential duty and responsibility proficiently. If you require an accommodation in order to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this job, please contact the WR Executive Director. 

Wallowa Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer