- Agency
- Walker Basin Conservancy
- Location
- Yerington, NV
- Job Category
- Temporary/Seasonal Positions
- Salary
- living allowance and education award
- Start Date
- 04/17/2023
- Last Date to Apply
- 04/05/2023
- Website
- https://www.walkerbasin.org/careers
- Description
- AmeriCorps 900-hour (6-month) term from April 17 to October 19, 2023 or 1200-hour (9-month) term from April 17 to December 14, 2023, (optional May 22 start date) NUMBER OF POSITIONS AVAILABLE: 1 REPORTS TO: Native Seed and Stewardship Coordinator POSITIONS REPORTING TO THIS POSITION: Up to 3 AmeriCorps Members LOCATION: Yerington, NV BACKGROUND The Walker Basin Conservancy (Conservancy) leads the effort to restore and maintain Walker Lake while protecting agricultural, environmental and recreational interests in the Walker Basin (www.walkerbasin.org). The Conservancy acquires water rights and ranches to increase freshwater flows to Walker Lake. We re-establish native plant communities on former agricultural fields, increase public access and recreation opportunities, and develop practical solutions to save Walker Lake. From creating Nevada’s newest State Park (Walker River State Recreation Area) to adding thousands of acres to Wildlife Management Areas, our work impacts thousands of community members, ranchers and recreationists every year. The Conservancy operates a nursery that produced more than 25,000 native plants in 2021 and produces native seed for conservation purposes on its properties. Our team comprises approximately 30 full-time employees and between 15 and 40 AmeriCorps Members given the season. The Conservancy has an inclusive, positive culture that values work-life balance and growth opportunities. We invite you to join us in our ambitious mission to restore Walker Lake. JOB PURPOSE The Conservancy is working to improve restoration in the Walker Basin and Great Basin by growing native seed for restoration and conducting trials on seed production of native plant species. The Seed Farm Assistant Lead will cultivate, monitor, and harvest seed from our production fields. Cultivation predominantly consists of irrigation and weed control. The Assistant Lead will also assist the Native Seed and Stewardship Coordinator in the daily leadership of farm operations, helping to instruct other AmeriCorps members on cultivation and harvesting. They may also participate in nursery operations, plant propagation, wildland native seed collection, and re-vegetation projects. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Work independently and alongside the Native Seed & Stewardship Coordinator to perform irrigation, weeding, and harvest of native seed fields using hand tools and gas-powered equipment. • Assist with skills training on farm tasks and track progress on cultivation, harvesting, and monitoring. • Monitor plant emergence and phenology throughout the growing season. • Perform data collection through ArcGIS applications and other equipment, ensuring proper data collection in the field, timely data entry and organization, and basic quality assurance and quality control. • Communicate effectively and professionally with other members, WBC staff, agency partners, and the public. SECONDARY FUNCTIONS • Assist with the establishment of production and trial fields, including laying weed fabric, installing irrigation, and planting or direct seeding. • Conduct inventory, storage, and cleaning of harvested seed. • As time permits, under the guidance of WBC Staff: o Propagate plants in the native plant nursery and assist with nursery operations. o Collect seed from wildland native plant populations. o Contribute to native plant re-vegetation and other restoration projects. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS • Living allowance of $450/week; for a total of $12,150 for a 6-month term or $15,750 for the 9-month term. • Education award of $3,247.50 for the 6-month term or $4,546.50 for the 9-month term. • Employer paid Health, Vision, and Dental Insurance. • Employer paid Member Assistance Program for mental health and personal counseling services. • Childcare assistance and federal student loan forbearance is available for eligible members. • Uniform reimbursement. • Holiday, personal, and sick leave. • Opportunities for extension or promotion upon good service. • Opportunities for advancement within the organization. HOUSING WBC has some optional housing accommodations that it makes available to members depending on seasonal availability and capacity. Housing is generally dorm or bunkhouse style, usually with shared bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, and common spaces. Members living in housing are required to sign a lease and pay monthly rent of $150 for a shared room or $250 for a single room (dependent on availability). Use of WBC housing is entirely optional, members may choose to find their own accommodations in the local area. Applicants interested in living in WBC housing must be fully vaccinated. LOCATION The Conservancy Field Office is located Yerington, Nevada, a rural farming community located approximately 95 miles south of Reno, NV and situated centrally in the Walker Basin at the foothills of the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. Yerington is small but growing with about 3,100 residents. Established in 1907, the city has heritage and deep roots in agriculture, mining, railroads, and gaming. Some of the nearby attractions, activities and recreational opportunities include: • Camping, biking, hiking, backpacking, and paddling • Fishing, hunting, boating and OHV trails • Flat and white-water boating (1 hour away) • Rock hounding and climbing • Ghost Town Exploration • Ski Resorts (1.5-2 hours away) • Walker Lake (45 minutes away) • Lake Tahoe (1.5 hours away) • Yosemite National Park (via Tioga pass, 2.5 hours away)
- Qualifications
- QUALIFICATIONS • 6+ months experience working with plants and/or education in agriculture or horticulture is preferred. • Willingness and ability to: o Identify the native and non-native flora of Nevada. o Keep organized and detailed records, communicate with staff and supervisors, and work unsupervised to accomplish farm tasks. o Safely operate vehicles, hand tools, and handheld equipment, such as a truck, manual mulch layer, propane torch, or gas-powered brush harvester. o Operate and maintain drip irrigation systems, including small gas-powered trash pumps. o Work outside in unpredictable weather conditions, including extreme temperatures. o Work irregular hours, such as starting early or working more days with shorter hours, in accordance with project specific requirements and weather conditions. o Bend and crouch for long periods of time and lift 50+ lbs. • Effective written and oral communication skills. • Meet AmeriCorps Eligibility Requirements, including: o Be at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service. o Have a high school diploma or its equivalent. o Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States. o Pass a National Sex Offender Public Website check and National Service Criminal History Check o Be eligible to receive and AmeriCorps Education award, with a limit of four total terms in a lifetime and the equivalent of two full-time terms (3400 hours). MEMBER TRAINING Members will receive a variety of technical and professional training related to their service activities as well as personal and professional development. Available trainings include: • First aid and CPR. • Native plant identification and revegetation. • Invasive species identification and treatment. • Irrigation system installation and maintenance. • Resume building, USA Jobs, and government application workshop. • Guest speakers on environmental, natural resource, and professional development topics. • Shadowing and advanced technical training opportunities, such as wildlife monitoring and restoration operations. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS Strength, dexterity, coordination, and vision to use tools and equipment for prolonged periods. Strength and stamina to bend, stoop, sit, and stand for long periods of time. Strength and dexterity to operate small, medium, and heavy equipment. Strength and stamina to endure standing and working for long periods of time and in extreme weather conditions. Dexterity and vision to observe oncoming traffic hazards and react quickly to emergency situations. Some heavy lifting (over 75 pounds) is occasionally required. In compliance with applicable disability laws, reasonable accommodations may be provided to qualified individuals with a disability who require and request such accommodations. Applicants and incumbents are encouraged to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. WORKING CONDITIONS Members work in an outdoor setting with varying weather conditions, including, but not limited to, extreme heat, dry conditions, rain, snow or hail, and extreme cold. Members generally work (4) 10-hours days, Monday-Thursday 6am-4:30pm, (5am-3:30pm in the summer months) with a 30-minute lunch and a 15-minute break in the morning and afternoon. Members will be expected to follow Leave No Trace principals on project. Project work will frequently require hiking over rough terrain while carrying tools and equipment. Position may occasionally be required to work around heavy machinery in hazardous environments. Environment is generally dirty, with prolonged exposure to conditions such as dust, fumes, noise, or odors. Frequent interruptions to planned work activities occur. COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE All staff and members must be fully vaccinated by the position start date or have a documented medical or religious exemption. Those with a documented medical or religious exemption will be required to continue following all relevant COVID policies including mask wearing and social distancing. WBC continues to follow CDC and state/local guidelines and may reinstate previous COVID policies should the CDC or state/local guidelines become more stringent. WBC will keep applicants updated should COVID policies change. Positions will remain open until filled. Only top candidates will be contacted. Local applicants are STRONGLY encouraged to apply. All applicants must also submit an Employment Application Acknowledgement form that can be found on our website at: https://www.walkerbasin.org/careers To Apply, please send cover letter, resume, and acknowledgement form to: Miguel Gonzales, Miguel.Gonzales@WalkerBasin.org, Subject Line: Native Seed Farm Assistant Lead Please call or email Miguel Gonzales, AmeriCorps and Recreation Programs Director, at (775) 463-9887 ext. 110 or Miguel.Gonzales@WalkerBasin.org with questions. Walker Basin Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The above functions may be completed with or without reasonable accommodations. This program prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or disability. Equal Opportunity Statement – Walker Basin Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer. WBC does not discriminate against any employee, applicant, director, officer, contractor, or any other person with whom it deals because of race, creed, color, disability, age, sex, veteran status, religion or political affiliation. WBC complies with all federal and local statutes prohibiting discrimination in employment. Reasonable accommodations may be provided for qualified individuals with a disability. Disclaimer - The statements contained herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by the employees in these positions. The statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in each position. Other responsibilities, duties, and skills may be assigned and management retains the right to add or change the responsibilities, duties, and skills at any time.
- Contact Person
- Miguel Gonzales
- Contact Phone
- 7754639887
- Contact eMail
- miguel.gonzales@walkerbasin.org
