This recruitment will be used to fill one part-time (a maximum of 24 hours per week during academic terms and a maximum of 40 hours per week during academic breaks) Student Field Technician for the Forest Ecosystems & Society at Oregon State University (OSU).

This position will support field data collection associated with a graduate research project focused on assessing understory shrub responses to fuel treatments on the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon. The project co-PI’s are Meg Krawchuk and Harold Zald, and the project is a collaboration between Oregon State University and the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. The goal of this project is to quantify and compare shrub characteristics in the understory of forests treated with thinning and prescribed burning across a number of temporal, geographic, and ecological gradients. The shrub characteristics of interest include species abundance, species richness, maximum height, average height, and cover. These characteristics will be measured in stands comprising a range of treatment histories, canopy conditions, and topographic and ecological contexts. The results from this study aim to inform future management of dry forests east of the Cascades by presenting a more nuanced understanding of shrub responses to fuel treatments.

The position will assist a graduate student by conducting surveys of shrubs, stand conditions, and site characteristics, navigating to and assessing suitable sampling locations, and collecting high resolution GPS measurements of plot locations using surveying equipment. Field conditions for this project include hiking with equipment across rugged and uneven terrain, navigation through challenging vegetation, and working in potentially hot and exposed locations.

This position requires the ability to work long hours outdoors in in all weather conditions in a remote forested environment. The ability to traverse steep, rugged, and/or uneven terrain with equipment is required.

The anticipated required work schedule will be 4 days on and 3 days off, with workdays typically lasting 10 hours. There may be some degree of variability. The field season starts in early-July and concludes in early to mid-September.

Lodging during fieldwork for the duration of the field season will be in dedicated Forest Service housing at the Pringle Falls Experimental Forest. However, some overnight camping may be advantageous throughout the field season to minimize unnecessary and excessive driving. For work in the northernmost areas of the Deschutes National Forest, any potential camping will be at one of several dedicated Forest Service campsites (access to facilities may be limited, so we will bring our own water, food, and toiletries for a given overnight or work week).

OSU is committed to ensuring students are prepared for success after graduation through intentional skill development as student employees. The competencies students develop while working at OSU are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as the essential skills employers seek in their hires. In this position, students learn and build vital career-readiness skills in the primary areas below:

Critical Thinking, Teamwork, Leadership, Equity & Inclusion

30% – Performing field surveys of shrub physical characteristics and community composition, including visually estimating shrub cover by species and collecting measurements of maximum and average shrub height within a circular plot.

30% – Locating and determining the suitability of potential sampling locations, including but not limited to: navigating to GPS coordinates using Avenza (or other mapping software), assessing forest structural characteristics, and collecting high resolution GPS points using surveying equipment.

20% – Conducting surveys of forest and site characteristics (e.g. determining the slope, aspect, general soil type, dominant tree species, and canopy density at a given site).

20% – Data recording using paper datasheets, following established protocols.

Field work requires driving between field site locations.

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

*International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered “full-time” by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

1. A Resume/Vita

For additional information please contact: Meg Krawchuk at meg.krawchuk@oregonstate.edu

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

This position requires driving a University vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the University; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Motor Vehicle History Check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver’s license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions (as per Voluntary and Compulsory Driver Standards OSU Standard 125-155-0200) as per OSU Standard 576-056-0000 et seq.

Note: All job offers are contingent upon Human Resources final approval.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.