Natural Resources Job Board

San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society is recruiting for a part-time paid Associate position to assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Warm Springs Unit of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge from February 3, 2025 through December 19, 2025. This position is part time and will average 20 hours per week. The schedule of workdays is flexible, but at least 2 eight-hour days per week are required.  

 

This Associate will assist with several plant and wildlife surveys. The Associate will also assist other refuges within the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/don_edwards_san_francisco_bay/. 

 

Responsibilities include:  Primary responsibilities are to conduct invasive weed management including manual pulling, weed whacking, and herbicide application, assist with surveys including hydrological monitoring of vernal pools, aquatic surveys for vernal pool biota including tadpole shrimp and California tiger salamanders; vernal pool vegetation surveys; summer vegetation surveys; and invasive weed surveys. Other responsibilities include coordinating and assisting with volunteer and interpretive events, seed collection and processing, data management, cross support with other Refuges, data entry, report preparation, and supply and equipment inventories. May include some early morning/late evening surveys, occasional weekend work, and working with staff and volunteers.

 

Required: Bachelor’s degree or near completion; valid driver’s license; GPS experience preferred, as well as general knowledge of biological data gathering and techniques; wildlife observation and basic plant identification skills; ability to use varied equipment, vehicles, and tools to complete field work; ability to perform physical labor that requires extended periods of bending, kneeling, and walking on rocky, steep and unstable terrain while pulling and spraying plants; and basic computer experience. 

 

Skills Taught: The Associate will gain experience and knowledge in integrated weed management techniques, including training in herbicide application, and knowledge of mechanical and cultural weed management. The Associate will learn about habitat management activities including those focused on special status species.  The Associate will be exposed to a variety of wildlife monitoring techniques including the use of dip nets and seine nets for aquatic sampling (given sufficient rainfall occurring for pools to fill). The Associate will also learn vegetation survey techniques. Plant surveys are conducted using the relevé protocol on an entire pool for vernal pool vegetation or on 6m radius plots spaced along transects for summer vegetation surveys. The Associate will become familiar with identification of aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, vernal pool flora, upland plants, and invasive weeds. The Associate may assist with various other wildlife surveys throughout the complex and learn other species identification skills and monitoring techniques. GPS, data analyses, and data management skills will also be improved through the position. Interpretive and leadership skills will be developed through outreach and volunteer events.

 

This is a part-time paid temporary position at $17.30/hour. Benefits include vacation, sick leave, and health insurance premium reimbursement. No housing assistance is available. A government vehicle will be available during work hours only and must be checked in and out from Refuge Headquarters in Fremont, CA. 

 

Please email resume highlighting field experience, unofficial transcripts and 3 references to mary.deschene@sfbayws.org with Subject: SFBWS Wildlife Biology Associate application. Deadline is January 5, 2025.