Job Title: Seed Collection Field Tech
Compensation: $21.00/an hour. 5-15 hours per week Spring and Fall, 40 hours per week in the Summer
Classification: Exempt
Location: Greater Bears Ears Region
Desired Start Date: March 10, 2025
About the Organization
Bears Ears Partnership (BEP) works to protect and build respect for the cultural and natural landscapes of the greater Bears Ears region. BEP has been an essential local voice for protecting the culturally rich, publicly managed lands of southeast Utah since 2010.
BEP accomplishes its mission through five primary focus areas:
- Indigenous Connections: Supporting Indigenous collaborative management throughtechnical expertise, local knowledge, visitation to cultural sites, and advocacy
- Field Work: Carrying out tangible on-the-ground projects to protect resources and improve the visitor experience in a way that blends archaeology with cultural heritage
- Stewardship: Monitoring land uses and visitor impacts to identify and mitigate threats to cultural sites, wilderness values, and natural resources
- Education: Changing visitor behavior by inspiring appreciation and teaching “Visit withRespect” principles, both at the Bears Ears Education Center and out on the landscape
- Research: Enhancing knowledge of cultural and natural resources through documentation, partnerships, fiscal sponsorship, and volunteer support of research projects
Bears Ears Partnership is committed to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in all of our work. We strive to support Indigenous leadership in our work and achieve our mission through collaboration and partnerships. We believe diversity makes us stronger and we encourage interested candidates who have a strong desire to apply for this position, even if a few of the qualifications or duties may be a challenge for the candidate. Our ideal candidate will be someone who is willing to expand their skills and to develop into an expert on Visit with Respect principles as we grow this program and our organization.
About the Position
Seed Collection Field Assistants will work with Bears Ears Partnership to learn Seeds of Success protocols and ultimately collect thousands of seeds from public lands in and around the Bears Ears National Monument. Seed Collection Techs will often travel to remote field sites, and overnight camping will be required.
Key Responsibilities
- Finding plant populations based on geographic coordinates
- Collecting high quality tissue samples for genetic analysis
- Using an iPad to take high quality photographs of plants and landscape features
- Collecting seeds for common garden experimental studies
- Identifying plants to species
- Collecting environmental data on an iPad with ArcGIS Survey123
- Performing quality assurance checks on field data
- Collecting and identifying native bees
- Labeling and sorting pinned insects
- Navigating Utah’s scenic public lands to look for plants
- Collecting and pressing plant specimens for herbarium vouchers to send to Federal partners
- Estimating seed numbers
- Cleaning and treating seeds to kill pests, and determine viability
Job duties vary throughout the season, which begins on March 10 and ends on October 15, 2025. Spring and Fall work shifts tend to occur on weekends, while summer work shifts tend to follow a 4-10 pattern (4 days per week, 10 hours per day). Shifts can be flexible as long as prior arrangements are made with your supervisor and the rest of the seed crew team. Work can involve laboratory activities, seed cleaning and counting, driving long distances on dirt roads, scouting for plants, data entry, and overnight camping trips. Training will be provided to applicants with ambition and a desire to do more than meet the bare minimum standards of the job.
Candidate Qualifications
Qualified candidates will have a background in environmental science, and a deep interest in genetics, conservation biology, public lands management, natural resources, pollinators, taxonomy, native plants, invertebrate taxonomy, and/OR the intersection between technology and biology. Ideal candidates will have the at least some of the following experiences or an evident desire to learn:
- How to catch pollinators and pin insects
- How to identify plants, with preference for those who have prepared a plant voucher
- How to collect data with ArcGIS Survey123
- How to collect soil samples and perform color and texture analyses
- How to navigate to and survive in remote locations
- First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, or Emergency Medical Responder training preferred
- Comfort camping for days at a time in the backcountry of Southeast Utah.
Candidates must be able to meet weekly with supervisors, but should also be able to carry out work independently and on weekends during the season. Candidates must be professional, responsible, independent, and punctual. Must be comfortable interacting with professionals at the Bureau of Land Management, local law enforcement officers, private landowners, and members of the general public. The ideal candidate must possess strong backcountry skills and be comfortable navigating and thriving in remote wilderness areas. This includes the ability to plan and execute extended trips, camp for multiple nights, and hike in challenging conditions. Candidates should be proficient in backcountry navigation, wilderness survival, and risk management, and have experience with backcountry camping gear, food preparation, and maintaining a sustainable camp. The role requires the ability to adapt to varying weather conditions, physical demands, and logistical challenges associated with extended outdoor expeditions. Some camping gear may be provided.
This position requires overnight travel in the summer. Knowledge of how to change a flat tire and basic vehicle care is required.To successfully perform essential functions, the candidate is required to sit, stand, walk, speak and hear. Seed Collection Techs may be required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl on an infrequent basis and possess the ability to hike and climb in rough terrain. They must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computers.
Work Environment
This position will primarily be field-based, but some laboratory time in Monticello will be required.
Application Process
Send a resume and cover letter explaining how your experiences and skills match this position to