Summer Field Assistants Needed for Forest Ecology Research in the Pacific Northwest

The Wenatchee Forestry Sciences Laboratory (U.S. Forest Service, Pacific
Northwest Research Station) is seeking applicants to fill up to four
temporary Forestry Technician positions (GS-0462-05/06/07) to support our
forest ecology research in Washington and Oregon. Most of the work will be
outdoors, and applicants must be willing and able to travel to and work in
remote field locations for several days at a time. Some laboratory work
may also be required.

Primary research topics:

1) Decomposition rates of trees killed by wildfires.
2) Effectiveness of post-fire emergency stabilization treatments.
3) Sensitivity of Pacific Northwest conifers to climatic variability and
change.
4) Effects of dry forest restoration treatments on vegetation and fuels.

Duties may include:

1) Traveling to remote field sites, including hiking and camping.
2) Locating and establishing study plots.
3) Measuring forest stand structure; record attributes of trees, snags, and
logs.
4) Surveying understory plant communities; identifying plant species and
estimating cover.
5) Extracting and mounting increment cores; counting or measuring
tree-rings.
6) Entering field data into electronic spreadsheets or databases.
7) Maintaining and organizing field equipment.

Duration of assignment:

We anticipate the summer field season extending approximately from May 12
through September 27, 2008, though there may be opportunities to extend
this period as research agendas and project funding levels are finalized.
Applicants should expect continuous work during the field season.
Typically, field crews work four consecutive 10-hour days with three days
off each week. However, extended travel will periodically require crews to
work eight consecutive 10-hour days followed by six days off.

Salaries and Qualifications:

Forestry Technician positions will be filled at the GS-5 ($14.24/hr), GS-6
($15.88/hr), and/or GS-7 ($17.64/hr) levels. To qualify for the GS-5
level, applicants must hold a bachelorâ?Ts degree in forestry or closely
related field, or have at least one year of experience equivalent to that
of a GS-4 Forestry Technician. For additional details about qualifications
and compensation, see the official job announcement (see below).

Application Process:

For additional information and to apply for these positions, visit the Avue
Digital Services website (http://www.avuecentral.com/). To find the
blanket announcements for these positions, click on the â?oJob Searchâ? link
on the menu on the left side of the page and enter ONE of the vacancy
announcement numbers listed below in the â?oAnnouncement Numberâ? box. Scroll
down and click on the â?oSearchâ? link.

GS-5: DE-OCR-0462-5-RES
GS-6: DE-OCR-0462-6-RES
GS-7: DE-OCR-0462-7-RES

Click on the job title link, â?oForestry Technician (Research),â? to display
the full position announcement. Use the menu items on the left to display
information about qualifications, benefits, and how to apply. To apply,
you must create a profile in Avue and complete your application on-line.
Be sure to specify Wenatchee, Washington as one of your desired work
locations when you apply so that your application can be routed to the
Wenatchee Lab.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To be eligible for these positions, you must specify
Wenatchee, Washington as one of your desired work locations. Otherwise, we
will not receive your application!

Deadlines:

We will begin screening applications shortly after February 15, 2008. To
ensure full consideration, please make sure your application is complete no
later than 5:00 pm PST on February 15, 2008. Additional lists of
applicants will be generated, as needed, in mid-March and mid-April, but we
hope to fill most positions from the first list.

Contact Information:

For information about the application and selection process, please see the
USAJOBS site or contact a Human Resources assistant using the contact
information below:

ASC-HCM staffing
Phone: 1-877-372-7248
Fax: 505-563-9991
TDD: 1-800-877-8339
Email: fsjobs@fs.fed.us

Questions regarding the research projects, work schedule, or duties may be
directed to:

Dr. Dave W. Peterson
Research Forester, USDA Forest Service
Forestry Sciences Laboratory
1133 N. Western Avenue
Wenatchee, WA 98801

Phone: 509-664-1727
FAX: 509-665-8362
E-mail: davepeterson@fs.fed.us