Lead Springs Stewardship Technician

Friends of Nevada Wilderness is seeking a full-time Lead Springs Stewardship Technician to collect vital data from springs sources throughout Clark County, with a large focus on leading a four-person crew of AmeriCorps service members in the field. You will explore southern Nevada’s vast Wilderness areas while collecting baseline data that will help land managers make decisions about groundwater health.

Who We Are

Friends of Nevada Wilderness is a statewide conservation non-profit founded in 1984. Friends’ mission is to protect all present and potential wilderness from ongoing threats, educate the public about the values of and need for wilderness, and improve the management and restoration of wild lands. We are knowledgeable, passionate, and joyful professionals who feel connected to the lands that we are dedicated to protecting. These are the core values that guide our work:

• Credible: We understand that our long-term success is built through trusting relationships and integrity. We are reliable community leaders who are committed to accuracy, honesty, and follow through in all that we do.
• Effective: We think outside the box to find areas of collaboration and compromise, and actively work towards reaching tangible, workable outcomes.
• People-oriented: We wholeheartedly believe that the outdoors is for all and are devoted to fostering safe spaces where everyone can thrive and express their true selves. We prioritize benefits and policies which ensure that our board, staff, members, and volunteers are well cared for and feel valued.
• Resilient: We use story-telling, record-keeping, and retention of long-term staff and board to cultivate a thorough understanding of Wild Nevada’s rich history and future trajectory. Through this collective understanding, we have learned that setbacks are inevitable, and that our work is never done.

Purpose of Position

The Lead Springs Stewardship Technician will work closely with the Springs Stewardship Coordinator to access, monitor, and conduct basic assessments of springs located in southern Nevada in the following ways:

• Safely and thoroughly collect data on springs in the field, including water chemistry, hydrology, site condition, presence of invasive species, etc. independently and with a staff member, an AmeriCorps service member, and/or volunteers. Training will be provided.
• Oversee day-to-day work of a four-person crew of AmeriCorps service members.
• Follow Friends of Nevada Wilderness policies and procedures to ensure the safety of AmeriCorps service members, volunteers, and others at all times while in the field.
• Create a positive crew culture that involves formal and informal performance reviews and feedback.
• Transport crew and equipment safely to worksites in a fleet or rental vehicle. Accessing springs often requires driving large vehicles on unimproved roads and hiking and navigating on and off trail.
• Complete pre-trip logistics such as establishing Emergency Response Protocols, reviewing maps, meal planning/grocery shopping, and equipment checks.
• Fulfill post-trip record keeping including entering springs survey data and completing data quality control, uploading photos, updating crew timesheets, and completing expense reports.
• Participate in all training and professional development opportunities provided, and contribute to the training of crew members.
• This position will be trained to support and possibly lead volunteer monitoring and training trips in southern Nevada’s backcountry, with safety and care of volunteers as the top priority.

Skills and Abilities

• Be able to follow directions, relay those directions as clear goals and deadlines for crew members, and follow protocols.
• Be able to empower, motivate, and inspire others, with an aptitude to work with and manage crew members with different points of view and different backgrounds.
• Must have the level of physical and mental fitness to perform the hard labor required to complete springs monitoring in remote locations while carrying all equipment needed for the job. A doctor’s medical release may be required.
  • Ability to hike for up to ten hours with a 25-pound backpack over challenging terrain.
  • Ability to sit for up to four hours at a time.
  • Must have personal hiking and camping equipment
• Be able to plan trips, group meals, and have basic cooking skills.
• Must have intermediate computer skills, including Microsoft Office. Experience with Google Suite is helpful.
• Be able to read maps, navigate off trail, and operate satellite communications devices and radios with training.

Experience and Education

• Must be 18 years of age or older with a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.
• Experience collecting data in the field and two seasons of verifiable outdoor leadership experience are preferred. Volunteer or crew management experience is helpful.
• Wilderness First Responder certification is highly desirable.
• Personal hiking and backpacking equipment required (please inquire about specific equipment needs)