Description: Seeking one full-time, volunteer field technician to assist with ecological research in conifer-invaded meadows of the Cascade Range in Oregon. This project is part of an OSU Masters student’s research examining the functional traits of meadow herbs and grasses and how these traits mediate responses to conifer encroachment. Field studies will be conducted in high elevation meadows at Bunchgrass Ridge (http://depts.washington.edu/bgridge/) and in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, a Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) Site (http://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/).
Primary duties will include plant identification, plant excavations to characterize root systems, and taking detailed field notes on plant morphological and flowering traits. Applicants should expect to work long days, sometimes under challenging conditions. Must have a positive attitude, previous outdoor recreation experience, and be able to walk up to 3 miles per day over rough terrain. Qualifications: Ideal candidates will have previous field research experience, be detail oriented, and self-motivated. Enthusiastic candidates with no previous field experience will happily be considered. Candidates must be willing and able to work as part of a team. Familiarity with the flora of the Pacific Northwest and an interest in plant ecology is a plus. The position will run from the beginning of July to the end of August (approximately 8 weeks). This is an unpaid position. Housing will be provided at the field station of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA) (http://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/lter/about/facility.cfm?topnav=210). Transportation to the research sites will also be provided. A stipend of $125/week will be provided to cover food costs. Situated along the McKenzie River drainage (~50 miles from Eugene), HJA offers easy access to a diversity of recreational opportunities in the Cascade Mountains and the ability to engage with researchers from a variety of fields and backgrounds including pollination ecology, forest ecology, ornithology, geology, hydrology, and the arts. This is a wonderful atmosphere for an aspiring researcher. Please send a cover letter as an email with a resume attached to Jessica Celis (jessica.celi...@gmail.com). Applications due by May 25th 2014
