Position Summary

The Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP) of Colorado State University seeks two Botany Technicians and two Wetland Ecology Technicians to collect field data in support of CNHP’s Statewide Natural Heritage Survey of biodiversity and related projects. Field teams will consist of 2 or more people and may include work with undergraduate interns.  

The CNHP Botany/Vegetation Ecology Team supports the Statewide Natural Heritage Survey of biodiversity by conducting field work focused on upland rare plants, wetlands and natural plant communities. Field work will take place across Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Western Slope, and Great Plains, depending on the field crew. Standard duties will involve assisting with logistics for field hitches, driving and hiking to field sites, detailed completion of field forms, collection of spatial data, and communication with project partners, including private landowners. The position involves extensive travel, camping in remote settings, and long 10+ hour field days. The typical field schedule is 8 days on with 6 days off or 4 days on with 3 days off. The position requires experience with fieldwork and plant identification. Experience with natural heritage methodology, describing vegetation patterns on the landscape, and experience working in the Rocky Mountain, Intermountain West, and/or Great Plains are preferred, but not required. A valid driver’s license for travel between sites is required, as is the ability to hike and navigate to field sites. These positions are supervised by permanent CNHP staff. For more information about this position and others, please visit https://cnhp.colostate.edu/aboutus/careers/employment/.   

If you are passionate about conservation and making a positive impact, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all the preferred qualifications. Join the CNHP Botany/Vegetation Ecology Team and play a pivotal role in preserving our natural landscapes! We can't wait to hear from you! 

Conditions of Employment

The successful candidate must have a valid driver's license at the time of hire and pass motor vehicle history and criminal background checks.

Supervision

The position will be supervised by a CNHP Botanist / Ecologist or CNHP Wetland Ecologist.

Essential Job Duties

• Assist the lead with field planning and logistics for 4 to 8-day field hitches, coordinate tasks, and maintain strong communication with interns, public and private land managers, and other staff. 
• Travel with a dedicated crew extensively across Colorado, camp for up to 8 days, and follow departmental safety protocols. 
• Use GPS applications and maps to navigate to and from sites via paved roads, 4x4 dirt roads, hiking trails and off-trail travel through dense vegetation and across long distances.   
• Identify plants using dichotomous keys, collect botanical, ecological, and spatial data on rare plants and upland vegetation communities using Survey123 and Field Maps following established protocols and collect reference herbarium specimens when appropriate.
• Assist with the management, quality assurance, and reporting of field-collected data. Review collected data to ensure accuracy and completeness, which may include editing spatial data in ArcPro and working in Excel.  

Minimum Qualifications   

• Experience collecting botanical and/or ecological field data related to vegetation sampling, plant population abundance, plant identification, and/or habitat assessments.  
• Willingness and ability to work long hours and unusual schedules, travel extensively during the field season, share living quarters in rustic field housing and bunkhouses, or car camp, and potentially backpack and hike long distances (up to 15 miles per day) while carrying a heavy pack (up to 40 lbs). 
• Willingness and ability to work with a positive attitude in field conditions that include exposure to inclement weather, rugged terrain, hot or cold weather (30–110° F), biting insects, and poisonous plants, all while maintaining a strong commitment to team safety. 
• Demonstrated organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills; ability to handle complex tasks with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. 
• Effective interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to work with a diverse group of individuals and to maintain effective working relationships. 
• Strong oral and written communication skills; proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel.   
• Ability to work both independently with guidance and effectively in a team. 
• Experience using dichotomous keys and/or field guides, familiarity with the major plant families, and/or knowledge of western flora. 
• Experience with mapping applications such as ArcGIS online, QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, Field Maps, and/or Survey123. 
• A valid driver’s license is required. 

Preferred Qualifications

• A completed bachelor’s degree (or expectation of a completed degree by May 2026) in botany, ecology, natural resources, range management, or a related field. 
• Experience describing vegetation patterns found on the landscape including recording and describing dominant and diagnostic species by strata and/or experience applying the U.S. National Vegetation Classification System to inform vegetation observations.  
• Experience using NatureServe Core Methodology (Natural Heritage Methodology) in the field to conduct plant and natural plant community inventories and collect data on tracked plants and plant communities. 
• Experience collecting data electronically using tablets or other devices, such as Survey 123. Proficiency using mapping applications such as ArcGIS Online, QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, Field Maps and Survey123 to collect and edit spatial data. Ability to navigate in the field using a GPS unit, tablet or navigation apps.
• Experience driving 4x4 vehicles on rough roads.
• Experience working on a field crew and camping in remote locations.
• Experience working in the Rocky Mountain, Intermountain West, or Great Plains ecoregions.