Restoration Technician

Tentative Position Time Frame(s) – Subject to Change

Option 1: March 2026 through December 2026

Option 2: May 2026 through September 2026

(Potential for extension pending project load and employee availability)

ABOUT GREAT RIVER GREENING

Great River Greening  is a leading environmental restoration nonprofit with a mission to inspire, engage, and lead local communities in conserving and caring for the land and water that enrich our lives. Since our start, our small but mighty team has restored more than 50,000 acres of lands across Minnesota and aims to restore another 50,000 in the next five years. At Great River Greening we offer flexibility, a friendly work culture, supportive Board of Directors, and opportunities to grow.

Great River Greening values Science, Community-Centered Conservation, Partnership, and Education. Great River Greening is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the principals of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability, and to cultural engagement, within our organization, within our environmental sector, and in the communities where we live and work.

Position Description

The Restoration Technician joins a team of conservation crew members responsible for implementing restoration and ecological management activities on public and private sites throughout Great River Greening’s project areas in the state of Minnesota. This role offers hands-on natural resource management experience on a variety of projects and varying landscapes. Primary duties will support our Urban Forestry program including tree planting, watering, data collection and event support.

This is a full-time, hourly position with benefits including health, dental, 401k, LTD, Dependent Care, Health Care FSA, Life Insurance, and a PTO plan. The starting standard wage is $18.00/hr. This position may also work on projects subject to Minnesota Prevailing Wage.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Water newly planted trees, providing additional maintenance when necessary, including mulching, staking, and pruning. Watering routes will require Saturday work during the summer.
• Drive a Great River Greening truck with watering tank to job sites in the Twin Cities metro area.
• Collect field data for newly planted trees and assist with planting in spring and fall.
• Perform tasks related to natural resource management including site preparation, invasive species removal and treatment, planting and seeding, native seed collection and processing as needed.
• Maintain garage, equipment, and other supplies in addition to other field related tasks as needed.
• Represent Great River Greening when interacting with public and private landowners.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions

• Must be able to safely drive full‐size crew extended cab 1 ton pickup for local and regional travel in all weather conditions, for up to 6-8 hours per day. Days will begin and end at office or garage location in St. Paul.
• Must have the ability to work Saturdays throughout the spring and summer to complete tree watering routes and assist with volunteer events.
• This position is physically demanding and typically requires 8‐10 hours/day working at times in difficult terrain, under adverse field conditions and during inclement weather. The work often requires repetitive actions such as squatting, bending, kneeling, lifting, hiking, carrying, and using tools and equipment for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to accomplish assigned tasks according to plan and within specified timeframe.
• May be subjected to moving mechanical parts, light to heavy duty machinery, vibrations, fumes, odors, dusts, gases, chemicals, and intense noises.
• Ability to carry out written and oral instructions.

Qualifications

• Must be over 18 years of age.
• Valid driver’s license required; ability to pass Great River Greening’s safe driver background check and MN DOT health physical.
• Experience doing outdoor physical labor.
• Should be a self‐starter and motivated individual.
• Possess or ability to pass MN pesticide applicators license (Sections A & J).
• Possess or ability to pass First Aid/CPR training.
• Ability to update field records and equipment logs.
• Ability to work outdoors on steep and hilly terrain and thick underbrush.
• Ability to team‐lift 100 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience driving full-size truck and loading and unloading gear and equipment.
• Familiarity with small engines and a variety of wheel/tracked equipment.
• Basic plant identification or ability to learn.
• Chainsaw operation and felling of small to medium trees and brush or ability to learn.
• Experience with herbicide application for invasive species control or ability to learn.
• Experience working with volunteer, outreach, and school groups.