The Research Associate Program at GBI, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is recruiting up to four (4) Seed Collection Crew Members to participate in seed collection work within the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

As part of the Seeds of Success (SOS) program, crew members will work under the guidance of a Crew Lead to carry out standardized seed collection protocols on Wildlife Refuges in Southern Nevada.  Training, support, and coordination will be provided by the regional DOI Seed Coordinator. The USFWS is the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the American people. Seed Collection Crew Members will become intimately acquainted with the four wildlife refuges in Southern Nevada which are home to endangered species, warm springs and streams, and vast wilderness areas.  

Primary Responsibilities:

• Coordinating closely with agency staff for target species and collection location selection, followed by scouting and identifying populations of target native plant species suitable for collection;
• Mapping of populations of plants, disturbance areas, and other features using tablets, handheld devices, ArcGIS Online, ArcPro, and ESRI apps such as FieldMaps and Survey 123;
• Monitoring the phenology of plant populations to identify optimal seed collection times;
• Collecting seed from plant populations for both operational and conservation collections in accordance with the Seeds of Success (SOS) Technical Protocol;
• Working in a crew of up to 4, providing oversight of the SOS Technical Protocol as needed;
• Processing and shipping seed following standard industry procedure;
• Collecting herbarium vouchers, and processing and shipping in accordance with the SOS Technical Protocol;
• Collecting tissue samples for genetic analysis and processing and shipping, as necessary;
• Certifying seed collections following state agency protocols;
• Recording data electronically and on paper data forms, entering and editing data related to restoration activities;
• Photographing collection sites and plants;
• Maintaining and regularly conducting inventory of field gear;
• Daily and monthly vehicle checks;
• Driving a truck up to three hours a day;
• Traveling in a truck up to five hours a day; and
• Reporting accomplishments and providing recommendations for program improvements, priorities, and future projects.

Timeline:

• March 30th, 2026 - September 25th, 2026; 26 wks;
• Full time (40 hours/week); and
• Schedule: M - F, 8 hours daily.

Location:

The Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex includes the following 4 refuges:

Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
Mile Post 32, Highway 93
Alamo, NV  89001

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge 
8757 E Spring Meadows Rd S
Amargosa Valley, NV 89020

Desert National Wildlife Refuge
16001 Corn Creek Road
Las Vegas, NV  89124-8402

Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge
4001 West Warm Springs Road
Moapa, NV   89025

Compensation and Benefits:

Compensation: $22 hourly;

Benefits: 

• Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental (with option to upgrade in coverage), and vision insurance premiums;
• $25,000 Basic Life & AD&D insurance at no cost;
• Personal leave and holidays; and
• Access to Pro Deals.

Housing:  Will not be provided and the selected participant will be expected to procure housing on their own.

Uniform Stipend: $500/per person.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, plant ecology, or a closely related field in the biological sciences, including coursework in plant taxonomy and/or systematics; OR 
• Experience conducting plant surveys and other botanical field work; OR
• Six months of professional fieldwork experience.
• Experience using technical keys to identify plants to the species or sub-species level; 
• Experience working with hand-held GPS, maps and compass for field navigation and data collection; 
• Capacity to collect and maintain field data in an organized manner that is easily understood and accessible to other resources staff; 
• Ability to communicate effectively, both written and orally, with a diverse audience; 
• Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license; 
• Ability to live and work in rural and remote field and office setting; and
• Must provide a valid driver’s license and possess a clean driving record.

Preferred: 

• Knowledge of the flora of the Great Basin;  
• Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection and protocols; and
• Ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads.

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands, stand, walk, bend, and have specific vision abilities to include close and distance vision, and ability to adjust focus working with computer business equipment and other job/industry specific equipment. The noise level in the work environment is usually low.

Participants must be able to carry up to 25 pounds of personal and/or field equipment and withstand the rigors of a desert environment during spring and summer conditions.