Stewardship Technician

Skagit Land Trust; Mount Vernon (WA); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance stipend

403(b) plan

Vacation and holiday plan

Training opportunities

Job summary

Skagit Land Trust seeks a Stewardship Technician to support stewardship of protected lands across Skagit County. You will work with staff, volunteers and partners to implement restoration, trail maintenance and habitat projects, and to monitor sites and easements.

The role is 80% field-based with a Monday–Friday schedule and some remote work with approval. The position reports to the Stewardship Director and involves GIS data entry and community engagement.

Qualifications

• Two years of work experience or an associate’s degree or combination thereof.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Suite and basic Excel skills.
• Desire: habitat restoration and land management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead volunteer work parties and coordinate stewardship activities.
• Safely operate and maintain trail and restoration equipment and tools.
• Monitor sites, collect GPS data and support data management.
• Assist with monitoring conservation easements and donor/landowner relations.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Team collaboration

Education

Associate’s degree or higher

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

FieldMaps

Excel

Google Suite

Job description

Join Skagit Land Trust (the Trust), a nonprofit conservation organization based in Mount Vernon, Washington, and help protect land for people and wildlife. Skagit Land Trust is nationally accredited with a 34-year history of using a collaborative approach to protect and steward land throughout Skagit County. The Trust permanently protects shorelines, wetlands, wildlife habitat, farms, forests, natural parks, trails and iconic lands from the North Cascades to the Salish Sea (Puget Sound). Become part of a dynamic, dedicated team of conservation professionals, volunteers, and landowners that work together to protect and steward priority conservation lands. Skagit Land Trust has protected over 10,000 acres of land and nearly 50 miles of shoreline. The Trust works with 1,500 supporters and over 40 partner organizations to accomplish its mission.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Stewardship Technician is part of a team working to support the stewardship of Skagit Land Trust’s protected lands. Working independently and collaboratively with staff, volunteers and partners, the Stewardship Technician will assist with core stewardship projects, including but not limited to controlling invasive species, maintaining trails and public access areas, installing and maintaining restoration plantings and participating in volunteer stewardship events. The Stewardship Technician will work closely with the Trust’s Stewardship Coordinators to accomplish other key stewardship tasks such as site monitoring, site boundary marking, GIS data entry and project planning. Additionally, the Stewardship Technician will work with the Stewardship Director to monitor conservation easements and build relationships with landowners.

Location

The Trust office is in Mount Vernon, WA with the majority of field work conducted across Skagit County.

Work environment

The position is 80% field based. Work schedule is generally Monday-Friday for team coordination purposes. Flex-time and some level of remote work are available with approval. Occasional (1-3 times monthly) evening and weekend work required for volunteer work parties, property visits or Trust events.

Pay

$24.50/hour which is $50,960/year for 100% FTE based on having all desired experience and qualifications plus benefits, including health insurance stipend, 403(b) plan, vacation and holiday plan, and training opportunities.

Reports to

Stewardship Director with daily planning with Stewardship Coordinators.

Commitment to Inclusion

One of our core values is to have a workforce, board, volunteer and program focus that reflects the wide diversity of the communities we serve. We are committed to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and finding opportunities for all employees to succeed. Applicants with diverse life experience and those from Tribal backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Stewardship (95%)

• Work with Outreach staff to lead volunteer work parties focused on accomplishing
• Communicate Trust policies and procedures to stewardship volunteers to ensure they
• are safely and effectively accomplishing stewardship goals.
• Work with Trust staff to identify appropriate and meaningful projects for potential
• Safely use and maintain hand and power tools, including small hand tools, large hand
• tools, brush cutters, chainsaws, and augers.
• Navigate using maps and GPS, collect GPS data in the field, and data entry into a
• computer.
• Complete invasive plant species removal projects, including hand pulling, digging with
• small hand tools, herbicide application and mechanical removal with powered hand tools.
• Complete additional habitat restoration activities, including planting of native species,
• clearing competing vegetation around young plantings, removal of fences that pose as
• wildlife barriers, and forest thinning of young dense forest stands.
• Complete public access maintenance projects, including trail construction and
• maintenance, and installation of signs, fences, and other structures.
• Complete general land management activities, including boundary line marking, property
• monitoring and reporting and cleaning up debris (e.g. litter, dumped garbage).
• Assist with monitoring compliance with conservation easements, including site visits, data
• entry, encroachment documentation, and coordination with landowners.
• Assist staff with stewardship and volunteer recordkeeping and data management.
• Perform office-based tasks related to the successful completion of tasks outlined above.
• Participate in internal and external committees aligned with position responsibilities.

Organizational (5%)

Organization: Skagit Land Trust works towards carrying out the Trust’s strategic direction as a close-knit team of staff, volunteers, board, members, and landowners. The Stewardship Technician takes part in Trust-wide meetings, events and programming as well as staff meetings. They will regularly coordinate with and support the work of other departments and committees to meet organizational goals.

Physical and Mental Requirements

• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance.
• Ability to walk up to six miles in a single day over rough terrain and navigate in remote areas year-round in all weather conditions. Occasionally will need to carry at least 40 lbs.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions for up to 40 hours per week.
• Ability to maintain an awareness of site conditions and anticipate potential risks in the field.
• Ability to safely operate and maintain hand and power tools, including brush cutters, chainsaws, and various hand tools, or the strong willingness and ability to learn.
• Valid driver’s license. SLT currently has two organization-shared vehicles to transport from the office.

Education and/or Work Experience

• At least two years of work experience, or an associate’s degree, or combination of education and work experience to successfully perform duties of the job.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, basic Excel skills.
• Desired: Experience with habitat restoration and/or land management.
• Desired: Three or more years of relevant professional experience. Relevant (e.g. natural resource management, environmental planning, environmental science / studies, or park management) undergraduate and/or graduate degrees may each be substituted for up to one year of professional experience.
• Desired: Experience with ESRI software including ArcGIS Pro and FieldMaps.
• Desired: Experience with databases.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of habitat restoration techniques, land management techniques, and trail management techniques, or a strong willingness and ability to learn.
• Experience working with tools typically used in habitat restoration and maintenance in the Pacific Northwest, including brush cutters, backpack sprayers, chainsaws, and mowers.
• A commitment to land conservation and the environment. Preferably an understanding of natural resource and land management issues as related to the Pacific Northwest.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong ability to follow directions, time management skills, and the ability to prioritize tasks.
• Ability to work well as part of a team and independently, with and without direct supervision.
• Ability to work with diverse people and develop positive working relationships with others.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and communicate clearly and professionally with staff, volunteers, and members of the public as needed.
• Willing to engage and take part in Skagit Land Trust’s efforts to increase diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion throughout the organization.
• Desired: Experience working with volunteers on land management projects.
• Desired: Experience with navigation and GPS data collection in the field.
• Desired: Experience with plant identification, especially non-native species.
• Desired: Have or obtain Washington State herbicide commercial operator’s license within 6 months of employment.