Field Botany Jobs in Reno, NV (NOW HIRING)

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest – Nevada (Ruby Mountains & East Humboldt Range)

The Great Basin Institute (GBI), in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), is recruiting Botany Crew Lead to supervise and conduct botanical and ecological resource surveys within the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range of northeastern Nevada. These projects support NEPA analysis for proposed fuels reduction and forest health treatments associated with the Elko Front Project.

This position contributes to the Basin & Range Forestry program’s mission to support the USFS in improving ecosystem resilience amid increasing wildfire risk and changing climate conditions.

The Botany Crew Lead will oversee a small field crew while performing technical botanical surveys, ensuring data quality, safety, and adherence to established protocols. The crew will start the season with rare plant surveys and then the majority of the season the crew will monitor whitebark pine, especially looking for blister rust which was recently reported in the Ruby Mountains. This role offers hands-on leadership experience, exposure to USFS processes, and opportunities to contribute to long-term monitoring and forest health assessments.

The Botany Crew Lead will manage day-to-day field operations and ensure all botanical data collection meets agency standards. Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Leading and mentoring a crew of 2–4 Botany Technicians during field surveys
• Coordinating daily logistics, including field assignments, transportation, and safety check-ins
• Conducting botanical surveys following Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plants (TESP) protocols
• Identifying plant species using dichotomous keys (including Intermountain Flora), with focus on sensitive, rare, and invasive taxa
• Surveying and monitoring whitebark pine populations and assessing forest health, including blister rust impacts
• Establishing and monitoring long-term whitebark pine plots following established protocols
• Collecting data on plant population dynamics, habitat conditions, and ecological factors
• Collecting specimens for newly identified sensitive plant populations, as directed
• Ensuring data quality, conducting QA/QC checks, and managing weekly data uploads to USFS Natural Resource Management (NRM) databases
• Navigating using GPS, maps, and compass in remote environments
• Producing maps and summarizing survey findings
• Coordinating regularly with GBI and USFS staff to plan, prioritize, and assess fieldwork
• Writing periodic and end-of-season reports summarizing accomplishments
• Supporting and enforcing safety protocols and adherence to GBI and USFS standards
• Assisting with training crew members in survey methods and field procedures

This position is based within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in northeastern Nevada, primarily in the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range near Elko.

These areas feature high-elevation alpine ecosystems, sagebrush steppe, and subalpine forests, with elevations ranging from approximately 5,000 to over 11,000 feet.

Nearby communities such as Elko provide access to lodging, supplies, and services. The region offers abundant outdoor recreation opportunities including hiking, camping, fishing, and backcountry exploration.

This position is expected to run from May 2026 through September 2026, with exact start and end dates dependent on project needs and weather conditions.

Crew Leads will begin approximately one week prior to field technicians to complete leadership-specific training.

Training Period:

• Typically Monday–Friday (5 days per week)
• Focused on crew leadership, safety, and survey protocols

Field Season:

• Schedule varies depending on project needs
• Workweeks may consist of four 10-hour days or similar field-based schedules
• Requires extended field deployments (“hitches”) with dispersed camping in remote locations

Wage: $26/hour with overtime at 1.5x hourly rate (full-time, average 40 hours per week).

In addition to a competitive base salary, this full-time, onsite position includes:

• Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance (with upgrade options)
• $25,000 Life/AD&D policy (company-paid)
• Optional short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Employer-provided mental health support resources
• Competitive PTO accrual and paid holidays

TSA employees who serve terms greater than 52 weeks (with ≤30-day break between terms) become eligible for full Regular full-time employee benefits

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, plant ecology, or closely related field (with coursework in plant taxonomy and/or systematics); OR
• Equivalent combination of education and experience conducting botanical fieldwork, including rare plant surveys; AND
• At least one full season (6+ months) of field leadership experience supervising or mentoring field crews

• Experience using dichotomous keys to identify plants to species or subspecies level
• Proficiency with GPS units, maps, and compasses
• Demonstrated ability to organize, review, and maintain field data
• Strong leadership, communication, and team coordination skills
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record
• Ability to work and camp in remote, rugged field conditions for extended periods
• Physical ability to hike long distances (up to ~10 miles/day), carry up to 50 lbs, and work in variable weather conditions

• Knowledge of Great Basin flora, particularly Nevada or Intermountain regions
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Familiarity with noxious weed identification and management
• Experience with whitebark pine monitoring or forest health assessments
• Ability to interpret and implement field protocols and train others
• Experience operating 4WD vehicles on rough and unmaintained roads

TO APPLY

Please submit an up-to-date resume, a one-page cover letter that details your interest in the position, and any qualifications not fully outlined in your resume, and contact information for three professional references. Qualified applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview.

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 job/industry specific equipment. The noise level in the work environment is usually low.

NOTE:  This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the organization's ongoing needs.

Disclaimer: Although the organization has attempted to accurately and thoroughly describe this position, GBI reserves the right to change the same, including to change, add to or subtract from the duties outlined, within the sole discretion of the organization, at any time, with or without advance notice.