Careers in the Plant Sciences

Staff Botanist

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation - Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Position Title: Staff Botanist
Position Type: Permanent Position
Application Review Begins: Monday, November 18, 2024
Application Deadline: Monday, December 09, 2024
Institution: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Department/Division: Division of Natural Heritage
Field (e.g., systematics): Field botanist
City: Pittsburgh, PA, United States
General Information: As part of the Inventory Section, the Staff Botanist of DCR-DNH will work with the Senior Botanist as part of DNH’s botany program to conduct field inventories of elements of biodiversity tracked by DCR-DNH
(see https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/infoservices#lists), accurately mapping their extent, assessing the condition of and threats to populations, and completing field data for inclusion into the Biotics database. The Staff Botanist will work with the Senior Botanist to review, analyze, and evaluate the protection and conservation of the Commonwealth’s natural heritage resources (NHR; the habitats of rare, threatened, and endangered species, exemplary natural communities, and significant geological features), informing DCR’s statewide conservation programs.
Qualifications/Requirements: The Staff Botanist must be capable of conducting all aspects of field work in a variety of habitats, terrain, and weather conditions, and must be equally adept at office tasks such as data entry, specimen identification, curation, and report writing. The Staff Botanist should possess a broad knowledge of the flora of Virginia/Mid-Atlantic or the greater Southeast region.

Minimum Qualifications
1) Experience in plant taxonomy and ecology, field investigation, and specimen curation.
2) Proven experience and familiarity with the flora of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic, and proven ability to identify most plant species encountered in field work.
3) Professional knowledge of the principals and practices of botanical investigation and protection.
4) Thorough understanding of conservation biology and environmental planning concepts as applied to protection of rare plant species.
5) Skilled at map and aerial photography interpretation, Geographical Information System (GIS, especially ESRI products) and Global Positioning System (GPS) applications, interpretations of soils and geologic maps
6) Willingness to travel and conduct physically demanding work in all weather conditions
7) Ability to independently plan and conduct field work to accomplish data collection goals.
8) Ability to work with public and private interests to initiate and complete the environmental planning process
9) Ability to supervise and train full and part-time employees. Ability to plan and budget for botany related projects and manage the execution of these projects
10) Proficiency with standard office software for word processing, spreadsheets, database management, and presentation graphics, preferably Microsoft Office software and Windows based systems
11) Advanced abilities in graphic and oral communications and technical writing

Additional Considerations
1) Demonstrated experience applying NatureServe/Natural Heritage methodology; Experience with biodiversity inventory, data management, and conservation planning activities in the context of NatureServe/Natural Heritage Network
2) Experience conducting environmental impact reviews and making conservation recommendations, including recommendations for land acquisitions, management designations, land management activities, and sustainable development.
3) Supervisory experience.
4) Obtain and maintain certification in CPR and basic first aid.
Responsibilities: 1) Develops, plans, coordinates, and implements field inventories across the state to identify occurrences of rare plant species and potential threats to those species. This includes working closely with other Natural Heritage staff to develop, plan, and coordinate botanical inventories related to land protection, environmental review, and stewardship.
2) Analyzes and helps maintain data on the locations, habitats, status, and ecology of rare, threatened, and endangered species in Virginia, including submissions to the BIOTICS database.
3) Provides DCR and DNH with botanical expertise including assistance with environmental reviews and inquiries from staff on stewardship and protection issues. Provides technical consultation to private, non-profit, and local, state, and federal agencies for the conservation and management of natural heritage resources
4) Fosters partnerships and collaborations to improve the conservation of VA’s NHRs and increase the understanding of DNH’s mission. This includes maintaining a network of botanical contacts, delivering oral presentations, providing spatial data, and generating written reports as appropriate and needed.
5) Supervises two seasonal wage staff and additional staff as needed.
6) Coordinates DNH’s annual inventory work with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). This includes working with the DNH inventory team to target areas of interest to USFS, training botany wage staff to conduct botanical inventory, and acting as liaison for data exchange between DNH and USFS.
Application Instructions (submission methods, etc.): Submission of an online application is required for this position. DCR does not accept applications, resumes, cover letters, etc. for this vacancy in any other format. When applying for jobs, please ensure your online application or resume is complete with duties and skills associated with your work experience.

In addition to the VA state application, please provide the following:

A letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the position profile, required and desired position qualifications, and special position requirements.

An example of your technical writing (a project report or publication that you authored).
Web Link: Apply here: https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/jobs/staff-botanist-richmond-virginia-united-states
Compensation Range: $65,000 - $70,000
Contact Name: Laura Nelson, laura.nelson@dcr.virginia.gov