Natural Resources Technician

Job Summary

Maintenance, establishment and restoration of natural areas throughout Metroparks.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Safely operate various large and small equipment in a wide variety of land and aquatic habitats and while working in a team environment to achieve habitat restoration and maintenance goals.
• Perform preventative maintenance on equipment including vehicles, and large / small equipment. Troubleshoot problems and perform moderate level of repairs.
• Perform moderate level of welding and cutting for equipment repair and fabrication.
• Troubleshoot electrical problems and perform low-voltage electrical repairs.
• Perform natural area seeding operations, including site preparation and seeding documentation, to establish native plant communities. 
• Serve as squad command or single resource command on prescription burns. Apply ignition / suppression techniques and direct other firefighters in these tasks. Maintain and communicate situational awareness. Prepare burn breaks and maintain burn equipment. Participate in regional prescription fire program.
• Perform tree felling, bucking and limbing, including removal of hazardous / storm damaged trees and burning trees during prescription fire operations. Use rigging techniques when necessary for safe tree removal.
• Safely trailer large equipment using proper load securement to project areas. 
• Identify invasive plant species and populations and use adaptive management strategies to determine best control options and techniques. Keep up-to-date on new invasive threats and use rapid response control techniques. Document new threats in regional database.  
• Safely mix and apply herbicides using advanced spray methods including the use of high volume and boom sprayers. Use proper application, mixing, cleaning, and disposal techniques in accordance with product labels. Follow legal and internal requirements for record keeping and documentation of herbicide use. 
• Utilize HACCP protocols to prevent spread of invasive species.
• Perform natural area mowing in prairie, savanna, and marsh habitats using best management practices.
• Maintain work areas to 6S standards.
• Identify native and non-native plants and wildlife to achieve restoration goals. Use basic field guides to identify species.
• Use map reading and GPS to navigate to specified locations, collect data, and locate boundaries.
• Operate motorboats and aquatic-based equipment to perform natural resources management activities in riparian, pond, and marsh habitats.
• Remove log jams in rivers and streams.
• Use water control structures and pumps to manipulate water levels in aquatic systems.
• Implement forest management strategies including pest management treatment techniques and data collection.  
• Assist with park-wide reforestation efforts including site preparation, tree planting, site maintenance, monitoring growth, and identifying environmental issues affecting young trees.
• Participate in wildlife management programs including assisting with culling operations and public hunts. 
• Work with contractors on various natural resource management projects.
• Serve as field team leader. Lead and assist with training a work team to accomplish established restoration objectives.
• Effectively communicate habitat restoration concepts, processes and restoration objectives to visitors and staff.
• Lead volunteer groups on natural area stewardship projects.
• React in an effective and timely manner to changing priorities and situations. Adjust project schedules and management techniques as needed. 
• Follow established safety procedures to prevent injury and damage to equipment. Identify and develop solutions to address safety concerns.
• Assist with district-wide chainsaw trainings.
• Document daily activities and equipment maintenance in database and log books.
• Perform purchasing activities to complete tasks. Obtain necessary quotes.
• Perform natural resources assessments such as OORAM, oak wilt monitoring, deer browse assessments, log jam surveys, and invasive species assessments.
• Other park-related duties as assigned.

Equipment Used

• General office equipment 
• Software & Apps: Microsoft Office Suite, Geographic Information System (GIS)
• Maintenance Equipment: chain saws, chippers, stump grinders, log splitters, brush saws, power tools, water control structures, pumps, various implements
• Vehicles: on & off road trucks with trailers, skid steers, ATVs, tractors, dump trucks, kayaks, power boat, aquatic tracked large equipment,
• Firefighting equipment, high and low volume chemical dispensing systems, GPS devices and mapping tools

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Schedule: Generally Monday-Friday, 7:00am -3:00pm. May include nights, weekends, and/or holidays based on departmental needs.
• Home Work Location: Assigned Park
• May require business use of personal vehicle to travel between Metroparks locations.
• Limited (<10%) travel outside Lucas County. 
• Requires frequent lifting and carrying of up to 75 pounds; occasional lifting over 75 pounds with assistance; ability to walk and work outdoors for extended periods of time in all types of weather including extreme heat and cold.  

Job Requirements

1. Must be 18 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.
2. Education: Associate’s Degree in Natural Resources, Environmental Sciences, Forest Management, Wildlife Resources Management, Ecology, or related field required or equivalent work experience.
3. Experience: 2-3 years’ experience in Natural Resources required.
4. Certifications: Must obtain the following certifications within 1 year of employment and fulfill requalification and recertification requirements: (Internal Candidates: Certifications already achieved, preferred).

• Ohio Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s License – Core, 3A, 4A, 5 (within 90 days)
• Boater Safety Course (within 90 days)
• OSHA 10-hour training (within 6 months)
• Red Card Certification FFT2 Firefighter & pass moderate work capacity test (2 miles, 30 minutes, 30 pounds (with 1year)
• Qualified Sawyer (within 6months)
• First Aid / CPR (within 6 months)
• CDL-A with 5th Wheel Endorsement (within 1 year)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated proficiency in operation and maintenance of small equipment. Demonstrated proficiency in safe operation of large equipment. 
• Understanding of native plant community establishment including seeding or planting methods and site preparation.
• Knowledge of landscaping planting, fertilizing, pruning, maintenance techniques and best practices: ability to read landscape diagrams.
• Ability to identify and distinguish native and exotic plants and utilize basic field guides.
• Ability to safely trailer equipment to project areas: knowledge of proper equipment and load securement.
• Moderate understanding of invasive control options and techniques. Familiarity with HACCP protocols to reduce spread of invasive species.
• Ability to apply herbicides using advanced spray methods including spraying with high volume sprayers, booms and in pond or wetland applications.
• Demonstrated proficiency in safe use herbicides: mixing, maintenance of equipment, maintaining application records and comprehension of SDS and product labels.
• Ability to utilize maps, GPS units, and smartphone applications to navigate, document management activities, locate boundaries and collect data.
• Ability to use water control structures to manipulate water levels in aquatic systems.
• Ability to assess and safely remove storm damaged trees. Working knowledge of rigging techniques.
• Basic project management skills.
• Experience in implementing prescription burns or wildfire techniques including ignition, suppression, fire behavior, use of pumps, and firefighting hand tools. 
• Knowledge of safety procedures and standards related to job duties.
• Ability to effectively lead a work team and train new staff in safe equipment operation and maintenance.
• Ability to use welding and cutting techniques for equipment repair and fabrication.
• Understanding of moderately complex low voltage wiring systems; ability to operate a multi-meter.
• Basic math skills.
• Moderate knowledge of northwest Ohio habitats, habitat restoration, best management practices and ability to communicate knowledge to public and staff.
• Understanding of purchasing and budgeting; ability to acquire quotes.
• Ability to perform habitat assessments including invasive plant assessments, oak wilt monitoring, and deer browse monitoring.
• Ability to use basic computer software and do basic data entry.