Research Technician

Special Information

• This is a 6 month position located in person in Northern California.
• This position is a remote position which allows the incumbent to complete their work at a location other than an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. The incumbent may occasionally work in a shared site, but primarily will work elsewhere.
• This position is an out of state position which allows the incumbent to complete their work in a state other than Arizona with or without accommodation. The incumbent may work in a remote, in-person, or hybrid modality.
• This position is subject to the availability of funding. The incumbent is not eligible for Service Professional non-renewal notice, or Classified Staff layoff or recall status.
• Driving a vehicle on behalf of the university is anticipated to be a regular part of this position. Arizona Administrative Code Fleet Safety Policy requires all employees who drive on university business become authorized by submitting Driver's license information for driving record monitoring, and completion of training appropriate to the level of driving performed. The law applies to all faculty, staff, and students who drive personal or university-owned motorized vehicles for any business purpose. More information on the NAU Authorized Driver Policy can be found on the NAU website.

About the Department/College


NAU's School of Forestry offers unmatched access to one of the most ecologically diverse regions in the country. With nearly 47,000 acres of research forest just outside Flagstaff and a strong faculty-to-student ratio, you'll learn by doing: collecting data, managing ecosystems, and exploring solutions to the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow. Join forestry-focused student organizations, connect with peers and mentors, and apply for one of 50+ dedicated scholarships that support your academic journey.

About the Position


The School of Forestry is seeking two field-based hydrologic technicians to support a long-term paired watershed experiment and other research in northern California. The technicians will collect water samples, maintain and repair hydrologic instruments, and plan, collect, and review data used to address questions related to forest hydrology, forest harvest, fuel reduction efforts, and meadow restoration. The successful applicants will work collaboratively as part of a team of researchers to produce datasets for use by a larger research team, the public, other scientists, and managers. This position is based in Fort Bragg, California.

Responsibilities Include


70% - Field Research

• Assist with installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and downloading data from hydrologic sensors that make up the continuous dataset.
• Collect water, fuel, soil, sediment, and other samples and manual measurements to complement data gathered from automated sensors.
• Complete field forms, notes, sketches, and photographs to describe conditions of sites, instruments, streams, and weather.
• Maintain vehicles, training, trails, and field gear to safely conduct field visits in most weather conditions.
• Participate in wet season (approximately November-May) storm duty operations that could fall on weekends or holidays.

10% - Data Review and Correction

• Compile and review hydrologic data for use in studies or reports.
• Follow established protocols to append and plot data to identify and document regular and unusual events and correct errors where causes can be identified.
• Furnish data to various internal or external research entities.

5% - Planning

• Coordinate fieldwork with supervisor and research partners.
• Prioritize work assignments based on fluctuating weather conditions and time-sensitive data collection.
• Work within NAU and partner travel and scheduling systems to plan travel to meadow restoration field sites.

5% - Partnership and Collaboration

• Assist other researchers and partners in planning and implementing current and new research experiments, establishing priorities across research objectives, and recommending methods, schedules, timelines, and staffing levels.
• Work with NAU and partner staff, graduate assistants, and student employees.

5% - Purchasing Supplies

• Plan and purchase supplies needed for field operations following NAU purchase card system rules.
• Maintain records and documentation of purchases.

5% - Other

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in hydrology, forestry, geology, environmental science, watershed science, soil science, engineering, ecology, or a related field that is conferred upon hire.
• No/limited prior experience required.

*A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in servicing, calibrating, repairing, and installing field recording equipment, as well as the ability to repair parts on a variety of complex hydrologic gauges, hydrologic and meteorological instruments, and other equipment.
• Experience working in long-term field-based watershed research studies, including paired watershed experiments.
• Experience working with GIS and/or remote sensing data.
• Experience conducting total station surveys.
• Experience working with low-voltage electronics and solar-powered systems.
• Familiarity with R, Campbell CRBasic, or other similar programming languages.
• Demonstrated experience working in a collaborative setting.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities


Knowledge

• Knowledge of the use of laboratories and related laboratory equipment for the analysis of water and sediment samples and to assist higher-graded technicians, hydrologists, and other personnel.
• Knowledge of mathematics for processing hydrologic and meteorological data; preparing notes requiring standard abbreviations and legends common to hydrology; and keeping appropriate records that document the proper evaluation and interpretation of hydrologic data.
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of hydrology, meteorology, and experimental design.
• Experience collecting or working with GIS data.

Skills

• Working in remote field settings and with data management systems.
• Navigation and mapping using paper and digital maps.
• Maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing electronic sensors used for hydrologic and meteorologic measurements.
• Field data collection, processing, review, and analysis.
• Laboratory water or sediment processing.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Abilities

• Consistently follow established protocols and detailed procedures.
• Highly motivated to perform field research in a collaborative environment.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Communicate effectively.
• Problem-solving, organization, and data analysis.
• Use of hand tools to maintain trails and field infrastructure.
• Hike over steep, uneven terrain while carrying heavy loads (up to 40 lbs).
• Maintain a valid driver's license and a good driving record.

Compensation


Salary range begins at $44,422. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Pre-Employment Check


Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.


This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report


Each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report . The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at View phone number on click.appcast.io or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Immigration Support/Sponsorship


Northern Arizona University will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

Submit your Application


To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by midnight of the application deadline.


If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.