Natural Technician-Hourly

Position Title

Natural Technician-Hourly

Job Description

Natural lands technicians are responsible for stewardship, maintenance and improvement of urban natural areas including foothill upland sites, riparian and wetland areas, trails and bike parks, and other special sites within Salt Lake City’s natural lands system.

Technicians working within the natural lands team will work alongside an area specialist in a variety of general maintenance and habitat restoration tasks along the Jordan River or in our riparian nature parks which are located along City Creek, Red Butte Creek, Emigration Creek, and Parleys Creek.

Technicians will also work alongside an irrigation specialist performing repairs, retrofitting current irrigation systems, testing systems for functionality, setting up temporary irrigation for native plant establishment, and exploring ways to conserve water, and alongside an invasive species management specialist in close collaboration with Restoration Ecology team members to manage invasive species posing threats to native restoration sites, future restoration sites, and places of interest through mechanical and chemical treatments.

Employees should expect to collaborate often with other technicians and specialists to perform habitat restoration processes and plantings.

Duties

• Ecological restoration through invasive plant management and revegetation efforts
• Restoration project site preparation including: vegetation management, laying tarps and weed fabric, plant transportation, and native plant site arrangement
• Native species planting
• Vegetation management and control of invasive species, including hand pulling, solarization, and the use of herbicides and power equipment such as mowers, line trimmers, brush cutters, and chainsaws
• Identification of native and non-native plant species
• General maintenance of trails and nature parks
• Maintenance of natural surface trails and trail amenities including use of hand and power tools and mechanized equipment
• Litter cleanup
• Installation and maintenance of fencing and signage
• Pruning vegetation and clearing debris from trail and park amenities
• Weeding and managing invasive species
• Maintenance tasks associated with trails and park safety
• Basic irrigation repair including replacing spray heads and fixing leaks
• Hand watering trees and native plants
• Light equipment operation
• Interface with the public, including providing support to volunteer projects, stewardship events, and engaging with park visitors
• On the job training and professional development
• Various other tasks in support of Salt Lake City’s system of public lands and trails
• Communicate and continually updates co-workers and supervisor of progress and problems
• Follow and prioritize safety requirements and hazard/risk assessment of themselves and the team, utilizing provided personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge and skills in plant identification, restoration, farming, forestry, hydrology or ecology or a strong desire and aptitude to develop these skills
• Practical outdoor work experience
• Valid Driver’s License and ability to safely drive large pickup trucks
• Basic experience and knowledge of natural resource management practices and procedures
• Demonstrated ability to operate hand tools and light equipment
• Demonstrated ability to work in adverse conditions including rain, high or low temperatures, insects, and difficult terrain and to work full days outdoors without regular access to amenities
• Demonstrated ability to stay on task, especially when work is tedious and repetitive
• Demonstrated ability to handle unexpected changes in plans with flexibility, patience, and creative problem solving
• Must be 16 years of age or older
  
  

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or six months of field experience in natural resources, natural sciences, landscaping, trails, environmental education, or other outdoor industries
• Effective at leading and motivating small groups
• Excellent observation and communication skills (written and verbal)
• Demonstrated knowledge of plant identification and invasive plant management
• Detail-oriented and focused on accuracy and quality control
• Ability to haul and backup trailer with hand signal assistance
  
  

Working Conditions

• Work is primarily outdoors under a variety of weather and environmental conditions and may involve hiking to reach the job site. Work locations include Salt Lake City’s Foothills Natural Area, the Jordan River Parkway, properties along City Creek, Red Butte Creek, Emigration Creek, Parleys Creek, and various city parks and greenways.
• Exposure to hazardous wildlife and off-leash dogs
• Work on city properties may involve working around the unhoused population
• Moderately heavy physical activity. Required to push, pull, carry and lift medium to heavy weights. Difficult working positions; may have to stand, walk, or sit in uncomfortable positions for extended periods and squat or crawl.
  
  

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by persons assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of personnel so classified. All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

POSITION TYPE

Part-Time

POSITION SALARY RANGE

$ 18.85/hr based on Experience

DEPARTMENT

Public Lands

Full Time/Part Time

Part time

Scheduled Hours

20