Natural Resource Scientist 2, Natural Heritage Program Botanist

Natural Resource Scientist 2, Natural Heritage Program BotanistRecruitment #2023-2-A230Full-time, Permanent, Represented positionLocation: Natural Resources Building- Olympia, WASalary: $4,324.00 - $5,813.00 Monthly Review of applications is ongoing. The hiring authority reserves the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after March 13, 2023. It is in the applicant’s best interest to submit material as soon as possible.Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?Join the Washington Natural Heritage Program as a Botanist and you will have the opportunity to play a vital role in conserving Washington’s rare plants. Your work will contribute to the programmatic mission of cataloging the plants, animals, and ecosystems of Washington and prioritizing their conservation needs. The Natural Heritage Program serves as the state's principle source of information on rare species, habitats and landscapes of conservation concern. This position is critical to the effectiveness of the Washington Natural Heritage Program achieving its programmatic goals. In addition to this position, our team includes a Program Manager, Lead Botanist, Lead Ecologist, Vegetation Ecologist, Database Manager & GIS Analyst, and Data Specialist. The Botanist reports directly to the Lead Botanist.The Botanist conducts research, inventory, and monitoring of rare plants and will coordinate with the Lead Botanist to promote the use of this information in land management and land-use decision-making. The Botanist will assist the Lead Botanist in leading rare plant conservation efforts for the Natural Heritage Program and the Department of Natural Resources, including identifying high priority rare plant species and making management and conservation recommendations to protect them.Your work will take you across Washington State into varied landscapes, including rough terrain without trails, and in a variety of weather conditions, from cold and wet to hot and dry. From April through September, you will typically spend a significant amount of time in the field, including overnight trips ranging from one to four nights. During the rest of the year, field work and/or travel are much less frequent while time spent on data management, data analysis, and report / proposal writing increases.In this position you will use your excellent verbal and written skills to communicate, advise, collaborate, and network with our conservation partners within DNR, other state agencies, federal agencies, land trusts, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders interested in the conservation of Washington’s biodiversity.The Botanist participates in, and collaborates with, the network of natural heritage programs (NatureServe), both nationally and internationally. Additional duties may include outreach efforts to other agencies and organizations regarding plant conservation issues and topics, including making land management recommendations. This individual will participate in a variety of collaborative conservation planning efforts.The position includes a mix of office and fieldwork as well as travel to attend meetings, workshops, conferences, etc. The duty station is in Olympia, WA. DNR offices are in the Natural Resources Building (NRB) on the state capital campus, walking distance from downtown and the southern terminus of Puget Sound. The office environment is one of cubicles for each individual employee; some cubicles have windows while others are located in the interior of the building.  While working in the office, a majority of the employee’s time will be spent at a personal computer and/or meeting with other staff members. Work schedule is Monday through Friday. Partial teleworking (hybrid) is possible for this position. The position is overtime-exempt and the incumbent is expected to maintain core business hours (9 am to 3 pm) during a typical 40-hour work week. Occasional evening and/or weekend work may be necessary.Extensive travel during the field season to conduct field inventories, surveys and monitoring throughout the state is required.   Fieldwork is generally, although not exclusively, during the period from April through mid-September and may involve periods of 5 consecutive days away from Olympia. The fieldwork for this position can be anywhere in the state, often requiring several hours of travel from Olympia to get to the area where the fieldwork is to be performed.  Fieldwork often consists of walking cross-country through rugged terrain in variable weather conditions, including cold and wet to hot and dry.  Fieldwork is often performed alone.  The employee will have access to a two-way radio and/or cell phone and is expected to adhere to the safety protocols regarding communicating her/his whereabouts established by the Division and Region within which the employee is working. Occasional out-of-state travel may also be required.Olympia is well-positioned for outdoor enthusiasts, sitting at the southern terminus of Puget Sound, equidistant from the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, and with easy access to the Pacific Coast.