Rangeland Specialist

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Malheur County SWCD

Ontario, Oregon

Job Type: Full-Time (Seasonal)

Salary: $18 to $20 per hour

Start / End Dates: start after 04-01-25, end after 08-30-25

Program Focus:
Develop and monitor conservation plans with private landowners who wish to enroll in the CCAA program that utilizes conservation and range management to improve habitat for sage-grouse.  These site-specific plans will be developed within Malheur County’s CCAA jurisdiction boundaries.  Additionally, develop secure grants to help fund the Malheur County CCAA efforts.
Primary Habitat Types:
  • Sagebrush steppe communities
  • Riparian areas/wet meadows
  • Agricultural/native grassland interface areas
Target Species Include:
  • Greater Sage-grouse
  • Other sage-steppe obligates
Geographic Focus Area:
All lands within Malheur County with program emphasis on Preliminary Priority Habitat (PPH) and Preliminary General Habitat (PGH) on private lands within the Malheur County CCAA jurisdiction.  Coordinated resource management with federal lands is an important planning component to SSP planning documents.
Primary duty for CCAA rangeland ecologist is to provide Malheur County SWCD conservation program delivery & support to ensure the maximum number of landowners are enrolled into CCAAs. 
1.      Provide delivery & technical support for habitat conservation projects. Time allocation: 
  • Conduct outreach to private landowners through meetings, telephone, or other mechanisms to identify opportunities for conservation of sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species.
  • Conduct site visits with the landowner and field office (FO) to provide technical guidance on developing conservation plans that address wildlife resource concerns.
  • Develop voluntary conservation agreements to improve or maintain habitat conditions on private lands. (Baseline inventory, screening, and ranking, ARCGIS mapping).
  • Conduct annual monitoring and provide written reporting to US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and others as necessary.
  • Identify potential grant opportunities through private foundations and the state and federal government, and match grant opportunities with needs within the district.
  • Serves as liaison between landowners enrolled in the CCAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Supporting Duties CCAA Range Specialist
 
2.      Identify, develop, and provide formal training, workshops, and products for information and outreach. Time allocation: 
  • Collaborate with local, state, federal, tribal, and other stakeholders to formulate program level and strategic plans to address issues/opportunities related to the CCAA and work related to maintaining working landscapes for rangeland.
  • Provide partners and landowners with on-ground training as needed or requested.
  • Rangeland education and outreach for the public (landowners, youth groups, community organizations, etc.).
3.      Develop technical proficiency. 
  • Attending training seminars as needed for professional development.
  • Become proficient with records management, as it pertains to privacy requirements of Oregon law.

Qualifications / Experience Level Required:

  • Some education including plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management with an emphasis in plant documentation is preferred.
  • Range Management –Includes courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning.
  • Directly Related Plant, Wildlife, Animal, and Soil Sciences –Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or classification are acceptable.
  • Related Resource Management Studies –including courses in such areas as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, and outdoor recreation management.

OR
Combination of education and experience– course work in the combination of plant, wildlife, animal, and soil sciences and natural resources management as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Must be proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
  • Experience in collecting field data, and maintaining field notes is preferred.
  • Preferred knowledge of ecological topics affecting the local area, including western juniper, sage-grouse, annual grasses (e.g. medusahead and cheatgrass), wildfire and applicable sagebrush steppe restoration practices.
  • Range experience preferred but not necessary, including plant identification, knowledge of local ecological sites, experience with locally adapted State and Transistion models, grazing processes and practices, experience with relevant cover type monitoring, and ability to identify threats and appropriate conservation measures.
  • Wildlife knowledge with a focus on sagebrush steppe species (sage-grouse)
  • Technical writing experience preferred.
  • Experience working with ranchers on conservation projects preferred.
  • Good oral and written communication skills are required.

This position will require outdoor work under adverse weather conditions and steep terrain. Candidate must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.

The Malheur County SWCD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Contact:

Linda Rowe

541-823-5143

lrowe@malcoswcd.org

Apply for This Position: lrowe@malcoswcd.org

Application Closes: 03/31/25

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