Restoration Specialist

2022 Salary Range: $54,630.13 - $76,482.18 annually

2023 Salary Range: $55,900 - $75,500 annually

*The above salary range will be in effect as of January 1, 2023*

Job Summary:

The Natural Areas & Trails (NAT) division, within the City's Culture, Parks and Recreation Department manages over 2,000 acres of natural areas and the city's 30-mile trail system including ten miles of the regional Poudre River Trail. This growing program is seeking a passionate, creative, and motivated professional to join the team as a fulltime, benefitted Restoration Specialist, to strive toward NAT's vision of a community connected to nature.

Under general supervision from the Environmental Planner, the Restoration Specialist supervises and performs natural resource management and maintenance operations to restore and maintain the ecological health of the City's natural areas. The position also supports the development and implementation of plans relating to all aspects of effective resource management and enhancement on Natural Area properties.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills:

Bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Management, Wildlife Biology, Restoration Ecology, Botany,
Environmental Science or related field is strongly preferred.
Or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Minimum two years' experience in natural resource management on park or other public lands, ideally with extensive experience in weed management, restoration activities, and wildland fire.
Must have or be able to attain Colorado Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator's License and Qualified Supervisor Certificate (rangeland, right-of-way, and aquatic) within six months of hire.
Must have or be able to attain Red Card wildland firefighter certification, professional First Aid and CPR Certification, OSI or equivalent Trail Crew Leader certification within one year of hire.
Valid Driver's License and good driving record.
All certifications and licenses required by this position must be maintained and kept current while employed in this position.
Ability to work productively and independently without constant supervision.
Extensive knowledge of integrated pest management principles and practices.
Knowledge of native plants and grasses of the region, along with restoration techniques.
Knowledge of wildlife management practices.
Skill and ability to operate and maintain specialized equipment including tractors, skid steers, spray equipment, trailers, and assorted implements.
Skill and ability to operate small power hand tools.
Proficient use of MS Office 365, ArcGIS, and field data collection software (Field Maps, Workforce, etc.) and operate GPS equipment.
Ability to read and interpret aerial photos, topographical and project maps.
Ability to compile and analyze statistical data and prepare routine reports from the data.
Knowledge of basic principles of trail design, construction, and maintenance.
Ability to express ideas orally and in writing.
Knowledge and ability to recruit, train and lead volunteers.
Must be able to build and maintain positive professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Essential Functions:

Develops and implements management objectives for natural resources within natural areas and trail corridors, specifically focusing on invasive species mitigation; reclamation and vegetation enhancements; wetland and riparian protection and restoration; and wildlife management.
Develop and maintain GIS-based resource inventory database for Natural Areas properties to include invasive plant species and wildlife populations (beaver, prairie dogs, coyote dens, raptor nesting, etc.), as well as native plant species inventories.
Combine inventory information with ecological principles to develop and update natural area site management plans.
Incorporate the use of GPS and GIS software to collect and maintain field datasets, and ability to produce resource inventory maps, site management maps, and other project maps.
Utilizes Integrated Pest Management to effectively control invasive weed species through actively using chemical, mechanical, cultural, and biological controls on a regular basis in the field. Position acts as both lead on planning and implementation of weed management and restoration activities for NAT.
Research, develop, and implement effective techniques for native plant restoration.
Leads volunteers on a wide variety of natural resource and trail maintenance projects throughout the year and assists with overall volunteer program management.
May supervises seasonal groundskeeper positions.
Plan and closely coordinate with Parks division on weed management activities on shared sites and/or for resource and staff capacity sharing.
Maintain and utilize City-provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when conducting activities where the employee is exposed to risks above those encountered in a traditional office setting.
Recruit, hire and train seasonal groundskeeper positions.
Occasionally performs routine natural area maintenance duties including emptying trash, picking up litter, cleaning restrooms, repairing vandalism and light construction projects, acts as a member of the snow removal team.
Coordinates daily activities and projects with the NAT Crew Supervisor and maintenance crew and assists with larger NAT project needs.
Works with NAT Crew Supervisor to provide annual staff training related to safety and SOP's related to natural resource management and restoration practices.
Leads NAT staff on resource management/restoration projects.
Works with City Stormwater and Water water-quality staff and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to assist with management of fisheries, stream/reservoir water quality and detention pond management.
Coordinates wildlife management activities including occasional prairie dog control and response to disease outbreaks with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Weld County Health Department as needed.
Develops and maintains effective partnerships with stewardship and volunteer organizations to implement resource objectives.
Evaluate performance of seasonal staff to assure quality and safety.
Develop and provide informational and educational material regarding natural resource management and will occasionally make public presentations on resource topics.
Coordinates controlled burns and wildland fire response with Greeley Fire Department Wildland Fire Crew and uses resource inventories to monitor effectiveness.
Maintain inventory of natural resource management materials and equipment.
Provide regular preventative maintenance on fleet vehicles and maintenance and repair of specialized spray equipment.
Acts, in coordination with Environmental Planner, as subject-matter expert in reviewing development projects, consultant's plans, and contractor oversight with respect to restoration specifications on capital projects.
Assist with a variety of special events, programs and special assignments as needed.
Attends and participates in workshops, lectures, field trips, seminars and professional associations related to natural resource management.
Performs related duties as required.
May supervise seasonal staff.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements:

Must be able to complete the pack test to maintain wildland fire qualification: 3-mile walk carrying a 45-pound pack completed under 45 minutes.
Walking: Must be able to hike long distances on rough terrain carrying trail maintenance supplies or backpack sprayers.
Lifting and Carrying: Ability to lift and move objects such as seed bags, plant materials, live traps, fence materials, toolboxes, backpack sprayer, equipment, etc. that may weigh up to 50 pounds. Ability to lift with assistance (two-person or team lift) various objects that weigh over 50 pounds.
Pushing and Pulling: Pushes boxes, bags, rocks, pulls limbs, brush, etc.
Body Positions: Must constantly maintain balance. Occasional sitting, kneeling, leaning, crouching, reaching, climbing. Frequent standing, walking on all types of surfaces (including uneven ground) bending and stooping. Repetitive movements may occur, including shoveling, weeding, etc.
Hearing: Work may be done in an environment where the ability to distinguish audible warning sounds is essential. For example, must be able to hear backing "beeping" horns or other types of safety warning devices.
Vision: Uses vision to safely operate equipment and adequately perform resource management and maintenance operations such as calibrate instruments and record data.
Majority of work is performed outdoors under weather conditions that may be adverse. Exposure to various chemical agents, wildlife, difficult terrain, water features, and potentially hazardous equipment.

Conditions of Employment: Candidates must successfully complete all pre-employment screenings and employment eligibility verification. Pre-employment screenings include a drug test, a background and national sex offender search, a motor vehicle record search, and for some positions, a physical demands evaluation. For more information about City policies and practices during the recruitment process, including but not limited to EOE, Reasonable Accommodation, and pre-employment screenings, please visit our career page HERE.

The City of Greeley is in the final stages of a complete compensation and classification project. We are set to be fully implemented on January 1, 2023. Due to system requirements on December 2nd all job postings will be removed as the new classifications, pay bands and job families are loaded into the system. Jobs will be reposted with the new classification information as soon as we have the system updated. If you applied for a position, you will NOT need to re-apply. Your application will be transferred over to the new posting.