UCNRS

University of California Natural Reserve System

Jobs

Current Openings

Operations Manager, White Mountain Research Center, UC Los Angeles

Reserve Steward, Santa Cruz Island Reserve, UC Santa Barbara

Reserve Steward, Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, UC Santa Cruz

Research Manager, Santa Cruz Island Reserve, UC Santa Barbara

Operations Manager

White Mountain Research Center

Requisition #32386

Apply online at UC Los Angeles

The deadline to apply is April 24, 2020

Salary

$4,842 – $9,591 monthly. The target salary range for this position is between the posted minimum and $6,000 monthly.    

Job summary

White Mountain Research Center (WMRC) comprises four stations over a 3000 m environmental gradient in eastern California, from Owens Valley (1230 m at Bishop) to Crooked Creek (3100 m), Barcroft (3800 m) and White Mountain Summit (4340 m). The Center is managed on behalf of the university’s Natural Reserve System by UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES). The IoES seeks an Operations Manager for WMRC with on-site responsibility for facilities and personnel in support of the Center’s research, teaching and outreach activities. This role involves day-to-day supervision of regular and seasonal staff, coordination of operational needs (finance, scheduling, lodging, meals, physical plant, movable equipment, fleet vehicles, landscape, clients, guests), and promotion of WMRC, all in consort with staff members assigned to relevant tasks. The ideal candidate will have, as a minimum, an undergraduate degree; strong communication, management and people skills; experience with mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; and an ability to work at high altitudes. Prior experience with field-station operations and maintenance is required. Occupancy of on-site residence is preferred, for which housing is provided at Owens Valley Station, Bishop.  

Required experience

  • Experience at a field station or off-campus laboratory as an employee.
  • Management, supervision and organizational experience including some exposure to budgeting and forecasting, auditing procedures internal control systems.
  • Ability to prioritize a workload and meet fluctuating demands.
  • Skill to communicate clearly (oral and written), effectively and tactfully in person, on the phone, and in writing with a diverse population including high level management, academics, technical and other staff.
  • Ability to interact effectively with variety of other organizations, such as UCLA campus Employee Health & Safety, Facilities Design and Construction, Physical Plant Services and Fleet Services, and with outside contractors and vendors.
  • Ability to interact effectively with construction crews/subcontractors on building and landscape modifications and plans to insure designs meet users’ needs and relevant ordinances. Ability to communicate and provide work direction to building and trade staff.
  • Experience and knowledge of automotive and medium/heavy vehicle safety. A standard California driving license is required. Familiarity with Sno-Cat operation should also be obtained.
  • Proven experience and demonstrated skill to work independently in pursuit of organization goals, exhibiting strong leadership, organization, negotiation, decision-making and management skills.
  • Proven ability to recognize the impact of campus policy on stations operations, and the skill to work as a team member. Work with Director to develop policies that are effective and efficient.
  • Proven ability to coordinate multiple projects and assignments and bring to them to completion on time and within budget. Ability to work under deadlines and constantly changing priorities.
  • Proven experience in effectively and accurately interpreting, developing, implementing and enforcing various regulations, policies and practices.

Preferred experience

  • University of California experience and an undergraduate degree is required. Advanced degrees in a specific science may be advantageous but are not required.
  • Experience managing and coordinating in an academic research environment, with experience in supervising employees in an organization with structured system for employee performance evaluation.
  • Extensive working knowledge of a wide range of University policies related to building construction, renovation, physical plant systems, safety and building equipment.
  • Knowledge of all applicable safety procedures and precautions. In depth knowledge of University safety policies and procedures.
  • Knowledge of thermodynamic laws, refrigeration cycles, electricity principles, test/detection instrument, hand/power tools, wood finishing, alternating/direct current, wiring, painting, construction and plumbing.
  • Knowledge of building codes, fire codes, etc.
  • Willingness to occupy on-site residence at Owens Valley Station, Bishop.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of general computer applications, programs, terminology, functions and operations as management tools for improving, implementing and enhancing all levels of facility management.

Steward

Santa Cruz Island Reserve

Job #20200099  

Apply online at UC Santa Barbara

Primary consideration date: March 15, 2020. Thereafter open until filled.

Job duties

Under supervision of the Reserve Director and Reserve Steward (Skilled Trades Mechanic), employee maintains and repairs infrastructure, equipment, and grounds of the Santa Cruz Island Reserve Field Station. Employee also assists in logical support of projects, programs and visitors using the Reserve.  

Under supervision, maintains, repairs and generally improves facilities including buildings, decks, utilities, fences, roads and signs. Assists Reserve Director in responding to facility or equipment failures or other emergency situation. Requires working at a semi-skilled level on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, welding, and electrical projects. Sometimes requires following verbal instructions, making basic computations, and estimating material needs for projects. Operates hand, power and larger shop tools as needed. Maintains hand, power and shop tools for use by reserve maintenance staff and research users. Assists staff and users with routine custodial work including cleaning bathroom and kitchen facilities if needed.

Under supervision, performs general yard work tasks including weeding and clearing grass and brush for fire prevention. Removes debris from trees near the buildings and roads. Maintains landscaping at the Field Station site. Operates power equipment and vehicles for grounds work including chain saws, chippers, trimmers and farm-type tractor.

Assists in transport of supplies, equipment and people between the Field Station and the dock and/or landing strip. Operates station jeeps and trucks on dirt roads. Assists the Reserve Director with administrative tasks including visitor orientation, minor purchases, and keeping accurate records of reserve use and expenditures. Must be available to work outside normal working hours when needed.

Minimum requirements

Must be able to maintain and repair infrastructure, and equipment. Requires working at a semi-skilled level on
carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, welding, and electrical projects.  

Desirable requirements

Experience maintaining facilities, vehicles, and landscaping. Experience with remote field settings; superior inter-personal skills; experience with operating four-wheel drive vehicles, off-road vehicle operation and field safety; problem solving and creativity.  

Other special conditions of employment

Must be available to work outside normal working hours. Must be able to perform duties in outdoor working conditions on Santa Cruz Island. Requires travel by ocean vessel across the Santa Barbara Channel.  

Reserve Steward

Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve

Job #1909246

Apply online at UC Santa Cruz

Initial review date: January 5, 2020

Inquire with Mark Readdie, Resident Director-Big Creek Reserve, readdie@ucsc.edu, 831-667-2543

The Natural Reserve System (NRS) at the University of California, Santa Cruz invites applications for the position of Reserve Steward at Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve. Big Creek Reserve is located 50 miles south of Monterey on the Big Sur coast. It is remote, rugged, and operates off the grid in a rural setting.  Much like a museum or library, Big Creek functions as an extension to the University’s on-campus laboratories and classrooms to support academic research and teaching.  The facilities include an extensive network of roads and trails, a classroom, staff office, two steward residences, two researcher cabins, three workshops, and four campgrounds.  The reserve has a mesh network for scientific data collection, a wireless internet network, VHF radio repeaters, a teaching collection, a research database, and a library.

Under direction of the Resident Reserve Director, and overseen by the Lead Reserve Steward, the Reserve Steward performs complex operations at Big Creek Reserve and Circle M Ranch.  In support of academic researchers and educators, the Reserve Steward ensures the quality and proper function of the Reserve through design, logistics and implementation of specific ongoing, seasonal and new projects; carries out the maintenance of any and all facilities, including visitor buildings and overnight accommodations and their associated infrastructure (power, water, and safety equipment), trails, roads, defensible space and grounds; assists the Reserve Director in the planning and designing of facilities upgrades to meet, and improve on, user-based needs; trains and orients reserve employees; and advises reserve users of the potentialities of various specimens for study and research projects. These tasks require independent contributions based on a working knowledge and application of multiple skilled and technical trades as well as experience with research support in an academic setting. The Reserve Steward is also expected to carry out natural history observations; contribute to archival programs by documenting additions to species lists, historical sites and other landscape features; assist the Reserve Director to determine the need for new operational resources to be engineered in the field or by purchase; represent the reserve to the general public in matters concerning the reserve and its lands, operations and facilities; lead groups of scientists and students in the field or direct the material aspects of their installation of monitoring studies and scientific equipment; lead members of the public during outreach events such as volunteer work days and docent tours; and support on-site fundraising and donor relations efforts.

The Reserve Steward is expected to live on the reserve, work a flexible schedule, be available outside of normal working hours, and be in charge when the Reserve Director is absent. The Reserve Steward may, at times, oversee variable-time staff, outside contractors and volunteer work crews. The rugged living and working conditions require a high level of personal integrity including the ability to sustain professionalism among a small crew of colleagues.  Storms, landslides, floods, wildfires and highway closures can result in physical isolation for extended periods of time.  Of critical importance is a heightened awareness of safety as this is essential when working in a location far from emergency services. Significant creativity and novel solutions are often needed to respond to extraordinary problems that often have an unusual degree of difficulty requiring the use of a wide variety of tools and using on-site materials to fabricate and assemble materials necessary for daily reserve operations. An appreciation for, and support of the scientific and educational mission of the NRS is required.

The University of California Natural Reserve System (NRS) is a unique assemblage of 39 protected wildland sites throughout California.  The reserves encompass nearly all of the state’s major ecosystems, preserved in as undisturbed a condition as possible to support University-level research and teaching programs. The NRS is a Trustee Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act, and UC manages the NRS resources in the Public Trust. The five Natural Reserve sites that form the UC Santa Cruz unit are spread along 60 miles of the central coast:  Año Nuevo Island Reserve (25 acres), Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve (8,000 acres), Ford Ord Natural Reserve (606 acres), Younger Lagoon Reserve (26 acres), and the UCSC Campus Natural Reserve (400 acres).  Each reserve has unique research and teaching opportunities, physical conditions and constraints, regional and local political considerations, and funding and administration issues. 

Research Manager

Santa Cruz Island Reserve, UC Santa Barbara

Job #: 20190614

Apply online at UC Santa Barbara

For primary consideration apply by November 7, 2019.  Thereafter open until filled.

The Natural Reserve System (NRS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), invites applications for the position of Research Manager at Santa Cruz Island Reserve (SCIR) located on Santa Cruz Island in Santa Barbara County, due south of the City of Santa Barbara, and twenty miles west of Ventura, CA.  SCIR is operated through cooperative agreements with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the National Park Service (NPS) – Santa Cruz Island’s two landowners. Located on TNC property, SCIR facilities include 9 buildings, a microwave and weather repeater system, an internet system, vehicles, and equipment.  SCIR is part of the UCSB NRS and operates within the UCSB Office of Research and the University of California Natural Reserve System. The responsibilities of the position are year-round and weather-independent.  This position is offered at 75% of full time. For more information about SCIR visit http://santacruz.nrs.ucsb.edu/.

The NRS mission is to support research, education and public service, and contribute to the understanding and wise stewardship of the Earth.  There are over 4500 user days of activity at SCIR, and users include researchers, university classes, outreach groups, volunteers, and K-12 school groups.

The Research Manager provides a combination of research support, administrative assistance, and stewardship duties for the Santa Cruz Island Reserve.  This includes support for researchers and research projects, university classes and public service uses, and facilities maintenance. The Research Manager is responsible for coordinating the SCIR user schedule, tracking use of reserve facilities, including orienting visitors and providing accurate data concerning use of the facilities, coordinating shipping and receiving of materials to the Reserve, assisting in monitoring research programs, and implementing research from various scientific disciplines.  Stewardship duties include maintaining, repairing, and generally improving SCIR facilities including buildings, decks, utilities, fences, roads, signs, and yards.  The Research Manager assists the Reserve Director and Reserve Steward in responding to facility or equipment failures or other emergency situations. The Research Manager is responsible for supporting field research projects, including monitoring and maintaining field research equipment, facilitating research projects, and helping research users to achieve their research goals using Reserve resources.  The Research Manager will attend meetings, symposia, and conferences on behalf of the Reserve as needed.

The desired candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in environmental science of related field, and have experience with field research. The Research Manager should be self-sufficient, have a high level of initiative and excellent problem solving skills, outstanding written and oral communication skills, the ability to engage productively with diverse user groups and stakeholders, excellent organizational skills, a willingness to assume responsibility readily, and the ability to work effectively with minimal supervision. Preferred qualifications: Experience maintaining scientific equipment including weather stations and webcams, maintaining photovoltaic installations, experience with vehicle repair, experience in land stewardship or management or natural resource management, familiarity with the UC Natural Reserve System, experience with operations at a remote field site.

Working with the Reserve Director, the Research Manager must be prepared to utilize university provided facilities on Santa Cruz Island as needed to support Reserve activities and have a highly altered work schedule, which includes being on call outside of normal business hours. Travel is required to locations including to and from Santa Cruz Island via commercial boat, and outside of UCSB campus and Santa Cruz Island for meetings and conferences.  Employee must be physically fit to perform Reserve management tasks.

Compensation offered for this position is $24.09/hr with full UC Benefits.