Conservation Technician

  POSITION DESCRIPTION

DEPARTMENT TITLE:  Conservation Technician                                            REPORTS TO:  Executive Director

SUPERVISES:  Seasonal Staff                                                                                    FSLA STATUS:  Non - Exempt                                                                                        

_____________________________________________________________________________________

PURPOSE OF POSITION

Under the general direction of the Executive Director, maintain park equipment, buildings, vehicles, and grounds.  Performs a variety of construction, repair, groundskeeping duties, and natural resources management and maintenance.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

·         Cares for turfgrass, trees, and prairie in parks and recreational areas.  Controls weeds, grasses, and invasive species using spraying equipment and herbicides. 

·         Safely operates groundskeeping equipment, including: zero-turn mowers, tractors, skid steers, loaders, brush cutters, trimmers, chainsaws, dump truck, and truck/trailers.

·         Constructs, paints/stains, maintains and repairs park facilities and structures including shelters, restrooms, picnic tables, registration kiosks, fences, trails, signs, and nesting structures using hammers, drills, saws, power equipment, brushes, sprayers and paint rollers.

·         Ability to read blueprints and create construction plans. 

·         Provides corrective and preventive maintenance, including oil changes on trucks, tractors, skid steers, lawn mowers, and other department equipment.

·         Maintains appearance of parks by cleaning showers, latrines, shelter houses, and cabins.  Collects and disposes of debris and garbage.

·         Assists with natural resource management plans for county areas including parks, prairies, wetlands, and forests.

·         Assists with prescribed burning of natural areas established on county and state lands.  Familiar with pump units for controlling prescribed burns.

·         Seeks grant program opportunities and writes grant applications.

·         Maintains and enhances working relationships with other resource organizations including, but not limited to, NRCS, FSA, USFWS, IDNR, INHF, Golden Hills RC&D, DU, PF, NWTF, TNC, and other county conservation boards.

 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities, or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, using some other combination of skills and abilities.  The individual also must be physically able to safely perform the essential functions of the job, with or without the aid of mechanical devices:

·         Knowledge of principles of park maintenance, forestry, and wildlife conservation and management.

·         Knowledge of basic principles of carpentry, plumbing, painting, electricity and groundskeeping.

·         Knowledge of techniques of turf, forest, and prairie care, management, and maintenance.

·         Ability to establish effective working relationships with the public, co-workers, and supervisors.

·         Ability to safely operate a range of motor vehicles, including tractors, trucks, trailers, UTVs, zero turn equipment, loaders, manual transmissions.

·         Knowledge of vehicle maintenance methods and ability to safely use associated tools.

·         Ability to safely apply and work around chemicals associated with ground maintenance and natural resource management, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and poisons.

·         Knowledge of first aid techniques, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillators, and procedures for working with blood borne pathogens.

·         Ability to safely perform and withstand heavy manual outdoor labor for extended periods in extreme weather conditions, and to safely perform a wide range of physical tasks, including reaching with hands and arms; walking on uneven ground; standing; climbing, balancing, kneeling, crouching or crawling, and lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling amounts of weight up to 75 pounds.

·         Ability to work from elevated heights, including, but not limited to, ladders, roofs, and trees.

·         Ability to obtain and maintain required licenses and certifications.

·         Ability to use computer programs including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email, and web pages.

·         Ability to learn, work alone, and make independent decisions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education:  Graduation from a two (2) year college or university with major coursework in natural sciences, parks/recreation, or related field.
• Experience:  Minimum of two (2) years of progressive park and recreation experience, and a demonstrated knowledge of those areas, and progressive thought. 
• Must be willing to work weekends, holidays, irregular or special event hours.

USEFUL CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING:

• Commercial Pesticide Application – Forest, Aquatic, Right-of-Way
• S130/S190 Fire Training

• Demonstrated computer knowledge required

• Iowa Driver’s License and Commercial Driver’s License (class A)
• First Aid/CPR certification

Or Able to Obtain within One (1) Year of Offer of Employment 

MINUMUM PHYSICAL & MENTAL ABILITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL DUTIES/FUNCTIONS:

• Field work is the most extensive.  It involves weekend and special patrol duties and the interaction with park users.  Use and maintenance of vehicles, tractors, mowers, trailers, chainsaws, trimmers, boat/motors, sprayers/chemicals, construction tools, hand/power tools, fire equipment, and painting equipment.  Must have the ability to safely perform and withstand heavy, manual, outdoor labor for extended periods of time, and to safely perform a wide range of physical tasks, on uneven ground, in a variety of locations. 

• Administrative duties require the use of personal computers and programs – Microsoft Office; Office Communications systems (email, phone, voicemail, text); Ability to use basic math; Accounting practices; Ability to interact with a variety of people in a variety of circumstances; Multi-tasking; Work involves numerous interruptions. 

Will be subject to pre-employment background check, driving record, physical and drug screening.

1.       Marginal functions of this position that are incidental to the performance of essential job duties have been excluded from this job description.

2.       Essential duties and responsibilities are subject to modification to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with or without disabilities.  Prospective employees and incumbents are encouraged to discuss possible accommodation with the County.

3.       Job descriptions in no way state or imply that the description includes every duty to be performed by the employee in the position.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.  Initiative and Integrity are a must. 

4.       The County reserves the right to change or re-assign job duties or combine positions at any time.