The King County Noxious Weed Control Program is hiring four Noxious Weed Control Field Assistants for the 2021 weed season. If you (or someone you know) are passionate about the prevention, control, and eradication of invasive plants, this could be the perfect job. See below for the job description and application instructions. All inquiries and application materials should go to rweeds@kingcounty.gov. You can use the same email to request a PDF of this job announcement if the format below is difficult to read. Closing date is March 26, 2021.
King County Invites Applications for the Position of: Noxious Weed Control Specialist I Noxious Weed Control Field Assistant King County is committed to equity and diversity in the workplace. In addition, the county is committed to recruiting and maintaining a quality workforce that shares our guiding principles: collaborative, service-oriented, results-focused, accountable, innovative, professional and fair and just. CLOSING DATE/TIME: Friday, March 26, 2021 11:59 PM PST SALARY: $24.2004- $30.6756 hourly WORK LOCATION: King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle WA 98104 JOB TYPE: Short-Term Temporary (STT), April-October 2021 DEPARTMENT: DNRP - Natural Resources & Parks SUMMARY: King County's Noxious Weed Control Program Unit is currently seeking four highly qualified candidates for the position of Noxious Weed Control Field Assistant. The King County Noxious Weed Control Program works to prevent and reduce the economic, environmental and social impacts of noxious weeds in King County. The program's focus is to achieve voluntary control of noxious weeds through education and technical assistance to landowners. Where this fails, regulatory compliance procedures may be used. We are looking for motivated, resourceful, diligent, and field-savvy team players to carry out noxious weed control work. The ideal candidate will use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control noxious weeds in a variety of ecosystems. The persons will work closely with the Noxious Weed Specialists and private landowners to control noxious weeds across King County. Activities may include manual and chemical control; vegetation surveys via vehicle, boat, and foot; data collection; and associated office tasks. These persons will work in challenging outdoor conditions. We are seeking up to four candidates to start in mid-late April. For more information about the program, please see: https://kingcounty.gov/weeds. ABOUT OUR DIVISION: The Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) safeguards King County’s water and land resources by providing services that protect public health and safety and yield significant environmental benefits. WLRD employs scientists, engineers, policy experts, ecologists, and project managers dedicated to protecting the health and integrity of King County’s natural resources, so that they can be enjoyed today and for generations to come. WHO MAY APPLY: These positions are open to all qualified applicants. This recruitment will be used to fill up to 4 seasonal positions. This STT position works seasonally – up to 6 months or 960 hours per year (April-October). King County values diverse perspectives, life experiences and differences. The Water and Land Resources Division encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans. We are committed to being equitable and fair in providing equal access to opportunities for all. FORMS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED: • Resume • Cover Letter detailing your background and describing how your education and experience meets the qualifications and has prepared you to perform the essential functions of the job (please limit to no more than two pages) • Response to supplemental question(s), listed at the end of this announcement: (max 500 words) You must complete and email all required materials to rweeds@kingcounty.gov Acceptable forms for application materials documents are .doc, .docx, .pdf. Applications without all required materials may not be considered for this position. WORK SCHEDULE: This is an hourly position that is governed by the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime pay eligible with prior approval. This is a 40-hour per week position and work schedule may vary between 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday or 7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Some work outside of normal working hours may be required (but will be arranged ahead of time). This position is not eligible for benefits, although a King County ORCA card will be provided for the term of employment. JOB DUTIES: • Safely control weeds using herbicide application and physical removal or other control method. • Safely conduct field surveys via vehicle, boat (human- and motor-powered), and on foot to identify, document, and map weed infestations using GPS equipment and smartphones. • Carry out control of noxious weed infestations on rivers, lakes, and in urban, rural and natural areas. Safely travel on varied, uneven terrain, in moving water, and work in all weather conditions. • Communicate with landowners to coordinate control of weed infestations and provide educational and technical services regarding weed management. • Respond to requests for weed management information from citizens and landowners. • Accurately record and maintain data in spatial and relational databases. Assist with data analysis, quality control, and report writing. • Assist other Noxious Weed Specialists on special projects, surveys, and control efforts. • Assist with community outreach, public presentations, training, and educational events. • Collaborate effectively with coworkers. • Proactively maintain field gear daily. • Safely drive county vehicles to job sites. • Other related duties as assigned. • Position mostly field-based, but some office tasks will need to be completed in flexible office space/work from home setting. • A work vehicle will be supplied if you don’t have a vehicle of your own. EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS: • At least 2 years education and/or practical experience in plant biology, natural sciences, natural resource management, weed control and/or related field. • Familiarity with basic plant characteristics and biology. • Ability to identify common plants found in western Washington. • Familiarity with principles of Integrated Pest Management and weed control methods. • Strong customer service skills. • Ability to work independently and as part of a team, coordinating with others to facilitate teamwork. • Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously under tight deadlines, prioritizing work and managing own time. • Experience with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and common smartphone applications. • Comfortable in and around moving water; ability to swim. Ability to learn to operate and work from human powered watercraft. • Ability to conduct noxious weed surveys from a car and on foot over terrain of varying difficulty, including steep areas and dense vegetation while carrying gear. • Ability to carry a heavy backpack (up to 40lbs) in riparian backcountry for long periods during the day. Exposure to inclement weather conditions expected. • Flexibility in changing work conditions, daily assignments, and project leaders. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: • Knowledge of noxious weed taxonomy, biology, and impacts; experience applying Integrated Pest Management methodologies. • Demonstrated field experience in managing noxious weed infestations and their impacts to natural resources. • Knowledge of field equipment including safe operation and field maintenance of equipment such as hand tools, brush cutters, backpack and power sprayers. • Ability to effectively communicate with the public on difficult, sensitive, and technical issues, both verbally and in writing. • Knowledge of Washington State Noxious Weed Control Law and other relevant local, state, and federal laws. • Experience with databases, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and applications handling tabular and spatial data sets. • The ideal candidate will be organized, adaptable, proactive, friendly, and have good attention to detail and problem-solving skills. WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This position requires the ability to perform extensive field work in occasionally difficult conditions, including: walking on uneven terrain and in slippery conditions; walking through mucky, brushy or densely forested sites; working in and around streams, rivers, and wetlands; carrying up to 40 pounds of field equipment; paddling canoes on lakes and working from human- powered watercraft. Long hours (10+ hour days) are occasionally needed for field work. Fieldwork may involve working in remote locations and during inclement weather. Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required by the department in alignment with the Public Health Directive from the Seattle & King County Public Health Officer. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint. NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: • A final offer of employment will be contingent upon successfully passing a pre-employment physical. • Possession of a valid Washington State Driver's license prior to employment. • Must be able to swim. • Must be able to work occasional evening and weekends. • Must be able to obtain a Washington State Public Pesticide Operator license within 30 days of hire (can prepare for and obtain the licenses while on the job). SELECTION PROCESS: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Reference checks will be conducted before the final offer of employment. UNION MEMBERSHIP: This is a non-represented position. For questions regarding this announcement please email: rweeds@kingcounty.gov Supplemental Question s Answers to the Supplemental Questions must be completed and submitted with the application. The information you provide will help to determine your eligibility for further consideration. You will be evaluated on the clarity of your response, and on the level and extent of the knowledge and experience demonstrated. Please limit your responses to no more than 500 words. Noxious Weed Control Field Assistant Supplemental Questions 1. What excites you about this position? (We really want to know! Be specific about your passions and interests). 2. While this is an entry-level position, field work activities will occur in occasionally physically difficult (but not dangerous) situations where physical and mental adaptability will be needed. Tell us about your grit (mental and physical); how adaptable are you? If you need an accommodation in the recruitment process or an alternate format of this announcement, please inquire directly with the contact listed on the job announcement or the department's Human Resources Service Delivery Manager.