Conservation Technician

PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Harrison County Conservation is currently accepting applicants for the permanent full-time position of Conservation Technician.  Position will be stationed at Willow Lake Recreation Area, Woodbine, Iowa.  Work week is non-standard, but generally M-F from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.  Salary range will be $36,000 to $38,000 per year, plus standard county benefits including health insurance, vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, and uniform allowance.  Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, references, and completed job application to Harrison County Conservation, Director Scott Nelson, 2725 Easton Trail, Woodbine, Iowa 51579 or email to hccb@HarrisonCountyParks.org.  Deadline for applications is 4:30 pm, Friday, April 19, 2019.  Inquiries or questions to (712)-647-2785, stnelson@HarrisonCountyParks.org, or www.HarrisonCountyParks.org.

HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA

Position Description

PURPOSE OF POSITION

Under the general direction of the Conservation Director and Support Staff.  Maintains park equipment, buildings, vehicles, and grounds.  Performs a variety of construction, repair, grounds keeping duties, and natural resources management and maintenance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintains and develops park and wildlife areas and their resources as directed.

Cares for turf grass, trees, and prairie in parks and recreational areas.  Controls weeds, grasses, and invasive species using spraying equipment and herbicides.  Prepare and apply chemicals.

Safely operates grounds keeping equipment, including: zero-turn mowers, tractors, skid steers, loaders, brush cutters, trimmers, chain saws, dump truck, and truck/trailers.

Mows grass and trims vegetation by safely using a variety of power and hand tools, vehicles, and equipment.

Maintains fences and boundaries signage throughout conservation areas.  Replace and construct fences.

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 a blueprint and create construction plans.  Uses basic math and construction techniques to accurately order materials and construct square, plumb, and level structures.

Maintains condition of conservation board buildings by painting and staining, repairing or replacing roofs, boards, doors, windows, floors, and concrete.

Assists with construction of buildings including cabins, shelter houses, and latrines, using hand, power, and carpentry tools.

Repairs, installs, and maintains electrical wiring and fixtures and plumbing fixtures and pipes.  Reads schematics and diagrams and uses hand and power tools and meters.

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

Cuts, splits and stacks firewood using chain saws and wood splitters.

Safely uses chain saws, pole saws, and logging equipment to fell and cut trees.

Checks camper registrations and patrols parks occasionally during weekdays.

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

Interacts and responds to questions from users of park facilities and areas.

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

Develops and implements strategies for dealing with invasive species.

Assists with the develops and implement prescribed burn plans to enhance wildlife habitat.

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 grounds keeping.

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 operate and maintain landscape, construction and power equipment including, but not limited to, tractors, skid steers, mowers, small engine equipment, power tools.

Ability to safely operate and maintain electrical tools, including wire strippers, fish tape, pliers, wire nuts, and volt ohm meters.

Ability to safely apply and work around chemicals associated with grounds 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 use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.

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.

Specific vision ability requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Ability to safely operate prescribed burning equipment, including pumps, bladder bags, and torches.

Ability to obtain and maintain required licenses and certifications.

Knowledge of natural resource management practices.

Knowledge of seeding and chemical rates.

Ability to operate a variety of equipment including tractors, implements, sprayers, pumps, UTVs, skid loaders, dump trucks, mowers, and saws.

Knowledge of invasive species control.

Ability to identify tree, plant, and wildlife species.

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

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

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Graduation from an accredited college or university with major course work in a recognized natural resource/science curriculum; or a two-year college degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a recognized natural resource/science curriculum and a minimum of two years of natural resource program experience in such operation areas as forestry, parks management, land uses, recreation or related field; or high school diploma or G.E.D. and four years experience in related field or an equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Possession of a valid Iowa Drivers License.

Possession of an Iowa Commercial Drivers License, class B with airbrakes, or ability to obtain within six months of hire.

Certification in CPR or ability to become certified with six months of hire.

Certification as a commercial pesticide applicator, categories 2 and 6, or ability to become certified within six months of hire.

S130 and S190 fire certifications, or ability to become certified within six months of hire.

Must pass pre-employment drug and alcohol screen and background check.  Random drug screening is required during employment.

Must pass post offer, pre-employment physical examination prior to first official workday.

Must be willing to work weekends, holidays, or irregular hours if required, and be willing to wear prescribed uniform if required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Most work is performed outside on department grounds, in parks, recreation, conservation, and wildlife areas.  Work involves exposure to a variety of weather conditions, including extreme temperatures, snow, rain, hail, and ice conditions.  Work involves regular exposure to fumes or airborne particles.  Employee will work near moving mechanical parts.  Work may involve heavy manual labor; climbing ladders; walking on uneven ground; lifting and carrying heavy objects; operating heavy equipment; and exposure to noise, safety hazards, burns, cuts, animals and toxic agents.                                           

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

2.       Essential functions are subject to possible modification to reasonable accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities.  Prospective employees and incumbents are encouraged to discuss possible accommodations 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 assigned by their supervisor.

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

Job Description and Fillable Job Application