Nursery and Restoration Technician

Job Summary:

We are seeking an enthusiastic team member to assist in habitat restoration projects with Point Blue’s Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed (STRAW) program. The Nursery and Restoration Technician (NRT) works closely with Novato Baylands staff in addition to the Nursery Manager, Educators, Apprentices, and other program staff to implement and maintain the Novato Baylands native plant nursery and Novato Baylands restoration in Novato, California.

STRAW is a collaborative program that connects schools, community members, businesses, government agencies, public land managers, indigenous communities, and private landowners to restore local ecosystems. For over 30 years, STRAW has been engaging and educating Bay Area students and communities about science, conservation, and water quality through hands-on restoration projects, outreach, and classroom lessons. To date, STRAW has worked with more than 45,000 students to restore over 35 miles of riparian habitat.

STRAW provides full-service restoration project management and implementation to our partners, including locating sites, climate-smart project design, student and volunteer education and training, implementation, maintenance, monitoring and reporting. We work with students and community volunteers to implement restoration projects through hands-on workdays. Student participation and community involvement increases volunteers’ awareness of and experience with stewardship and raises support for partners from the communities they aim to engage.

In addition to hands-on educational workdays for students, STRAW educators deliver classroom lessons focused on water quality, macro invertebrates, biodiversity, watershed science, food webs, and more – all designed to provide students with a greater understanding and appreciation for natural resource conservation. Classroom lessons also help students prepare for hands-on restoration workdays, which reinforce stewardship principles learned in the classroom. STRAW also provides extensive professional development opportunities free to teachers, including assistance with curricula development, education resources, and three annual network events, including Watershed Week – a 3-day intensive training for teachers.

The NRT will lead nursery and restoration work with volunteers, staff, and students in tasks including but not limited to native plant propagation, seed collection, watering, nursery facilities maintenance, and installation and maintenance of restoration plantings.

Essential Functions:

Nursery Support: 40%

Assist with planning and implementing nursery operations, including ordering and staging supplies, and communicating and coordinating with teachers and project partners.
Assist native plant nursery maintenance and operations – including irrigation checks and repairs, improvements to the grounds, capital improvements, e
Carry out seed collection, processing, and germination.
Implement integrated pest management and other tasks to ensure plant health, such as weeding or pruning container stock and weeding propagation beds.
Perform propagation tasks for a wide range of native species including cuttings, seed treatments, sowing seeds, transplanting of rooted cuttings, maintaining propagation beds, and potting/repotting
Follow Best Management Practices for Phytophthora and other plant pathogen prevention such as sanitizing soil, pots, and tools and regularly conducting bench leachate testing for pathogens.
Assist in plant watering including irrigation and back up watering systems.
Maintain and communicate accurate records of seed and plant inventory with tracking numbers.
Communicate effectively with a dynamic team including collaborating with Education staff, leading Interns, Apprentices, and volunteers, with instruction from Project Managers.
Drive vehicles owned by Point Blue (e.g. trucks, tow trailers, all terrain vehicles) from Novato Baylands facility to project sites.
Operate mechanical tools and equipment such as weed whackers, power washers and small engines.
Observe safe work methods and appropriate use of related safety equipment.

Community Engagement and Outreach Support: 25%

Coordinate workdays with classes, volunteers and other staff.
Mentor, supervise and provide technical direction to volunteers and other staff including leading nursery work and coordinating with Project Managers to plan daily tasks and supplies needed.
Lead volunteers, including school groups, Conservation Corps crews, Community College Interns, Apprentices, and other community members in nursery and fieldwork activities while ensuring the safety of all participants and a high quality of work.
Assist in logistics of regularly occurring community volunteer program, such as tracking volunteer data and scheduling.
Support STRAW student field trip days in the field.
Build relationships with STRAW teachers, aid them with resources, ideas, and development of relevant lessons.

Restoration Support: 30%

Assist with planning and implementing restoration and non-native plant management, including ordering and staging restoration supplies, preparing field sites, installing plants with staff and volunteers, and communicating and coordinating with teachers and project partners.
Participate in physically demanding field work such as working on steep hillsides, carrying restoration equipment such as shovels, rock bars, and supply bins, loading and unloading vehicles, etc.
Assist with coordinating and maintaining restoration sites during spring and summer, including assessing site requirements and plant health in the field, installing drip irrigation, handwatering, weeding, tracking, and recording maintenance activities.
Track details, like restoration supplies and tools, maintain accurate logs, including data collection and entry, photo-monitoring, and report writing.

Other Duties as Assigned: 5%

Perform other tasks, projects, and research as assigned to support habitat enhancement at the Novato Baylands.
Attend restoration-related meetings, build relationships with local project partners, and support restoration education and efforts regionally.
Seek out opportunities to expand knowledge in regards to habitat restoration, plant propagation, ecology and other relevant topics.

Supervisory Responsibility:

Will provide general guidance to volunteers and other STRAW staff in nursery and field-related work.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Familiar with ecological restoration work, including physically demanding field work.
Familiar with California native plants (identification, propagation, conservation).
Familiar with Phytophthora best management practices.
Familiar with basic and general nursery operations.
Adept at teaching and engaging with K-12 students and other public audiences.
Desire to acquire deeper knowledge of ecosystem processes, terminology, scientific research methods and techniques involved in ecosystem conservation and management.
Openness to take in and share knowledge and skills, as well as hear new perspectives.
A strong sense of self awareness and the willingness to engage in reflective practice.
Strengths in problem solving and troubleshooting challenges.
Work respectfully on private and public property.
Work in both a team setting and individually.
Lead small teams of people in the nursery and the field.
Listen carefully and execute detailed instructions.
Familiar with Microsoft Office and Google Suite, including spreadsheets, word processing, and email applications.
Communicate and interact effectively with people across cultures, ethnic groups, and identities.
Practice self awareness and respect while engaging with people of all backgrounds and ages.
Bilingual capability in English-Spanish is desirable.

Certifications and/or Licenses:

Valid US driver’s license (4 year minimum) with favorable driving history to drive company owned vehicles.

Approved background check and fingerprinting to work with students.

Preferred Education and Experience:

Any combination of education, experience and training that is equivalent to a minimum of 1-2 years of experience including, but not limited to:

natural resource management, habitat restoration, natural sciences, horticulture, biology, ecology, restoration, botany, agronomy, agriculture, wildlife management, small engine repair, mechanics, engineering, hydrology, irrigation, landscaping, traditional ecological knowledge or related work.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

The position is based out of Point Blue facilities located in Novato, California.
Ability to travel to and from Novato as well as travel to seed collection locations throughout Marin County.
This position occasionally requires one to work in remote field locations with uneven terrain, limited vehicle access, limited cell phone reception, and sometimes in a solitary capacity.
Must be able to work in adverse weather conditions such as rain, heat, wind, and cold temperatures.
Ability to stand, bend, stoop, sit, walk and perform other physical activities.
Ability to lift up to 40 pounds and complete strenuous physical tasks.

Position Type, Expected Hours of Work, and Travel:

This position will be full time, 40 hours per week, non-exempt with overtime pay.
The schedule will vary according to the season but generally it is 7:30am-4pm Monday – Friday, with some overtime possible and occasional weekend work.

How to Apply

Please apply through this Google form by August 11th. For questions, email jobs@pointblue.org.