Field Technician
Intervale Associates Inc.
PO Box 172
Doyles, Newfoundland & Labrador A0N1J0
www.intervale.ca
Contact: Russell Wall,
Tel: 709‐686‐5927
Email: [email protected]
Job Location: Western Newfoundland
Wage / Salary: 37.5 hours per week, $18/hr, 36 weeks
Job Description:
Intervale Associates is seeking a Field Technician in Environmental Sustainability within the Forestry Sector for the 2022
summer/fall season activities in insular Newfoundland and Labrador. The Technician will contribute substantially to a
project that will assess impacts to forest, riparian, and stream habitats attributed to commercial and domestic timber
harvesting as well as to recreational activities in these habitats. The project aims to assess, conserve, and in some
instances restore habitat and habitat connectivity for forest species, especially federally and/or provincially listed
species at risk and ones of conservation concern. These species include American Marten (Newfoundland population),
Little Brown Myotis, Atlantic salmon, Rusty Blackbird, Gray‐cheeked Thrush, and other species. Training may be offered
in the assessment of old dams that were built decades ago by timber harvest industries and techniques for river
assessments and monitoring of wildlife.
The Technician will also engage in a variety of education activities aimed at reducing habitat damage caused by
recreational ATV users, cabin owners, and snowmobilers in the forested region. The Technician will speak one‐on‐one
with cabin owners to educate them on best practices to reduce threats to species at risk and their habitats. The
Technician will be invited to give presentations (in‐person or remote if COVID restrictions are in place) to school children
and youth groups in the region. The Technician will assist in the distribution of information materials that are produced
by Intervale and will assist with clean‐ups that aim to restore riparian habitat. The Technician will attend meetings
involving partnering organizations engaged in conservation and be given useful opportunities for networking with
professionals.
The project will result in positive, beneficial outcomes, which will be measured in several ways. Volume, weight, and
category of waste will be measured at all clean‐ups. Participant numbers will be tallied at all events and responses to
exit quizzes recorded. The program enables Intervale to extend its reach in performing conservation measures to more
forested areas and more rivers thanks to the program. The intern also benefits, as Intervale has received abundant
positive feedback from individuals who have served in the Career Launcher program. At least three long‐term, full‐time
jobs in conservation have been created for interns in Newfoundland as a result of the program.
The technician will be given opportunities to engage in other fish, wildlife, and marine species at risk projects in which
Intervale is currently engaged. These include projects for the conservation of Newfoundland marten, long‐distance
migratory shorebirds, endangered bats, and marine species at risk. For the marine species at risk work, the technician
will be asked to participate in dockside dialogue with fish harvesters about their compliance with recovery actions for
threatened species of wolffish. The intern will participate in monitoring activities for colonies of Bank Swallow, a
threatened species. The technician will learn about the operations of a small non‐profit organization working with
communities and stakeholder groups in the conservation of species of ecological, cultural, and economic importance to
Newfoundland. There may be opportunities for continued employment beyond the length of the Clean Tech Internship,
as has been the case for former Clean Tech interns with Intervale.
Field work, public interactions, and presentations will follow federal and provincial health directives that may be in place
pertaining to the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Learning and applying assessment techniques for forested habitats, including measurements of old dams,
bridges, and culverts, and impacts caused by woods roads to timber harvesting areas.
Collecting data in the field, uploading to databases, and documenting with photographs.
Bird identification and assessment of breeding. Contributing to the Newfoundland Bird Atlas database.
Learning, applying, and teaching about techniques for assessing the presence of Newfoundland Marten.
Learning and teaching about techniques and best practices for reducing accidental catch of marten by trapping
and snaring activities in forested areas.
Recording GPS coordinates and measuring area of habitat restored or conserved.
Maintaining volunteer contact and motivation. Writing project posts for social media.
Assisting with presentations to youth and adults on topics of birds, fisheries, marten, bats, and marine and
freshwater species. Leading presentations where possible.
Effective and timely communication with program staff and partners.
Requirements:
Basic knowledge of forest ecology and tree identification essential; introductory knowledge of silviculture
techniques desirable.
Experience with data collection, database maintenance, and reporting of results.
Organizational skills including collection and transcription of field and meeting notes.
Commitment to sustainable practices as relate to forestry, fish and wildlife recreational activities, and
conservation biology.
Appreciation for rural Newfoundland and its dependency on resource extraction.
Interest in rural lifestyles and recreational pursuits. Experience with hunting and fishing desirable but not
essential.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to cultivate positive relationships with volunteers from a wide range of
backgrounds, including hunters, fish harvesters, ATV and snowmobile users, and youth..
Skill in using Microsoft office programs: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. GIS skills are an asset.
Strong communication skills with the ability to write short reports.
Ability to operate a vehicle safely and in a variety of winter weather conditions.
Ability to work safely in the field in most weather conditions, including cold, snow, rain, and wind, and to
tolerate biting insects.
Ability to walk up to 15 km on woods roads, riparian habitat, and beaches; 8 km stream beds, and 5km in winter
on snow.
Ability to navigate in the field, operate a GPS unit, and use binoculars.
Ability to operate power tools safely.
Skill in operating an ATV and a snowmobile is an asset.
A valid driver’s license is required and access to a vehicle for the duration of the contract is preferred.
To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for two references to [email protected] .
To learn more about Intervale, please visit our website at www.intervale.ca and our Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/IntervaleAssociates/
Intervale Associates Intervale Associates provides programs and services in the fields of conservation and heritage interpretation.
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