Research Technician - Woodland Vegetation Monitoring

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].

Job Description

The University of Nevada, Reno is recruiting a motivated, detail-oriented, and collaborative Research Technician with experience in ecological fieldwork and laboratory research to join the Nevada Forest and Woodland Restoration Institute (NFWRI) and Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science (NRES). ***This position does not provide layoff rights and is contingent upon funding. This position supports the recently established NFWRI investigating forest health, wildfire impacts, fuel treatments, and forest ecosystem processes throughout the Great Basin and Eastern Sierra. The position is located at the University of Nevada, Reno, with periodic travel to field research sites, and reports to Dr. Robert Shriver, Associate Professor in NRES and Director of NFWRI.

The Research Technician will play an important role in coordinating and conducting field research, leading field crews, processing laboratory samples, managing research data, and assisting with data analysis and scientific reporting. The successful candidate will be comfortable working independently in both field and laboratory settings, organizing research activities, maintaining equipment, and collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and research partners.

Responsibilities include:

• Conduct field surveys in forests throughout Nevada and eastern California to assess forest health and evaluate the effects of wildfire and fuel treatments on forest ecosystems.
• Coordinate field research logistics, develop and implement sampling protocols, prepare equipment and supplies, and communicate with land managers and research collaborators regarding site access, permits, and sampling schedules.
• Lead field crews in collecting ecological data and samples while ensuring research protocols, sample handling procedures, and safety requirements are followed.
• Process and analyze laboratory samples, operate and maintain scientific equipment, and organize and maintain research records and datasets.
• Assist with data management, basic statistical analyses using R, and the preparation of research summaries, reports, presentations, and scientific manuscripts.
• Maintain laboratory facilities, field equipment, and research vehicles, including performing routine preventative maintenance and minor repairs.
• Coordinate laboratory schedules and shared resources and provide task assignments, training, and procedural guidance to student employees, staff, and volunteers as assigned.
• Collaborate with faculty, students, postdoctoral researchers, visiting scientists, land managers, and external partners to support the effective operation of the forest ecology research program.

The successful candidate will exercise sound judgment, maintain accurate research records, communicate effectively with research team members, and follow established research protocols and institutional safety requirements. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to applied ecological research addressing forest management, wildfire, and ecosystem health in the western United States.

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in biological, soil or crop science or closely related field; OR
• High school graduation and two years of experience related to the assigned research area in which the applicant performed duties equivalent to preparing experimental field plots, preparing feed rations according to research criteria and collecting and/or recording simple field data; OR
• An equivalent combination of education and experience as described above.

Licensure

A valid Class “C” driver’s license or higher operator’s license is required at the time of appointment and as a condition of continuing employment.

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with the following are encouraged to apply:

• A bachelor's degree in ecology, forestry, environmental science, natural resources, or a closely related field
• Experience conducting ecological, forestry, environmental, or natural resources research in field and laboratory settings.
• Experience with forest ecology, forest health monitoring, wildfire research, fuel treatments, or related ecosystem processes.
• Experience using R or other statistical software for data management, visualization, and basic statistical analysis.
• Experience coordinating field projects, leading field crews, maintaining research equipment, or training students and research personnel.

• Demonstrate the ability to conduct field and laboratory research, follow established protocols, maintain accurate research records, and work independently with limited supervision.

Schedule and Travel

• Full-time position with a schedule that varies according to seasonal fieldwork and research project needs.
• Periodic travel to field research sites throughout Nevada and California, including remote forested areas.
• Early mornings, late evenings, and extended workdays may be required during seasonal research activities.
• Outdoor fieldwork may occur during inclement weather and under variable environmental conditions.
• Fieldwork requires hiking long distances over uneven terrain while carrying a backpack containing supplies and equipment weighing up to approximately 50 pounds.
• Occasional extended hours may be necessary to troubleshoot equipment or complete time-sensitive research activities.

Compensation Grade

Grade 28

In classified service, salary is in Grade and Step. The Step is determined based on the Nevada Administrative Code. Salary placement above a Step 01 at initial appointment is determined based on the recruitment, the candidate’s qualifications, internal equity and budgets. A request to accelerate salary must be approved by Human Resources and abide by the Nevada Administrative Code.

To view the classified compensation schedules, please visit: Classified Compensation. Select Salary schedule, CBA C & L; PP01 or PP02.

For more information, visit the Classified Salary Calculator

The Perks of PERS

Employees are enrolled in The Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada (PERS) upon hire.  For information on contribution rates, please visit:  NV PERS Contribution Rates 

• Rich retirement plan - Retirement Calculator

Perks of Working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
• Life insurance, generous annual and sick leave - Classified Benefits
• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options.
• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
• Staff Employees’ Council (SEC) represents all Classified employees. SEC holds monthly meetings to provide a forum for employees to participate. SEC

Grants-in-aid for Classified Employees

The University encourages employees to pursue training and educational opportunities available to them through the Nevada System of Higher Education institutions. Tuition is paid in full when Classified employees enroll in a course that can apply toward the completion of a degree or is job-related. Classified Staff Grants-In-Aid Benefit

Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program

The University offers this program for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents of Classified employees (working at least 50%). The Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program may be used for undergraduate and graduate state-supported courses. Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program

Department Information

https://www.unr.edu/nfwri

Exempt

No

Full-Time Equivalent

100.0%

Required Attachment(s)

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected].

Attach the following attachment(s) to your application

Resume/CV – (required) List a detailed description of the major duties that you performed as part of each job. You must demonstrate that you qualify for the position and your education and experience must be clearly documented.

Cover Letter – (required) Letter describing interest in position, research experience, and how experience aligns with preferred qualifications.

Contact Information for Three Supervisory References – (required) Please make a note if you do not want your present employer contacted unless necessary to determine your qualifications for the position.

Transcripts – (optional) If you have not graduated, please attach your transcripts to receive education credit for classes you have taken. Credit is given for classes relevant to the position.

Veteran Interview Consideration – (optional) – To receive interview consideration for veterans and veterans with a service-connected disability, proof is required at the time of application.  Please attach proof electronically to your application under the Veteran Document(s) section. (Examples of acceptable documents include DD-214, disability letter from Veteran's Administration, etc).

For full consideration, applications must be received by December 15th.

Posting Close Time

This posting will close at 12:00 am on the date listed below. The posting will no longer be available to apply to after 11:59 pm the day prior.

Posting Close Date

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno