Job Responsibilities
Serve as the Plant Materials Specialist for Idaho and Utah.
Provides technical assistance and technology transfer for
seedings and plantings to NRCS Field Office staff. Responsible
for Seeding, Forestry and Agro-forestry (windbreak) Technical
Standards in the Field Office Technical Guide. Provide review of
all Field Office Technical Guide Standards containing vegetative
components. Responsible for technical oversight of projects and
activities at the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center. Responsible
for the plant materials field testing and demonstration planting
program in Idaho and Utah. Provides technical assistance to
commercial seed growers in Idaho, Nevada and Utah. Organizes
annual Idaho and Utah Plant Materials Committee meetings.
Organizes annual Idaho-Nevada-Utah Interagency Plant Materials
Committee meeting. Serves as the West Region representative on
the National Plant Materials Technical Committee.
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Job Requirements
BS Agricultural Science - Range Science, Montana State
University, Bozeman, Montana, December 1978.
Advanced training - Working Effectively with Livestock Producers,
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas; Technical Training
in Plant and Seed Science, Utah State University and Arizona
State University.
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Uppers
Great satisfaction providing technical support/advise to staff in 3 states on
varied plantings and seeding to meet numerous objectives. No day is the same and
questions from field staff require active thinking process to provide valid
technical assistance and support. Must be very technically sound to provide
appropriate assistance and advise.
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Downers
Not many downers - few things relating to government redtape. You
learn to accept things you can't control and manuver the system -
if you don't have the right personnality/attitude it may get to
you.
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Lifestyle
The carrer path I basically evolved into has allowed a great variety of
experience in the plant sciences. I always wanted to remain in the western US
near mountains and my favorite hobbies. Positions include: Plant Materials
Specialist, NRCS, Boise, ID; Area Range Conservationist, NRCS, Pocatello, ID;
Range Conservationist, NRCS, Fairfield, ID; Range Conservationist, NRCS (SCS),
Twin Falls, ID; Nursery Aid, Montana Agr. Exp. St., Bozeman, MT; Student Trainee,
SCS, Burley, ID; Soil Conservation Aid, SCS, St. Anthony, ID; and Nursery Aid,
Montana Agr. Exp. St, Bozeman, MT and Field Aid, MSU, PSS Dept., Bozeman, MT.
Work hours are approximately 40 hours per week.
Travel in position was minimal during early career positions. My present
position averages about 1-2 weeks per month on the road, and of course I like
travel.
Dress code is pretty casual - jeans and nice shirt most days.
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Compensation
Entry level positions range from $27,000 to 33,000.
Higher grade levels range from $50,000 to 75,000.
A few attain salaries ranging from $75,000 to 100,000. Of course this requires
the willingness to move, high skill level and some luck in obtaining positions
with more resposibility.
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