Forest Ecology Field Crew Member

Employer

University of California, Davis (Forest Change Analysis Lab, Department of Plant Sciences)

Compensation

Approximately $20/hour

Employment period

May 20 (or 27) through July 31, with potential for extension by several weeks to assist with data inspection

Location

  • 80%: remote field sites in forests across California (Duty station: UC Davis, Davis, CA)
  • 20%: office (computer lab) at UC Davis (with the option for some but not all work to be performed remotely)

Purpose

The Field Crew Member will support the Forest Change Analysis Lab in collecting vegetation data from forests in central and northern California. The work will support an expansion of the Open Forest Observatory project, which is automating forest inventory by combining over-canopy drone-based reconstructions with under-canopy 360-degree (GoPro) imagery to better capture understory trees, shrubs, and logs. This project involves drone and ground imagery collection and ground-based vegetation inventory to support development and validation of automated inventory methods. A professional Drone Pilot & Crew Leader (separate position) will pilot drone and lead ground-based fieldwork.

This position may be combined with the Extension: Field Logistics & Data Manager position and/or Extension: Data Scientist position for interested applicants with the necessary additional qualifications. This would extend the employment period and responsibilities.

Job description

The crew member is responsible for conducting field sampling and interpreting collected imagery. The crew member will be responsible for the following:

  • Field data collection & logistics (80%): Collect ground-based data, including GoPro imagery and manual vegetation inventory data. Vegetation inventory will include mapping of individual trees and surveying transects to record the locations of shrubs and logs. Drive to and between field sites; navigate to sites on remote roads. Ensure the field equipment is managed and maintained properly. Provide safety and logistical support to the Drone Pilot. Assist the crew leader in maintaining records and awareness of site safety, including evacuation routes and nearby medical facilities.

  • Data management and imagery interpretation (20%): Manage and organize collected data, including transferring imagery to servers in the office and entering handwritten data into spreadsheets. Inspect collected drone and GoPro imagery for quality; annotate vegetation types in drone and GoPro imagery to support computer vision model training.

Due to the remoteness of the field sites, the crew member should expect to spend up to 7 consecutive days in the field (see Work schedule, below) with frequent relocations of camp (included in work hours) during each field hitch.

Work location & camping

The duty station is Davis, CA (UC Davis). Field hitches will begin and end at UC Davis. While conducting fieldwork, the crew will primarily be car camping near the project study sites on National Forests. Camping will usually be “dispersed camping” (undeveloped areas with no facilities that are adjacent to remote roads) but will occasionally be in campsites (with campsite fees paid by employer). Camping location will change frequently as the crew moves to different study areas.

Work schedule

The default work schedule will generally consist of 8 10-hour days, followed by 6 days off (80 work hours every 2 weeks), beginning and ending on Wednesdays. The 8-day periods will likely include 1-3 days of office work, usually the last of the 8 days, to document the previous field period and prepare for the next. Some but not all of this office work may be performed remotely. Travel between Davis and the field sites, and between field sites, is included in work hours. The 1-3 office days (10-30 hours) may be spread over more shorter work days if practical and preferred. The incumbent is expected to coordinate schedules with fellow crew members and the crew leader to achieve the greatest efficiency.

During fire season, smoke and fire hazards may necessitate rapid adjustments to work location or schedule (e.g., shifting departure and/or return dates to avoid hazardous fire weather conditions). In the event of extended periods of fire or smoke hazards, the position supervisor will work to identify alternative work locations that avoid hazards, but during peak fire season, continuous full-time employment cannot be guaranteed.

Transportation

Crew members will be expected to share in driving a UC Davis fleet vehicle to the field sites. Field hitches will begin and end at UC Davis. Travel to field sites will require extensive highway driving as well as driving on rough, remote, poorly-signed backcountry roads.

Equipment and gear

All necessary field equipment will be provided. Communal camping gear (e.g., water jugs and cooking gear) will also be provided. Crew members will be responsible for their own personal camping gear and field clothing.

Training

Training in field methods, equipment, and safety will be provided. Valid wilderness first aid (or more advanced) certification, or willingness to complete training prior to the start of the field season, is required (registration costs will be covered by the employer).

Work conditions/physical demands

Crew members must be in very good physical condition. Field conditions will often be hot with limited shade, but can also be very cold and potentially wet. Work may require hiking up to 2 miles per day (though usually much less) with a pack through sometimes difficult and steep terrain, without trails, and sometimes with dense and/or thorny understory vegetation. Comfort working under these conditions is essential! Because the work will occur in unburned forests, shrub cover will rarely be excessively dense, but areas of dense vegetation will occur. Work will involve camping, often with no facilities (see Work location, above). Work requires careful, legible handwriting and careful attention to detail.

Minimum qualifications

  • Completed or in-progress bachelor’s degree in ecology, natural resource management, or related natural science field
  • Experience in scientific data collection through coursework and/or job experience
  • Comfort with and ability to maintain a positive attitude in physically demanding and/or uncomfortable conditions (see Work conditions/physical demands, above)
  • Experience camping in remote locations with no facilities
  • CPR and Wilderness First Aid certified (certification may be accomplished after job offer is made, with registration cost paid by the employer)

Desired qualifications

  • Skilled in identifying California trees and shrubs
  • Experience working with complex data recording equipment
  • Valid driver’s license; willingness to share driving responsibilities
  • Experience operating a vehicle on rough, remote roads

Application due date

Review of applications will begin on December 22, 2025 and continue until the position is filled.

To apply

Please submit a cover letter (including your interest in the position, relevant experience, and availability dates), CV/resume, unofficial transcripts from any completed (within last 3 years) and in-progress degree programs, and contact information for three references (including name, organization, email, and relationship to you) using this Google form. The form includes more detailed instructions. For questions about the position, contact Derek Young, djyoung@udavis.edu.