Environmental Lands Management Specialist (Tier 1) (Lower Green Swamp)

This position will report to the Northeast Region Field Office at Lower Green Swamp Preserve: 3540 East Knights Griffin Road Plant City, Florida.

Monday-Thursday 7:00am to 5:30pm

Job Overview

This field supervisor role on the County's northeast regional land management team provides a wide range of land management and restoration activities in support of the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP). This position is responsible for maintaining and improving the ecological health, public access, and long-term sustainability of natural preserves and conservation lands. The position involves working in the field daily and supervising a crew to ensure various land management tasks are completed, with heavy focus on invasive plant removal and prescribed fire.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate for this position will be a strong land management-oriented leader with experience supervising a team, using herbicide to control invasive plants, participating in prescribed fires, and working with heavy equipment and power tools. They will be willing to work in the field daily, supporting their team and performing various land management tasks, especially invasive plant removal and prescribed fire

Salary

Minimum $48,131.00-$84,281.00 /yearly

Core Competencies

• Customer Commitment - Proactively seeks to understand the needs of the customers and provide the highest standards of service.
• Dedication to Professionalism and Integrity - Demonstrates and promotes fair, honest, professional and ethical behaviors that establishes trust throughout the organization and with the public we serve.
• Organizational Excellence - Takes ownership for excellence through one''s personal effectiveness and dedication to the continuous improvement of our operations.
• Success through Teamwork - Collaborates and builds partnerships through trust and the open exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives to achieve organizational goals.

Tier 1

Job Distinctions

Performs professional and technical duties to implement projects on ELAPP and County lands. Assists project managers with restoration projects and leads prescribed burn activities. May provide supervision and guidance to staff and volunteers, ensure safety and compliance, and supports public outreach

Duties and Responsibilities

Note: The following duties are illustrative and not exhaustive. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Depending on assigned area of responsibility, incumbents in the position may perform one or more of the activities described below.

• Plans, coordinates, and implements site management plans, including trail development, monitoring, restoration projects, invasive plant and prescribed burning activities.

• Schedules maintenance of access points, parking areas, kiosks, recreational trails, fire lanes, and park sites and assist as necessary

• Assists Project Managers with projects on preserved lands.

• Conducts pre- and post-treatment inspections for type and amount of invasive plants and effectiveness of control activities along with planning and scheduling of future control activities.

• Monitors natural communities for management needs and effects of management activities.

• Prepares prescribed burn units and participate on or lead prescribed burns, as directed.

• Operates tractors, backhoes and other heavy machinery

• Fastens and transport loads such as heavy equipment, UTV's, mowers, etc. using trucks and trailers

• Conducts mitigation monitoring including writing reports to government agencies to ensure compliance.

• Leads prescribed burns and herbicide applications.

• Maintains inventory and orders supplies.

• Conducts preventative maintenance on tractors, UTV's, mowers, power tools, and other equipment.

• Maintains grounds, trails and fire lanes through mowing, disking, trimming, etc.

• Trims limbs and brush using hand tools and power saws.

• Opens and closes gates, as needed, for public access.

• Conducts regular site security inspections.

• Posts property boundaries and entrances with appropriate signage.

• Performs guided field trips and volunteer events.

• Assists with exotic/ invasive/ nuisance animal removal.

• Assists with water quality monitoring.

• Attends job skill training and applies new skills, as needed.

• Documents daily activities in preserves, including plant & animal sightings.

• May provide guidance and training, and review the work of others to ensure accuracy, completion, and timeliness; may supervise lower-level staff.

• Performs other duties as related to land management.

Job Specifications

• Knowledge of preserve locations, trails, and access points.
• Knowledge of safe and proficient operation of tractors and similar heavy equipment.
• Ability to plan, organize, and supervise the work of others.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to follow safety procedures and technical directions.
• High degree of adaptability and problem-solving ability.
• Ability to safely operate power tools such as power saws, trimmers, mowers, etc.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Restricted Use Pesticide License/Natural Areas category.
• Ability to attend prescribed fire training, become a Florida Certified Prescribed Burner, lead burns, and maintain certification
• Good interpersonal relations skills with public and co-workers
• Other skills and abilities related to land management.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to walk, climb, run, stoop, bend, stand, push, pull, lift 40 lbs. and carry heavy items.
• Ability to work outdoors year-round in typical Florida conditions.
• Weekend and evening work may be required.
• Work involves being around flames and smoke.
• This position may be required to report for work, and work long hours, when a declaration of emergency has been declared in Hillsborough County.

Work Category

• Medium work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Minimum Qualifications Required

• Graduation from high school or possession of a GED certificate; AND
• Four years of experience in environmental lands management; OR
• An equivalent combination of education, training and experience that would reasonably be expected to provide the job-related competencies noted above; AND
• Must obtain within 6 months of employment valid Restricted Use Pesticide License-Natural Areas Category, and maintain throughout employment; AND
• Must pass basic firefighting training courses (S130, S190, L180) within 6 months of employment; AND
• Must obtain Florida Certified Prescribed Burn Manager certification within 1 year of employment, as directed, and lead prescribed burns.

Additional Requirements for some positions

• Possession of a valid Florida Class "B" Commercial Driver's License with tanker endorsement may be required within 6 months of employment and maintained throughout employment; OR
• Possession of a valid Florida Class "A" Commercial Driver's License with tanker endorsement may be required within 6 months of employment and maintained throughout employment.

Emergency Management Responsibilities

In the event of an emergency or disaster, an employee may be required to respond promptly to duties and responsibilities as assigned by the employee's department, the County's Office of Emergency Management, or County Administration. Such assignments may be for before, during or after the emergency/disaster.

Career Progression

Employees in this classification that acquire the competencies and minimum qualifications for the next tier will be able to apply for promotional opportunities through a competitive selection process. Employees will not automatically be upgraded to the next tier. Reclassifying a position is based on business need and financial impact and is not based solely on the job competencies or qualifications of the incumbent.

Additional Job Requirements

A department, depending on the nature of its mission and operations, may require that employees in all or certain positions in this job classification:

• Maintain the ability to pass the background checks required for the position. These background checks may include but are not limited to:
• Criminal History Background Check using Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS)
• Level 1 and Level 2 Background screening (Ch. 435 Florida Statutes)
• Child Abuse, Abandonment and Neglect Record Check using the State Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS)
• Sex Offender and Sexual Predator record check using the list maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
• Possess the necessary job-related license(s) or certification(s) that may include possession of a Florida Driver License (Class E) or an applicable Commercial Driver License (CDL)