Job Description
Overview
Starting at $20.00/hour. This position also provides housing (if needed) and a vehicle for work-related travel.
Located in the beautiful Sawtooth and Caribou-Targhee National Forests in Idaho, this position assists in collecting data for the USDA National Forest Service’s National Visitor Use Monitoring Program. The data collected through these surveys are used by the USDA National Forest Service to track visitation patterns and trends, estimate visitors’ economic impact, evaluate the condition of national forests and their recreation infrastructure, and estimate the amount of annual visitation of each national forest. We are looking for people to work between July through the end of October. This is a year-round data collection effort, and there are opportunities to work part-time in the winter and full-time July through October.
Professional Experience To Be Gained This position will provide many opportunities to learn about recreational use on national forest lands, data collection methodologies, and national forest management.
Responsibilities Duties will include conducting on-site surveys with national forest visitors at various recreation access points including trailheads, campgrounds, lakes/reservoirs, resorts, etc. Survey locations and use levels change each day, so this position provides a great opportunity to see and explore national forest lands and interact with diverse national forest visitors.
Qualifications Minimum Qualifications: - Applicants must be motivated, organized, self-sufficient, great problem solvers, safety conscious, and enjoy talking and interacting with people whom they are unfamiliar. The bulk of work is interacting with national forest visitors and conducting face-to-face interviews, sometimes as many as forty per day—the average is around 6-8 surveys per-day. This is not akin to cold-call telemarketing. National forest visitors are generally interested and eager to provide feedback to aid in the management of the areas they use and love.
- This position occasionally requires the research assistant to spend time alone, sometimes in very remote areas in varying weather conditions. This position will also require the research assistant to camp alone in remote areas for multiple days. Because of these factors, it is imperative that the research assistant be able to navigate through remote, unfamiliar, and sometimes rough areas, and be comfortable camping alone and spending multiple days in the field.
Required Documents Along with the online application, please attach:
- Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
- Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application
**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**
Advertised Salary $20.00 per Hour
ADA The environment and physical requirements may change depending on the specific function of the work performed. Incumbents may be in both indoor and outdoor environments. Indoors, in an office space, event space, or public space are protected from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes. Incumbents may often use repetitive hand motion (such as typing). Outdoors, incumbents may not be protected from weather conditions and may be exposed to extreme heat and extreme cold. Incumbents may be required to walk and/or stand for long periods of time.
College/Department Highlights The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is nationally and internationally recognized for its research, extension, and teaching on natural and socio-environmental ecosystems. It is a high-impact college at Utah State University with over $15M in research funding annually, 55 tenure-track faculty in three departments, and close partnerships with federal and state natural resource agencies.
The Department of Environment and Society uses the social, environmental, and interdisciplinary sciences to understand human-environment interactions at a range of spatial scales and to bring human considerations into natural resource and environmental management. Faculty promote people-centered solutions for sustainability transitions and climate change adaptations and deliver graduate and undergraduate education in environmental studies and social sciences, recreation resource management, and geography.
University Highlights Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.
USU enrolls 28,900 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties.
Competing at the NCAA Division I level, USU is a proud member of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026-2027 season. The Aggies ’ long-standing tradition of athletic and academic excellence is exemplified by conference championships in multiple sports, reflecting USU's commitment to perseverance and achievement.
Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.
The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or
[email protected] .
Notice of Non-discrimination In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.
The Following Individuals Have Been Designated To Handle Inquiries Regarding The Application Of Title IX And Its Implementing Regulations And/or USU’s Non-discrimination Policies
Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner,
[email protected] , Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266
Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael,
[email protected] , Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266
Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322
For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit , or contact:
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481,
[email protected]
Job Tags
Hourly pay, Full time, Part time, Local area, Remote job, Outdoor,