Position Description Summary:
The Resource Assistant (RA) will participate in a variety of complex duties serving individually or as a team member or leader, in support of the PSW Experimental Forests and Ranges (EFR), Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry (IPIF) and its partner programs goals (including R5). These duties may include and are not limited to: PSW EFR permit processing; coordinating and supporting partnership activities and opportunities; developing materials for education and outreach; writing reports; data entry; supporting communication through newsletters, virtual webinars, social media and website, partner communications and other materials.
A Temporary Special Assignment (TSA) employee is one who is hired for a specific temporary assignment external from the institute’s administrative operations with one of GBI’s partners for 52 weeks or greater or less than 52 weeks and may work full-time (30 or more hours per week) or part-time (less than 30 hours per week).
Essential Job Functions may include the following:
- Major duties will include processing & tracking research and education activities within the Experimental Forest as well as permit applications from submittal to approval; produce annual reports and executive summaries for research and education activities for agency annual reports on PSW Experimental Forests lands.
- Participate in developing new or improved education and outreach practices relating to findings of natural resource research where information and data have been collected. This includes serving with youth and school groups in the Laupāhoehoe and Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a communities through classroom presentations, day trips to natural areas, and occasionally overnight trips, as well as developing materials for education and outreach, writing reports, and entering data.
- Coordinate partnership opportunities associated with the PSW EFR’s, including Region 5, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, University of Hawaii, Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests, Kupu, and local non-profits, while also supporting the planning of events geared to development of a partnership-focused plan to effectively co-manage research, outreach, and education opportunities at PSW’s EFR’s. Ensuring healthy partnerships are maintained and all appropriate and valuable data is collected in a timely manner.
- Engage with advisory councils, school groups, outreach with the public; occasionally assisting partners.
- Support communication and outreach activities associated with the PSW EFR’s, including coordination of open house events and educational activities, through newsletters, virtual webinars, social media and website, partner communications and other materials.
LOCATION
This position will be based at the USFS-PSW Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry office in Hilo, HI. Most duties will be done in an office setting. There will be occasional field trips. Duties in the outdoors can occur in both hot dry conditions and cool wet conditions, and the capacity to hike safely over somewhat rough terrain in difficult weather is important.
The position is located within the US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Hilo, located on the northeastern side of the island of Hawaiʻi is a small-town rich in history and culture, natural wonders, and heritage sites. A popular tourist destination, Hilo offers breathtaking natural beauty plus all the amenities of a vibrant town. Hilo stands in the top position as the rainiest city in the US, averaging 156 inches of rain per year. The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry research complex is located on the University of Hawai‘i-Hilo campus, functioning as the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forests (HETF) headquarters providing laboratory, greenhouse, administrative and computing support.
WORK SCHEDULE
Full time - Monday through Friday, 8:30am-5pm (with lunch ½ hour break). Occasional camping may be required and sometimes after hours and weekend activities. This position is a 49 week appointment; appointment may be shortened.
Temporary Special Assignment employees are eligible to receive holiday pay, if partner approved. TSAs holiday schedule will comply with the project partner holiday schedule, unless otherwise specified in their employment offer. TSAs working five (5) eight (8) hour days per workweek will be paid eight (8) hours for all holidays. TSAs working four (4) ten (10) hour days per workweek will be paid ten (10) hours for all holidays. Same with other approved/allowable workweek configurations; these can be accommodated accordingly with Banked Holiday(s).
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Weekly living allowance amount: $750
Monthly housing Stipend amount: $1000
Eligibility for the RAP Direct Hire and Noncompetitive Hiring Eligibility authorities for 2 years after successful completion of the program.
In addition to a competitive base salary, this full-time, onsite position includes company-paid comprehensive medical, dental (with option to upgrade in coverage), and vision insurance, as well as $25,000 Life/AD&D policy. Voluntary short-term and long-term disability policies are available, and voluntary Life/AD&D policies for family members. Mental health support resources are employer provided, as is competitive PTO accrual, paid holidays, and family leave. This exciting role contributes to GBI’s significant positive impacts within the fields of environmental research, education, and conservation.
TSA employees who serve a term under 52 weeks in duration, and have a thirty (30) day or less break between terms, and then sign a second term that (cumulatively) becomes greater than 52 weeks of employment, will be eligible for the >1-year TSA benefits (equivalent to Regular full-time employees).
