Field Botanist

Job Description

Sanford Federal Inc., headquartered in Stafford, VA., is a premier, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business that provides federal professional services, primarily engaged in providing advanced information technology, cyber security, management systems support, as well as business and infrastructure management services.

We are among the most innovative, respected, and ethical providers of technology solutions to the United States government. Our mission is to provide superior-quality, innovative, information technology solutions that help federal agencies best aid, serve, and protect the American people.

Job Title: Certified Senior Botanist.

Job Summary: "Our company, Sanford Federal, is seeking the expertise of a Senior Botanist to provide on-site botanical services in line with the specifications outlined herein. This service contract aims to furnish all necessary materials, equipment, and tools for botanical assessments and research conducted by the Senior Botanist. The objective is to establish a fully qualified on-site support team, including skilled professionals in the field of botany, to facilitate comprehensive botanical studies in various environments. The Senior Botanist will play a crucial role in advancing Sanford Federal's mission to conduct high-quality botanical research and contribute to environmental conservation efforts. The contracted support coverage should ensure seamless and uninterrupted assistance for the achievement of our botanical objectives.

Place of Performance:

The work to be performed under this contract will be performed on site in Texas, New Mexico.

Duties:

Botanical Surveys and Monitoring.

Complete Survey:

A complete survey is a 100 percent visual examination of the project area (Figure 1) using transects. The length of the transect and distance between transects might change as the topography changes throughout the project area. Transects shall be spaced so that the entire area between transects is visible and so that the smallest, rare plant expected to occur is visible. The surveyor (1) compiles a species list while traversing the project area and keeps track of the plant community or habitat type where each taxon occurs; (2) maps the locations of all rare taxa encountered using a GPS unit, and (3) fills out the appropriate occurrence record (as appropriate for the state you are in) for each location of each rare taxon encountered.

Intuitive Controlled Survey:

An intuitive controlled survey is a complete survey of habitats with the highest potential for supporting rare plant populations and a less intense survey of all other habitats present (Figure 2). This type of survey can only be accomplished by botanists familiar with the habitats of all the plant species that may reasonably be expected to occur in the project area. The botanist traverses through the project area enough to see a representative cross section of all the major plant habitats and topographic features. During the survey, the botanist compiles a species list of all plant taxa seen in route and keeps track of the plant community or habitat type where each taxon occurs. The surveyor maps the locations of all rare taxa encountered using a GPS unit and fills out the appropriate occurrence record (as appropriate for the state you are in) for each location of each rare taxon encountered. When the surveyor arrives at an area of “high potential” habitat, s/he surveys that area completely as described above and shown in Figure 1. High potential habitat areas include areas defined in a pre-field review of potential rare plants and habitat and other habitats where a rare species appears during initial field work traversing the project area. Areas within the project area that are not the focus of a complete survey must be surveyed sufficiently so that is the botanist and BLM reasonably believe that few if any additional species would be added to the complete species list for the project area. The report shall justify why the botanist did not consider these areas to have a high potential for supporting rare plant species and thus did not subject the area to a complete survey.

Documenting the Results of Inventory

Qualifications:

Education: Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences with course work in plant ecology and botany including plant taxonomy/identification.

Experience: Five years of work in the field of botany or ecology

or

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences with course work in plant ecology and botany including plant taxonomy/identification.

Experience: ten years of experience in the biological sciences field with demonstrated successful experience in program management and/or project planning and implementation.

Why SANFORD?

You can take pride in working for a company dedicated to serving our government by providing the best, most cost-effective solutions for the US Government. Our work helps the US Government secure our nation, support the efforts of our military and intelligence communities, and provide lifesaving medical services to our soldiers, vets, and their families.

Job Type: Contract

Willingness to travel:

• 75% (Preferred)

Work Location: On the road