Job Type: Seasonal Field Technician
Expected Dates: March 16 to July 17, 2026
Hours: Full Time (8 hrs/day, 5 days/week).
Salary: $25.00/hr
Location: University of California’s McLaughlin Natural Reserve located in Lower Lake, CA
The UC Davis’ McLaughlin Natural Reserve is seeking a spring field technician to assist with a doctoral student’s perennial grass restoration study and to engage in wildland meadow stewardship. From mid-March through mid-April, the technician will be working under the guidance of a graduate student (see https://funk.ucdavis.edu/people/katherine-brafford) on data collection, field observations, and plot maintenance to document the survival and growth of native bunch grasses relative to prescribed fire. From mid-April onward, under the guidance of land stewards at the McLaughlin Reserve, (https://naturalreserves.ucdavis.edu/mclaughlin-reserve), the work will focus on managing stewarded meadows, primarily by hand-pulling or mowing invasive grasses and forbs, but also by participating in prescribed burns, plant surveys, pollinator surveys, and a variety of land stewardship activities such as stabilizing erosion sites, maintaining trails, removing legacy fencing, and maintain tools and equipment.
The ideal candidate will have patience to engage in full days of detail-oriented observations, determination to learn and practice effective data collection and land stewardship approaches, a strong work ethic, the ability to engage in physically challenging work that can be both active and sedentary, good interpersonal skills and a willingness to work closely and collaboratively as part of a team, and good verbal and written communication skills.
The technician will be required to live at the Reserve in provided housing at no cost. The technician will also need to have a valid driver’s license. A personal vehicle would be useful but is not necessary; Reserve staff will assist with transportation to the Reserve and travel for grocery shopping in the nearby town of Clearlake.
If interested in the position, please feel free to contact PhD candidate Katherine Brafford and McLaughlin Reserve Director Catherine Koehler (kebrafford@ucdavis.edu and koehler@ucdavis.edu) to discuss your interest.
To apply for the job, please see the job posting on the UC Davis job board (NOTE: ignore the error on that site suggesting pollination studies). Please submit as part of your application a cover letter (briefly explaining why you would be a suitable candidate for this position) and CV/resume.
If you are a current employee of our organization please use the following link instead:
https://ucphrprdpub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psp/ucphrprd/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_EMP_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Employee&SiteId=8&JobOpeningId=84074&PostingSeq=1
- Job
February 5, 2026
Job Type: Job