| Public Land Name: | BLM Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument | | Position Title: | Paleontology Technician | | Position ID Number: | 184 | | Location: | Kanab, UT | | Position Description: | The GeoCorps participant’s primary responsibility will be to assist the GSENM Paleontologist to prepare for a Paleontology and Geology Conference to be held May 19-21 in St. George, UT. The participant will assist in organizing field trips; ordering promotional gifts; processing registrations; reviewing, editing, and coordinating the publication of scientific abstracts; reviewing, editing, and coordinating the publication of a guidebook; coordinating with sponsors and organizers; and coordination of activities during the conference itself. This will comprise approximately 60% of the GeoCorps position.
The remainder of the participant’s workload will be assisting in field surveys as part of an ongoing Monument Management Plan directed toward inventory of important fossil resources both for management and research purposes. Duties will also include office and lab-based work related to report writing, collections management, specimen preparation, curation, and research. Field work will be conducted largely in the interior of the rugged and remote Kaiparowits Plateau, although other priorities may arise as the season progresses. Methods consist of hiking pre-determined target areas within the Kaiparowits Plateau while closely examining Late Cretaceous age rock outcroppings for fossil materials (with an emphasis on vertebrates such as dinosaurs). When sites are found, they will be documented using standard format field forms, GPS, and digital photography and assessed as to significance. The participant may assist crews from partner institutions in excavation work. In the office, duties will consist of preparation and stabilization of fossil materials from this year and previous field seasons, as well as entering data into an Access-type database. Some public educational opportunities such as leading site or lab tours may arise. Prior to starting this position a government security background clearance will be required.
| | Qualifications: | The applicant must have completed at least one year toward undergraduate degree in geology or a geoscience-related discipline. Applicant must be detail-oriented and possess good organizational, writing, communication, and computer skills. Must be self-motivated, flexible, and able to take direction. Familiarity with Microsoft Access or other relational databases is preferred. Knowledge of vertebrate and invertebrate fossil types and their general significance is important, but not critical; experience working with dinosaurs in particular is a plus. Familiarity with USGS 7.5 minute topographic maps, GPS, and UTM coordinate systems is preferred. Applicant must be able to hike in rugged, remote terrain, as well as camp in remote regions. Experience in excavating large fossil vertebrates is also a plus, but not required. | | Position Dates: | March - May; 12 weeks; start/end dates flexible | | Payment: | $2750; $1500 housing allowance | | Housing Available: | Housing will be provided by the BLM in the form of a large RV-type camp trailer at a local RV park in Kanab. The trailer has a full kitchen and bath with a pop out living area. All utilities will also be covered by the BLM. A personal vehicle is highly advisable. | Physical/Natural
Environment: | The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is located in the southwestern portion of the Colorado Plateau. The Monument’s bedrock geology consists of mildly deformed Late Paleozoic (Permian) through Late Mesozoic (Late Cretaceous) sedimentary units. Cretaceous units (65-100 mya), which are the focus of this project, were deposited in a foreland basin setting and are extremely thick (almost 7,000 ft.). They are also highly fossiliferous, and contain one of the most complete Late Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrate fossil successions known from anywhere in the world. Outcrops are widespread and generally excellent and many classic geological features and global tourist destinations are nearby such as the Henry Mountains, the East Kaibab Monocline, the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Capitol Reef National Park, and the Kaiparowits Basin. | | Work Environment: | The participant will work out of the Monument Headquarters, located in Kanab, Utah. Supervision will be by the Monument Paleontologist, particularly in the lab and on excavations. Fieldwork will be done largely independently in a remote backcountry setting and requires strenuous exertion. Weather and terrain conditions may be extreme (e.g. heat, cold, thunderstorms, steep badlands). Lifting of loads up to 50 lbs will be common during excavations and lab work. Camping in remote backcountry settings (vehicle-based) for up to four days may also necessary. A good pair of ankle-supporting hiking boots is necessary; other gear for backcountry camping will be provided. The work week will be Monday-Friday, with weekends off. Kanab is a town of about 4,000 people. There are two grocery stores, a health food store, a county hospital and two drugstores. Several restaurants, two hardware stores, a bookstore, a movie theatre, city parks, and other amenities are also available. The closest regional airport is in St. George (about 70 miles away), but for less expensive fares it is recommended that air travel be done out of Las Vegas (three hours) or Salt Lake City (4.5 hours). The town of St. George has most city amenities. | | # of current Applicants: | 3 |
If you have questions about the application and selection process, please contact Anny Jones. If you have questions about any aspect of the position — description, qualifications, housing, dates — please contact the primary or secondary contact below:
| | PRIMARY CONTACT INFORMATION | | Contact Name: | Alan Titus | | Title: | GSENM Paleontologist | | Street Address: | 190 E. Center St. | | City/State/Zip: | Kanab, UT 84741 | | Phone: | (435) 644-4332 | | Email: | alan_titus@blm.gov | | Website: | http://www.ut.blm.gov/monument/ |
| | SECONDARY CONTACT INFORMATION | | Contact Name: | Mary Dewitz | | Title: | Interpretive Specialist | | Street Address: | 190 E. Center St. | | City/State/Zip: | Kanab, UT 84741 | | Phone: | (435) 644-4304 | | Email: | mary_dewitz@blm.gov | | Website: | http://www.ut.blm.gov/monument/ |
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