Apply to be Student Field Technician (paid position)

Join our Ecological Land Management team as a Student Field Technician to gain extensive knowledge and practical hands-on experience in vegetation management (with a focus on riparian, oak woodland, and native grassland plant communities), community-based restoration, and regional plant and wildlife identification. 

Position Details

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is hiring two Ecological Land Management Student Field Technicians, or Field Techs, to work under the mentorship of Senior Environmental Steward, Miles DaPrato, during the 2026-27 academic year.

The Field Techs can expect to gain extensive knowledge and practical hands-on experience in vegetation management (with a focus on riparian, oak woodland, and native grassland plant communities), community-based restoration, and regional plant and wildlife identification. 

• Salary: $19 an hour
• Academic credit/internship units are available through this position

Schedule

• Start date: Week of October 5, 2026
• Field Techs will meet 8 hours each week for the Fall, Winter and Spring quarters
• Field Techs will work 1 to 2 days per week, including occasional Saturdays, for 4 hours or more each block. 
• The schedule is relatively flexible and will be determined once candidates are selected and will be reassessed each Quarter based on the team’s availability. 

How to apply

Review the job summary and qualifications below. If this position sounds exciting and aligns with your personal, academic, and future career goals then please submit an application.

Send a cover letter and resume to Miles DaPrato at [email protected] to apply. This position will remain open until filled. 

Job Summary

Field Techs will work across various land units within the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve and Campus Naturalized Lands to execute a wide variety of natural resource stewardship tasks associated with the ongoing management and maintenance of these diverse public spaces. Activities performed will include native plant installation, temporary irrigation installation, invasive weed control, fence installation and removal, and other physical improvements that will enhance and restore wildlife habitat across the UC Davis Campus.

Field Techs will help design new habitat enhancement projects on the Reserve as well as perform ongoing maintenance tasks on previously installed sites. All project work will be implemented by the Ecological Land Management, or ELM, team which includes Field Techs, student interns, volunteers, and local community groups working alongside the Reserve staff. Learn more about the Learning by Leading Ecological Land Management team. The projects will incorporate a wide variety of restoration techniques used by local natural resource conservation professionals and restoration practitioners throughout the region. 

Technicians will also gain experience creating integrated pest management plans and will execute those plans utilizing a combination of manual, mechanical, and chemical control methods to achieve the desired ecological outcomes. This position is designed to give Field Techs the full breadth of seasonal training and experience in ecological land management and habitat restoration from Fall through Spring.

Additional Job Duties

• Helping to clear and remove limbs and debris to maintain the elaborate hiking, walking, and waterway trail network of the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve;
• Collecting, processing, and cataloguing a variety of native plant seeds used in ongoing revegetation and climate adaptation projects to improve wildlife habitat connectivity and biological diversity on the Reserve; 
• Coordinating the activities executed by student interns each quarter as the ELM team explores, stewards, enhances, and restores local native plant and animal populations on the Reserve; 
• Working with the Putah Creek Council’s One Creek collaborative internship program to execute field tasks such as native plant installation and invasive weed control. 
• Working alongside 2 California Climate Action Fellows (recent UCD graduates) who will help with the implementation and execution of all ELM tasks. 

Job Expectations 

• Read, follow, and model the UC Davis Principles of Community. 
• Exhibit strong professional work ethic, accountability, and efficiency. 
• Follow all safety protocols put in place to protect the individual and the team. 
• Lead by example and foster leadership and teamwork. 

Qualifications 

• Must be a current UC Davis undergraduate student and have a working knowledge of principles and practices in restoration ecology, environmental science, or related field of study. 
• Must be able to work on uneven terrain and work outdoors in hot, cold, and potentially wet/muddy conditions. 
• Must be willing to work with a variety of hand tools, electric power tools, gas powered tools (chainsaws, brush cutters, etc.) as well as operate field vehicles like trucks, trailers, ATV’s, gators, and tractors (training provided). 
• Must be able to stand or sit for extended periods of time, and able to lift and maneuver up to 50 pounds. 
• Good verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills to interact with people from diverse backgrounds. 
• Ability to build an effective and inclusive team culture and environment. 
• Ability to effectively serve as both a member and leader of a field restoration team. 
• Decision making and problem-solving skills to provide accurate and timely feedback and identify and resolve conflicts. 
• Organizational skills to establish priorities and manage multiple tasks and deadlines. 
• Ability to occasionally work independently without direct supervision. 
• Must have a valid Driver’s license and be able to travel to and from project sites on the Reserve.