Deadline: Fri, 05/20/2022 - 12:00pm Employer: Sierra Institute for Community and Environment Job Field: Forestry Job Type: Seasonal, Temporary, Internship Location: California Location Detail: Taylorsville Job Description: The Sierra Institute for Community and Environment (Sierra Institute, SI), in cooperation with the Lassen National Forest (LNF) Almanor Ranger District (ARD) is hiring one Collaborative Forestry Field Technician to serve as a crew apprentice performing forestry work related to timber management and restoration treatment implementation. The Crew Apprentice will work in cooperation with their fellow crew members as well as SI and ARD staff to implement timber sale and restoration treatment preparation work including unit boundary marking, marking of green and salvage (burned) timber, and collection of fire severity data. Crew Apprentices will follow the direction of two crew leaders and administrative staff from the ARD and SI. The Collaborative Forestry Crew may also assist as necessary with other ARD/ SI priorities including youth engagement/ education, wildlife management, and recreation. The Crew Member Apprentice position is imagined as a gateway position for those currently without experience in the fields of forestry or conservation and the role will emphasize learning. The Crew Member Apprentice will receive professional development opportunities through exposure to Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest ecosystems, technical forestry and data collection methods, collaborative forest management processes, and examples of crew management and leadership. Daily work may include but is not limited to: timber sale unit boundary marking in fire-affected timber sales, timber marking and cruising, and burn severity assessment/ data collection - essential work for advancing restoration priorities of regional partners and preparing forested ecosystems to be resilient to future changes in climate and fire regime. The Forestry Crew will receive project-specific training on tree-species identification, marking methodology, standard cruising methods, and forest pathology/ demography. Depending on the availability of LNF staff, the crew may have the opportunity to test for the USFS Region 5 timber cruising certification. The majority of project work will occur within the boundary of the recent Dixie Fire (2021) and Crew objectives will support several projects in various stages of implementation. The Dixie Fire burned with mixed severity across much of the Almanor Ranger District and the Crew will experience a diverse and beautiful fire affected landscape while working in the field. The Crew Member Apprentice must be curious, open to learning, able to follow direction, and be willing to work hard in a physically demanding role. This position requires hiking while carrying a heavy pack and paint and mitigating known and unforeseen hazards such as smoke, heat, and strong wind. This crew will utilize a 4-10 work schedule consisting of four 10-hour days followed by three days off. Qualifications: Interest in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Ecological Restoration or related field(s). Experience or willingness to learn and utilize compasses, topographic maps, and handheld GPS units or tablets to navigate and collect data in the field. Good physical conditioning to work and walk in the forest all day carrying day-packs with equipment during all types of weather. Ability to work on diverse teams with a diverse range of people. Ability to take initiative and produce results Punctual, diligent, and thorough in their work and support a similarly strong work ethic amongst crew members. Possess a valid, clean, state-issued driver’s license Miscellaneous: We invite all interested parties to apply including those belonging to Tribal communities, women, POC, and LGBTQ+ persons. Skills or experiences that can fill in for qualifications will be considered. Work duties equivalent to GS-4/5/6 positions in: Timber Management, Timber Marking, Silviculture Pay is $16.00/ hr. Training opportunities include: R5 Timber Cruising certification, Wilderness First Aid, Basic 32 Wildland Firefighter training*, and S212 - Wildland Fire Chainsaw certification* Salary: $16.00/hr Benefits: Health benefits through Sierra Institute are not available for this position but may be obtained through Covered California (https://proxy.qualtrics.com/proxy/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coveredca.com%2…). Field staff will be provided monthly sick time, paid holidays, and a set number of paid wildfire mitigation leave. Paid wildfire mitigation leave is intended to mitigate work days impacted by wildfire or smoke. How to Apply: Please send your resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references as one pdf to jobs@sierrainstitute.us with “Forestry Technician - Crew Apprentice” in the subject line.
