Associate Land Manager (Prescribed Burn Crew Boss)

Summary 

Archbold Biological Station is hiring an Associate Land Manager to lead our new Headwaters Ecosystem Management Team. The position is for an experienced land manager capable of leading a team of 3 in prescribed burns and invasive plant management on Archbold lands and those of a broad set of partner organizations throughout the Headwaters of the Everglades (>4000 square miles of central Florida) and the coincident Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape. This position will also contribute to administration of financial and project outcome tracking for the work. Opportunities will exist to contribute to Archbold land management planning, strategy, and growth. The position is initially funded for 3 years with significant chances of extension, pending funding.   

Full-time in-person work is required, given the field-based nature of the position. Candidates should anticipate frequent day travel from Archbold to natural areas around the Headwaters of the Everglades.

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to Joshua Daskin, Director of Conservation by January 31, 2025. 
The start date is anticipated for the first half of March 2025, with some flexibility.   Required

Education and Experience

• A high school degree or GED;
  AND
• Frequent application of prescribed fire during at least three years of full-time work or volunteer experience in land management, or it’s part-time equivalent.

Competencies and Additional Eligibility Qualifications

Not all competencies are required to excel in this position. Please consider applying if you fit several or most qualifications. 

• Holds a current Florida Forest Service Certified Burner credential AND has completed NWCG courses S-130, S-190, L-180, IS-700, and I-100.
• Candidates with a current NWCG Red Card, pack test at the arduous level, and certification as FFT1, RXB1, or RXB2 will be looked on favorably, but these credentials are not required.
• At least two years as a staff supervisor.
• Knowledge of safe prescribed burning practices in scrub-shrub, grassland, pasture, forest, and wetland ecosystems.
• Experience writing burn prescriptions to plan safe and effective fire operations and to comply with agency requirements to obtain fire permits.
• Highly competent operator of ignition and fire suppression equipment including pumps, hoses, hand tools, and drip torches.
• Capable operator of 4WD vehicles (trucks, ATVs, and UTVs) and towing of small trailers.
• Knowledge of accepted wildland fire safety practices and procedures.
• At least one year of invasive plant control experience and can learn to identify local invasive plants.
• Highest standards of professionalism to lead team operations, interact with Archbold’s neighbors and partners, and to create a culture of safety and risk management.
• An understanding of and commitment to Archbold’s mission.
• Excited to work with scientists, conservationists, ranchers, politicians, land use planners, and others to advance ambitious, creative conservation goals.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, including to clearly report work results.
• Anxious to see results and able to perform assigned tasks independently, with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Good organizational and administrative skills.
• Possess a valid drivers’ license with a good driving record, as determined by Archbold’s insurance carrier.
• Experience and proficiency in the use of computers and standard software (e.g. Windows, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, web searches).

 

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an environmental, science, or natural resources field.
• Vehicle, pump, and small engine maintenance skills.
• Operation of heavy equipment including mowers and tractors.
• Knowledge of land protection, conservation science, ecology, hydrology, and/or Florida ranching.
• Basic GIS mapping abilities.
• Familiarity with and/or a network of colleagues within local, state, and/or federal agencies and non-profits in the Headwaters of the Everglades environmental community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Create policies and procedures for the operation of the new Headwaters Ecosystem Management Team.
• Provide personnel and equipment in support of prescribed fire on public agency lands throughout the Headwaters of the Everglades and Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape.
• Develop and actively employ a network of colleagues in regional land management agencies to determine and respond to needs for fire and invasive plant management support.
• Lead the full set of practices for prescribed burns on Archbold property from unit and fire break preparation to ensuring completion of mop-up.
• Oversee two crew members, including setting standards for and evaluating their performance, and ensuring crew training and maintenance of their fire management credentials.
• Maintain state and/or federal fire management credentials.
• Build and continue a culture of safety and risk reduction in the team’s operations.
• Write burn prescriptions and obtain Florida Forest Service permits for burns at Archbold and adhere to partners’ burn prescriptions elsewhere.
• Working with maintenance staff, ensure vehicles and equipment are maintained in clean and working condition.
• Direct completion of at least 7000 acres of prescribed burns and 80 acres of Old World Climbing Fern treatments annually, tracking activities for associated grant reporting and Archbold fire science datasets.
• Track and report spending of crew funds using Archbold financial systems.
• Attend regional partnership meetings to share work of the Headwaters Ecosystem Management Team and learn from partner organizations.
• Communicate difficulties or concerns to supervisor in a timely manner and be responsive to requests for information on team planning and performance.
• Direct and conduct invasive plant surveys and treatments on Archbold and partners’ properties.
• Direct and complete fire break preparations using mower, brush cutter, and tractor at Archbold properties.
• Understand and contribute to accomplishing management goals of Archbold Biological Station and Archbold Reserve.
• Occasionally and as needed, contribute to Archbold weather, photo point, hydrology, and lake monitoring, providing redundancy for the management of associated long-term datasets.
• May write sections of Archbold land management plans.
• Perform and/or oversee data management, especially spatial data such as GIS coverages, for land management projects and occasional monitoring activities.
• Ensure full regulatory compliance and necessary documentation for all Station land management practices including training, burn records, equipment use, and application of regulated materials.  Provide annual reports to government agencies as required.
• Participate as an instructor in an annual fire training course.
• Retain physical fitness for full time outdoor work year-round in Florida’s subtropical climate.

Supervisory Responsibility

Oversees two assistant land managers on the Headwaters Ecosystem Management Team.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time 40 hour/week position with general workdays Monday through Friday; however, early morning, evening and weekend hours may be required with little or no notice.  

Travel

Candidates should anticipate frequent day travel from Archbold to natural areas around the Headwaters of the Everglades and that may require long days. Incumbent may occasionally travel to conferences, special events, meetings, workshops, site visits, or other gatherings, generally within Florida.  

Work Environment

Daily visits to project sites in conditions that may include inclement weather, heat and humidity. Most work will be outdoors, with some in an office environment. Use of prescribed fire, herbicides, and associated equipment will be frequent. Archbold will provide the required personal protective equipment, which he incumbent is required to wear. Office work routinely requires use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and projectors. The incumbent may occasionally enter a laboratory setting with possible exposure to potentially hazardous materials and necessitating use of appropriate protective clothing and equipment when around these materials.   

Physical Demands

The demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to work in hot, humid weather and to walk and drive over uneven terrain, off-road. Working at a computer for long periods of time, talking or hearing, traveling between work sites and/or using virtual meeting technology will all be frequent. Frequent need to lift, push, and pull items up to 30 pounds; climb stairs; reach stoop, bend, kneel, crouch or crawl.  Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus.  

Acknowledgment

This information is not designed to be a complete inventory of the job duties, responsibilities, and qualifications.  Rather, it’s designed to give the general nature and level of work to be performed by an employee assigned to this job title.