Collaborative Forestry Crew – Lead Forestry Technician

Location: Taylorsville, CA – with project work within Lassen and Plumas Counties

Season Dates: May to November 2024 (season dependent on weather conditions; start/end dates may be flexible for those with scheduling conflicts)

Compensation: $21-$23/hr (commensurate with experience)

Benefits: paid sick, holiday, and wildfire mitigation leave

Training:  tree-species identification, marking methodology, standard cruising methods, forest pathology/ demography, and Wilderness First Aid, USFS Region 5 timber cruising certification (pending USFS availability)

Position Description

The Sierra Institute for Community and Environment (Sierra Institute) is hiring one Lead Collaborative Forestry Technician to serve as a crew lead for a Collaborative Forestry Crew. The Lead Forestry Technician will lead the crew in performing forestry work necessary to advance critical timber management and restoration treatment on public and private lands. Technicians may work on various projects being advanced by Sierra Institute in collaboration with diverse partners (USFS, NPS, private landowners, etc.). Work will include unit boundary marking, GPSing unit boundaries, marking and cruising timber, and delineating boundaries of hand thinning units. The Lead Forestry Technician will operate under the direction of SI office support staff and with guidance from project partners.  Work objectives will be derived from treatment and management goals and will follow prescriptions developed for specific project areas. The Collaborative Forestry Crew will be expected to spend a small portion of their time contributing to empowering the next generation of natural resource stewards through sharing forestry knowledge with Sierra Institute’s highschool youth corps members. Collaborative Forestry Technicians may also assist as necessary with other tasks necessary to advancing collaborative restoration priorities. This is a unique opportunity to advance pivotal collaborative forest and watershed restoration projects that aim to protect rural communities from catastrophic wildfire and restore the unique landscapes of the  northern Sierra and southern Cascades.

The Lead Technician will advance their knowledge of Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest ecosystems, technical forestry, and collaborative forest management processes as well as standard procedures and practices employed in the federal and private lands projects. The Lead Forestry Technician will lead the Collaborative Forestry Crew in assessing progress towards objectives, monitoring/ mitigating safety concerns in the field, and creating a collaborative work environment that encourages professionalism, learning, and efficiency. The Collaborative Forestry Crew will receive project-specific training on tree-species identification, marking methodology, standard cruising methods, and forest pathology/ demography. The Lead Forestry Technician will provide on the job training and guidance to the members of the Collaborative Forestry Crew. Depending on the availability of US Forest Service staff, the crew may have the opportunity to test for the USFS Region 5 timber cruising certification. Wilderness First Aid and S-212 chainsaw certification training will also be provided.

The majority of project work will occur within the boundary of the Dixie Fire (2021) and Crew objectives will support several projects in various stages of implementation. The Dixie Fire burned with mixed severity and the Crew will experience a diverse and beautiful fire affected landscape while working in the field. 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 Lead Technician must be organized, open to learning, and possess the ability to motivate and support their fellow Crew Members, 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. Technicians must possess a full COVID-19 vaccination status (vaccinated and boosted).

Qualifications 

Required 

• Minimum of 12-months combined field experience in forest or other natural resource management, this may include but is not limited to corps work, wildland fire, research and survey work within the environmental field, land conservation, etc.;
• Minimum of 6-months leading others in carrying out the above;
• Experience towards a degree or certificate in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Ecological Restoration or related field(s), OR equivalent work experience in forestry or conservation (e.g. timber marking, logging, wildland firefighting, botany, wildlife, etc.);
• Experience with standard forestry field techniques, timber marking/ cruising, and ecology and natural systems of the Sierra Nevada;
• Ability to use compasses, topographic maps, and handheld GPS units or tablets to navigate and collect data in the field;
• Ability to track and report project accomplishments;
• Good physical conditioning to work and walk in the forest all day carrying day-packs with equipment during all types of weather;
• An ability to bring adaptability and improvisation, critical thinking skills, creativity, and humor to the workplace;
• Ability to be 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, with an ability to safely operate a 4WD vehicle;
• Full COVID vaccination status (vaccinated and boosted). 

Preferred 

• Bachelor’s degree, Associates degree, or professional certificate in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Ecological Restoration or related field(s);
• Experience working as part of a field crew or team, experience with safety management, and experience collecting and managing field data; 
• Familiarity with mixed conifer forests and the ability to identify common tree species in the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades;
• Current first aid or wilderness medical training certification (e.g., WFA, WFR, WEMT).

Skills or experiences that can fill in for qualifications will be considered.

We invite all interested parties to apply including those belonging to Tribal communities, women, POC, and LGBTQ+ persons. 

Compensation

Compensation is $21 – $23 per hour commensurate with experience. Health benefits through Sierra Institute are not available for this position, but may be obtained through Covered California (http://www.coveredca.com/). 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 and smoke. 

Necessary training will be provided tree-species identification, marking methodology, standard cruising methods, forest pathology/ demography, and Wilderness First Aid, USFS Region 5 timber cruising certification (pending USFS availability).