Forestry Crew Lead (Tahoe National Forest)

The Great Basin Institute, in collaboration with the USFS, is seeking a Forestry Crew Lead to oversee timber sale preparation, vegetation management, and forest restoration projects within the USFS Region 5 Tahoe National Forest (Sierraville Ranger District), located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range. These initiatives support the broader Basin & Range Forestry mission of enhancing forest resilience amid evolving climate conditions and increasing wildfire risks, directly contributing to healthier, more sustainable forest ecosystems.

Essential Job Functions may include the following:
Forestry Technicians will perform a wide variety of activities to support all stages of project work. Forestry duties may include, but are not limited to: 

• Ensure crew safety and provide leadership and oversight to a small team (approx. 3 members).
• Coordinate daily tasks and project logistics, deliver or assist with training, and maintain communication with both USFS and GBI staff.
• Execute various forestry activities, including:
  • Timber sale unit layout: boundary delineation (using GPS navigation, flagging, and painting).
  • Tree species identification.
  • Green and salvage timber marking and cruising.
  • Conduct timber and biomass plot cruising.
  • Collect stand examination data and general silviculture data.
  • Identify resource concerns related to hydrology, heritage, wildlife, and recreation.

This role is ideal for experienced forestry professionals passionate about making a tangible impact on forest management and resource conservation.

All procedures will be performed in compliance with silvicultural prescriptions based on forest and treatment type and land management goals. Data will be gathered using standard instruments, direct measurements, general observations and on-site inspections. Project-specific training will be provided on tree-species identification, GPS data collection, tree marking, hydrology, entomology/pathology, heritage, fire/fuels and other elements. Prior experience in basic GIS skills, GPS data collection, tree-species identification, timber marking and cruising, identifying hydrologic concerns, recognizing forest entomology/pathology issues, identifying heritage sites and experience with fire/fuels assessments or related field tasks is preferred.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Forestry (preferred), natural resource management or related field, with coursework (by position start date) AND one year of forestry related field work OR three years of professional fieldwork experience;
• Experience leading crews in the field, including oversight of crew safety, communication, fidelity to methods and data quality;
• Proficiency in navigation using GPS, topographic map and compass;
• Experience with cruising and marking techniques;
• Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license with the ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads;
• Ability to work effectively in a team setting with USFS staff, GBI staff, interns, volunteers, academic, state, and federal partners;
• Ability to work safely and productively in remote field settings under adverse conditions. This includes occasionally overnight camping in remote areas for consecutive nights;
• Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection, inventory, assessment, and monitoring protocols;
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work cooperatively as well as independently;
• Strong communication skills with a diverse audiences, both written and oral; and
• Physically fit to work outdoors, carry up to 50 pounds of personal and/or field equipment, and withstand the rigors of a forested and/or high desert environment in all seasons.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with and interest in resource management issues of western states and the ecology of the Sierra Nevada ecoregion;
• Familiarity with the mixed conifer forests typical of eastern California, including common plants (woody and herbaceous), wildlife, and/or geology/topography is desirable;
• Capacity to collect and maintain field data in an organized manner that is easily understood and accessible to other resources staff; and
• Advanced skill using specialized software such as Microsoft Office Suite, ArcMap GIS, and Google Earth.