Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Technician – Inyo National Forest

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Inyo National Forest, is seeking TWO Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Technicians to contribute to Off-Highway Vehicle work alongside Forest Service Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Start Date: May 13, 2024

Estimated End Date: August 30, 2024

*a 16-week minimum commitment is required *

Location Details/Description: Inyo National Forest, Supervisors Office, Bishop Duty Station, CA

The Inyo National Forest is a large, complex forest, encompassing about two million acres in

California and Nevada. It contains several natural features of national and international interest. There are nine wilderness areas and six research natural areas, as well as the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, and Mt. Whitney – the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. Diverse geologic features, combined with the elevational extremes and attendant wide range of climatic conditions, results in tremendous floristic diversity on the Forest, with vegetation communities ranging from desert scrub, sagebrush scrub, and pinyon woodland, to Jeffrey pine, lodgepole pine, and alpine habitats. Mammoth Lakes and Bishop are both premier locations for outdoor recreation in California. These opportunities include backpacking, fishing, hunting, hang gliding, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, cycling, mountain biking, photography, rock climbing, trail running, off-highway vehicle exploration, and horseback riding.

For more information about the Inyo National Forest, please click here.

Position Overview:

• Assists with the operation and maintenance of the OHV program on the Inyo National Forest.
• Performs minor maintenance of dispersed & developed recreation area facilities, including campgrounds and trailheads (cleans restrooms, cleans campsites, maintains fire-safe areas, paints picnic tables and bulletin boards, etc.).
• Assists in trail maintenance activities, including but not limited to brushing, tread work and logging out.
• Monitors OHV use areas to ensure they are operated, used and maintained in accordance with the recreation plan and other appropriate planning documents.
• Participates in the planning for recreation area maintenance, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and construction projects in accordance with program management goals.
• Works with volunteers to implement recreation program activities as outlined by the District Recreation Officer.
• Ensures visitors comply with rules and regulations.
• Provides guidance to volunteer staff, interpreting and adapting guidelines to fit specific volunteer roles.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• May be required to operate a chainsaw; training provided for members who start early enough in the season.
• May be required to operate UTV’s and/or pull a trailer transporting UTV’s to work/OHV area

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: 40 hrs per week with availability on weekends/holidays, Mon-Fri, 8:00am – 5:00pm ; possibility of overnight assignments depending on project locations/needs

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $800/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general information online: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in Forest Service barracks at no cost for the duration of the term

Relocation Allowance: ACE members will have access to up to $500 to be used for eligible relocation expenses. Further details regarding distribution of these funds will be provided during the interview process.

Gear Allowance: ACE members will have up to $300 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear for this position must be approved by ACE staff prior to purchase.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required two-part criminal history check.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Preferred:

• A working knowledge of detailed recreation rules and regulations to assist Forest visitors, and to detect and report violations
• Demonstrated skills and knowledge of basic procedures for cleaning and maintaining recreational areas, facilities and/or trails
• Both S212 Chainsaw and First Aid/CPR Certification preferred, or an ability to obtain each with proper training.
• Be able to educate visitors in recreation management and law enforcement objectives and policies, to obtain compliance with laws/regulations, to resolve problems, and to provide assistance to forest visitors. Contacts will include dealing with some persons and/or groups that may be uncooperative, hostile and who have different viewpoints.
• Be able to work in steep, uneven terrain, performing physical labor, bending, lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds or more.
• Members have a high fitness level and be comfortable in various indoor and outdoor work environments, and at times adverse weather conditions.