Rogue River Siskiyou NF – Special Uses Resource Assistant

Job Announcement

United States Forest Service – Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest

Special Uses Resource Assistant

1 Position – Medford, OR

Please respond by AUGUST 23, 2024

Delivering Benefits to a Multicultural Public – Resource Assistant Program

The Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) in partnership with the United States Forest Service (USFS) Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest is advertising for 1 Special Uses Resource Assistant. The position will be located on the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest in Medford, Oregon. This is a 12-month full-time work experience from approximately October 2024-October 2025, start date tentatively-negotiable.

Created in 1984 and modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s, NYC is a non-profit job training and experiential education program for youth and young adults to learn and work in the field of natural resource management. NYC will recruit and hire the selected RA candidates providing personnel and Human Resources HR needs during the placement.

The Position

The Resource Assistant Program is a rigorous and immersive paid internship for individuals interested in Forest Service careers. Resource Assistants (RAs) work with Forest Service staff to complete mission-critical work that demonstrates leadership, critical thinking, and strategic communication. Through direct training, experience, and exposure, RAs gain the tools to launch their natural and cultural resource careers.

Through a partnership with Northwest Youth Corps, the selected Resource Assistant will support the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest in administering the National Forest’s diverse Special Use Program. This is an immersive professional internship that requires a skillful and confident applicant who can manage a busy workload and learning opportunities with the support of permanent staff. This position will perform work at the equivalent of a GS-5/7 position in the federal service. Visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/general-schedule/ for more information.

Position Requirements:

• Successful completion of a full 2-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree that included a major field of study in Environmental Policy, Law, Sociology, Forestry, Recreation Science, and/or Lands & Real Estate. However, any degree will still be considered.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and over 19 years old.
• Valid state driver’s license and ability to operate a motor vehicle by the time of employment. Government vehicles are available for work-related travel. RAs are responsible for travel to and from duty station.
• Successful completion of a background check.

Program Benefits

• $31,200 living stipend, prorated monthly throughout 12-month internship
• $1,200 monthly housing allowance ($14,400 total)
• $2,750 reimbursable funds for work-related training and professional development opportunities
• $50 monthly commuter allowance (on-site and hybrid positions only, $600 total)
• 80 hours of available PTO
• Workers’ compensation, FICA/Medicare, and optional health care coverage (monthly premiums covered)
• RA will have special U.S. Forest Service Direct Hire Authority upon completion of a minimum of 960 hours of service, but placement is not guaranteed.

Position Responsibilities will include:

• Interested candidates may be expected to drive, hike, ski and even raft in order conduct field inspections of Recreation and Lands Special Use Permits. The Agency will provide thorough training before candidates use any specialized vehicles or equipment.
• Develops & maintains forest partnerships with special use permit holders via a service role conducting field inspections, answering public questions, responding to emergent needs, and encouraging compliance.
• Evaluates recreation & non-recreation special use needs in planning, organizing, advising, and administering activities. With specific focus on programming which promotes the collaborative, social, and environmental development of the community.
• Applies & acquires knowledge of laws, rules, regulations and policies required to initiate action for permit renewals, reissuance, compliance, etc.
• Field permit compliance checks, facility condition assessments, and safety inspections.
• Administers special use permits and reviews operating plans for recreation & non-recreation special uses. Prepares and responds to correspondence to permittees & partners; including responses to inquiries, document requests, billings, and compliance notices.

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Professional knowledge of basic principles, concepts and methodology of any of the following: Environmental Policy, Law, Sociology, Forestry, and/or Lands & Real Estate, as would typically be acquired through a bachelor’s degree program.
• Actively build skills and knowledge through their work experience resulting in the candidate’s ability to perform many low complexity assignments independently.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently and with others.
• Skill in using current desktop publishing software and equipment technology applicable to electronic and print publication procedures and word processing, including experience in Microsoft Office and Adobe software.
• Ability to gather and verify facts and to develop information that is clear and meaningful to the intended audience.
• Ability to review and/or edit reports prepared by others and to ensure that material conveys information that the writer intended, and that areas of misunderstanding or ambiguities are eliminated.

About the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF)

The Forest in a Landscape:

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest covers 1.8 million acres in southwest Oregon and northwestern California – primarily in the watershed of the Rogue River, encompassing parts of the Cascade Mountains, Siskiyou Mountains, and Oregon Coast Range. Spanning the landscape between Crater National Park and the coastal redwoods, the Forest is recognized for its biological diversity, scenery, and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Located in southwest Oregon, along the California/Oregon state line and bordering the Klamath National Forest to the south, the Fremont-Winema Forest to the east and the Umpqua National Forest to the north, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest ranges from the crest of the Cascade Mountains west to the Siskiyou Mountains and nearly to the Pacific Ocean.

The Intersection of Biological & Geological Diversity:
Overall, the Rogue River-Siskiyou is the most floristically diverse National Forest in the country with extraordinary botanical resources. This is largely due to the intersection of the South Cascade, Siskiyou, and Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges. The Forest itself is composed of two distinct geological provinces – the Cascade Range and the Siskiyou Mountains. The Cascade Range is dominated by snowcapped volcanic peaks such as 9,495- foot Mt. McLoughlin located within the Sky Lakes Wilderness on the High Cascades Ranger District. The Siskiyou Mountain province embodies the most complex soils, geology, landscape, and plant communities in the Pacific Northwest.

Our Offices & Mission

The Forest Supervisor’s office is co-located with the Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management in Medford, OR and is adjacent to the Rogue Valley International Airport. The forest administers five ranger districts, with offices based primarily out in small, forest-dependent communities. Natural resource management interest is high in our local communities.  We have wide diversity of thought and political interests from our rural and urban communities & from environmental advocacy groups to historically active mining communities and extractive industry interests.

Our Forest administers a large and complex resource management program, including over 2 million recreation visitors per year, 30 to 40 MMBF of timber harvest per year and a significant wildlife and fisheries programs recognized for collaborative aquatic restoration projects. Our volunteers and partners associated with forest collaborative and restoration work have received national and regional recognition for their efforts.

Our large natural resource program requires an extensive forest infrastructure, consisting of approximately 5,500 miles of roads, 133 road bridges, over 1,500 miles of trails, 326 developed recreation sites including the Mount Ashland Ski Area, 400+ special use permits, 9 major administrative sites, including the Medford Air Tanker Base, the Siskiyou Rappel Base, and the J. Herbert Stone Nursery, one of the largest nurseries in the nation.

Learn more about the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest at our website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/rogue-siskiyou/home/?cid=stelprdb5305069

About the Duty Location – Medford, Oregon & Life in the Rogue Valley

Location and Accessibility

Medford, Oregon has a population 76,850 and is the largest city in Jackson County, Oregon (population 205,305). It is Southern Oregon and Northern California’s industrial, medical, and service center, located along Interstate 5. The surrounding communities and towns include Ashland, Phoenix, Talent, Jacksonville, Central Point, & Grants Pass, comprising the Rogue Valley.

The Rogue Valley serves as a main travel corridor for travelers to Crater Lake National Park (east), the redwood coast (west), Mt. Shasta (south) and the Willamette valley (north). The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, located in southwestern Oregon, serves the City of Medford, Jackson County, the entire Rogue Valley, and seven other counties. The airport services eight hubs, and four air carriers service the airport with approximately 56 arriving and departing flights daily.

Climate

At 1,382 feet above sea level, Medford is protected by surrounding mountains and has a mild “mediterranean” climate. The mean annual precipitation is 20 inches. A “four-season” region, Medford’s seasons are clearly defined, with temperatures being generally mild overall. Summers are warm-to-hot, with a median temperature of 94 degrees and an average of 15 days over 100 degrees. Yearly snowfall is two to three inches on the valley floor, with the hill country seeing denser snowpack that feeds Medford’s drinking water. The median winter temperature is 36 degrees.

Lifestyle & Leisure

The Rogue Valley is renown as a tourism destination, due to its rich mixture of rural & arts communities, reliant upon tourism and agricultural sectors. One can experience world-class art and culture at the Oregon Shakespeare Theater, Britt Festival, or the Criterion Ginger Rogers Theater, or tour one of the many award-winning wineries, creameries, and gourmet artisan chocolate facilities.

There is an abundance of recreation opportunities such as: hiking, off-road motoring, hunting, rafting, & winter-sports, hosted on a mixture of city, state, Forest Service, & BLM lands. The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and the Pacific Crest Trail are two local gems of the outdoor community.

In several publications, Medford is one of the top ten places to visit, live, or retire. Medford is southern Oregon’s largest and most diverse city and the county seat of Jackson County. Medford’s pristine surroundings are brimming with historical wealth, cultural attractions, and rich agricultural land.

The larger Rogue Valley area provides services for both southwest Oregon and northern California, as there is no sales tax in Oregon. This area has many urban/rural lifestyles and home price options.

Application Instructions

Application Deadline: August 23, 2024

Interviews: Will occur as qualified applications are received.

Type of position: Individual Placement

Service Dates: October 2024-October 2025

Length of Term: 12 months/52 weeks

How to apply:

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references and completely fill out the application form found at https://nwyouthcorps.workbrightats.com/jobsearch/?job_board_classification=Internships

Please select “Rogue River Siskiyou NF – Special Uses Resource Assistant” when applying.

For Additional Information

If you have questions about the position, please reach Northwest Youth Corps Internship Program Director Lev Kellendy at [email protected], 541-654-4706, or Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest via Frank Prince ([email protected] and/or 541-618-2044).

All job offers are contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check (criminal history and driving history). NYC recommends that all participants be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) and The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination on all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.  (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).  To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD).  USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.