Seasonal Stream Habitat Restoration Technician

ABOUT TROUT UNLIMITED

Trout Unlimited is a national organization with 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts, and scientists, who work out of more than 45 offices across the country. Our mission is to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon.

Trout Unlimited recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

POSITION SUMMARY

Projects implemented within this position will provide multiple benefits to cold-water fisheries and local communities including flood resiliency, improvement of aquatic habitat and water quality, and protection of aquatic health and biodiversity.

The stream habitat technician will report directly to the project coordinator and will be responsible for working on a restoration team to conduct instream habitat improvement, streambank stabilization, and aquatic organism passage projects. The primary function of this team is to restore streams with woody structures through the implementation of strategic wood additions (SWAs), beaver dam analogs (BDAs), and post assisted logjams (PALs). Additional projects may include small dam removal, assessing streams for future wood loading, documenting the success of past projects/installations, etc.

Technicians will support or act as the team sawyers (depending on experience and preference) in safely felling trees. Depending on the structure and design needs, trees may be cut into smaller pieces, moved (by hand tools), pinned with posts utilizing a post pounder, and/or embedded in the bank.

Multiple positions (3-4) will be filled working in conjunction with the full time technician; the team will be based in Vermont with weekly travel throughout New England (primarily within Vermont, New Hampshire, and northern Maine) to remote project areas. Specific areas we will travel in 2024 include: Rangely ME, 100-mile wilderness in Northern Maine, Burke VT, Pittsfield VT, with additional locations to be determined.

This position generally begins in late June to early July and ends in October with some flexibility for additional work if desired/available.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Working onsite in remote areas for several days each week in variable weather conditions.
• Safety: always maintain a safe work environment for yourself and crew members.
• Assisting team sawyer with safe felling of trees.
• Team lift/carrying felled trees or moving with rock bars to habitat improvement areas.
• Utilizing a post pounder to drive posts that will pin wood in specific configurations within the stream channel.
• Transport of field equipment to and from project sites.
• Operation of hand-powered equipment (e.g. winches, axes, etc.).
• Assisting with topographic surveys of project sites.
• Assisting with stream habitat assessment and/or culvert assessment.
• Monitoring and data collection at current and past project sites.
• This is a non-supervisory position.
• This position does not have budget management responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A degree, or pursuing a degree, in environmental science or related field.
• Ability to work with others on a small team.
• Knowledge of natural stream design techniques.
• CPR and First Aid training.
• Ability to work in adverse weather conditions.
• Ability to work within the active stream channel on uneven and slippery terrain.
• Experience in the field during tree felling and/or trail building.
• Saw experience (specifically with directional felling) or sawyer training and certification a plus.
• Familiarity with using & maintaining hand tools (e.g. axes, shovels, chainsaws, etc.).
• Ability to hike & carry heavy gear (up to 50lbs.) through rough terrain.
• Familiarity with data collection/navigation applications (Avenza, ESRI Field Maps, Survey123, Gaia)
• Ability and willingness to travel long distances. Valid driver’s license and own vehicle required.
• Ability to problem solve and think creatively to achieve a conservation mission.
• Passion for protecting and restoring trout populations and their watersheds.

Benefits

• Pay will be $14-18/hr based on qualifications.
• 40 hour work week (typically 4, 10 hour workdays).
• Mileage reimbursement for travel to and from sites each week.
• A work truck is provided for travel to the work site from weekly housing.
• Housing provided (usually in the form of Airbnbs) during the work week.
• Work boots provided.
• Meals covered during work week.
• Potential to receive wilderness first aid training and/or saw certifications.