Deadline: Fri, 06/17/2022 - 12:00pm Employer: The Great Basin Institute Job Field: Forestry Job Type: Seasonal, Temporary, Internship Location: California Location Detail: Placerville Job Description: The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the USFS, is recruiting Forestry Crew Members to perform timber sale-preparation, vegetation management and restoration projects within the Sierra Nevada mountain range (see location details below). Selected Technicians will serve Region 5’s vegetation management and fuels reduction efforts, supporting initiatives for healthy, productive, and resilient forest landscapes and resources. Projects will vary across Forests and Districts, and include but are not limited to fuels reduction initiatives in wildland urban interface (WUI) areas, in and around sensitive habitats for threatened and endangered species, and watershed protection. Members will receive professional development opportunities and benefit from exposure to USFS processes, procedures, compliance measures and reporting, and technical experience. Forestry Crew Members will perform a wide variety of activities to support all stages of project work. Crew size will range between 2-6 people. Forestry duties may include timber sale unit boundary delineation and layout (GPSing, flagging, painting), tree species ID, green and salvage timber marking and cruising, timber and biomass plot cruising, collection of stand examination data, and general silviculture data collection. Duties may also include identification of various resource concerns including hydrology, heritage, wildlife and recreation. All procedures will be performed in compliance with complex 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. This physically demanding work, often in remote project locations, will provide Forestry Crew Members with rewarding exposure to some of California's lesser-known forested landscapes. This work requires extensive hiking in steep terrain at high altitudes (5,000 to 9,000 ft.) with heavy packs on a daily basis, possibly during extreme or inclement weather conditions such as heat, smoke, high winds, snow or rain. Positions often require operating 4-wheel drive vehicles in rugged conditions including, mud, snow and high clearance roads. Work schedules, generally four 10-hour days with three days off each week, are subject to change depending on weather and project needs. Contract Timeline: - ASAP - October/November 2022 -Crew Members are expected to work full time; minimum 40 hours per week Location: Work will take place on the Eldorado National Forest (NF), in Placerville RD. Situated in the Sierra Nevada, bordered by Tahoe National Forest, Humbolt-Toiyabe and Stanislaus National Forest. People travel to Eldorado National Forest is centrally located in historical California Gold Country which as rich prospecting history, plenty of outdoor adventure and even beautiful vineyards. Eldorado offers and abundance of outdoor activities including fishing, hiking, biking, skiing and climbing. Eldorado is just 20 minutes to Lake Tahoe, an hour to Sacramento and 2.5 hours to San Francisco. Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in forestry (preferred), natural resource management or related field, with coursework and experience that demonstrate understanding of the principles of forestry; • Familiarity with cruising and marking techniques; • 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, desirable; • Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection, inventory, assessment, and monitoring protocols; • Capacity to collect and maintain field data in an organized manner that is easily understood and accessible to other resources staff; • Ability to communicate effectively, both written and orally, with a diverse audience; • Ability to navigate and collect data using handheld GPS units; • Experience using a compass and topographic map to navigate; • Experience using ArcGIS to create maps is a plus; • Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license with ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads; • Ability to live and work in rural and remote field and office setting; • 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; • Willingness and ability to camp in remote, primitive sites for several consecutive days; • Willingness and ability to consistently enact high performance standards and a strong work and team ethic in support of the mission of GBI and the goals and objectives of the USFS; and • Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: (1) U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status, (2) eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (limit of four in a lifetime or the equivalent of two full-time education awards), (3) pass National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and federal criminal background checks, (4) adhere to the rules, regulations and code of conduct as specified in the Member Service Agreement; and (5) will not engage in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement. Miscellaneous: Great Basin Institute, founded at the University of Nevada Reno in 1998, is a mission-driven non-profit organization headquartered in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. GBI has been a leader in the conservation stewardship field for over two decades, supporting thousands of individuals each pursuing a career in public land management or advancing their academic standing. Partnering with federal, state and local governments, as well as other NGOs and researchers, GBI supports projects in eleven western states ranging from Alaska to New Mexico, and southern California to northwestern Wyoming. As part of Great Basin Institute’s Covid-19 Vaccination Policy, all employees are required to receive and provide proof of a full course of COVID-19 vaccine prior to the first day of employment, unless a medical or religious exemption is submitted and approved. All employees covered by this policy are required to be fully vaccinated as a term and condition of employment at Great Basin Institute. Employees are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completing primary COVID-19 vaccination with, if applicable, at least the minimum recommended interval between doses. To review a copy of GBI’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, please visit our Field Updates page for more details. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please do not hesitate to contact one of our staff members. EEO Statement We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information & Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We prohibit Retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or otherwise oppose discrimination. Salary: $21/hr + housing Benefits: Compensation and Benefits: - $21/hour - $125/week housing stipend - Health Benefits covered 100% by GBI How to Apply: https://www.vscyberhosting.com/greatbasin/careers.aspx?rf=WSF&req=2022-…
