HRI Forestry Crew Leader

SEE FULL JOB DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS HERE: https://savehemlocksnc.org/job-openings-hri-forestry-technicians-and-crew-leader/

Program Description: The Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI) is a grant-funded program managed by WNC Communities’ Forestry Education LLC. HRI’s mission is to work with a variety of partners and existing programs to restore hemlocks to long-term health throughout North Carolina and ensure that eastern and Carolina hemlocks can resist hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) and survive to maturity on North Carolina’s public and private lands. This is accomplished through establishing hemlock conservation areas (HCAs), implementing chemical and biological control of HWA, supporting the restoration efforts of partner agencies, and educating private landowners and others on the importance of hemlocks and how they can help conserve hemlocks on their own properties or as volunteers on larger public lands projects.

Summary of Position: The Crew Leader will help train, motivate, work alongside, manage and oversee a small team of forestry technicians in hemlock restoration activities on national, state and otherwise conserved forests, including parks, game lands, and private lands across Western North Carolina. These activities will consist of scouting and assessing the health of hemlock stands, writing and updating hemlock treatment plans for each site, installing and collecting data from impact monitoring plots, conducting chemical treatments for HWA, and to a lesser degree supporting other HWA control strategies, including biological and silvicultural control strategies. The Crew Leader is responsible for ensuring that the crew produces high quality work to achieve successful project outcomes that meet HRI’s and partners’ expectations. The Crew Leader will possess good judgment, professionalism, leadership and communication skills, initiative, willingness to learn, emotional maturity and resilience, resourcefulness, and comfort in the outdoors. This individual will work closely and collaborate with the HRI program director and other staff members, but will be the primary point of contact for landowners, managers, and members of the public when on-site. They may also help coordinate, manage, and oversee volunteers and other “guest crews” not employed by HRI on occasion.

This position is an excellent opportunity to be a member of a dynamic team, play an influential role in addressing an important forest health issue, and work in ecologically special and often stunningly beautiful natural areas across Western North Carolina and the Southern Appalachians. The ideal candidate will believe in the program’s mission, embrace a positive, collegial culture, and desire to be a member of a hard-working team for a transformative non-profit organization during a time of institutional growth.

Work Environment: HRI’s office is located in Asheville, NC. The position will be primarily an in-person, field-based position, using the office as headquarters, with the option to work a limited number of hours remotely if necessary. The weekly schedule will vary, but a typical work week for the Crew Leader during the treatment season (October-April) might consist of 3-4 days in the field and 1-2 days in the office. Most fieldwork days will be 10+ hour days (generally 8:00AM to 6:00PM) returning to the office each day; however, there will also be multi-day, overnight trips (camping or staying in shared cabins). The field work can be moderately to highly physically strenuous, in remote locations, on difficult terrain (steep slopes, thick understory vegetation), in cold and occasionally hot temperatures, with possible exposure to poison ivy, insects and other wildlife.

See full list of duties at the link above.

The position is open until filled.