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Forestry Technician - Six Rivers National Forest (USFS)
Job Code:2023-BRF-064
Location:VARIOUS
State:California
Program:Basin and Range Forestry
Contract Length:6 Months
  

Job Description:
The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the USFS, is recruiting one (1) Forestry Technician to perform timber sale-preparation, vegetation management and restoration projects in Six River National Forest, duty station at Willow Creek, CA. These projects all serve the Basin & Range Forestry program’s greater mission of helping the USFS in their critical goal of improving forest resilience in the face of worsening climate conditions and increased wildfire threats. The work that you will do directly improves the quality of these forests helping ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come. The Technician will serve vegetation management and fuels reduction efforts, supporting initiatives for healthy, productive, and resilient forest landscapes and resources. Project work may include post fire recovery efforts.


Forestry Technicians will perform a wide variety of activities to support all stages of project work. Forestry duties may include, but are not limited to:

  • Timber sale unit boundary delineation and layout (GPSing, flagging, painting);
  • Tree species identification;
  • Green and salvage timber marking and cruising;
  • Timber and biomass plot cruising;
  • Collection of stand examination data;
  • General silviculture data collection; and
  • Identification of various resource concerns including hydrology, heritage, wildlife and recreation. 


All procedures will be performed in compliance with 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.



Contract Timeline:
Start and end dates may vary according to local conditions and individual projects: Tentatively June to November (6-month term).
Projects are weather dependent and there is always a chance the season will end earlier if weather prevents safe field operations.

Location:
The Six Rivers National Forest includes 974,612 acres of mountainous land that stretches from the Oregon-California border south for approximately 140 miles to Mendocino County. The Six Rivers also manages the Klamath National Forest’s Ukonom Ranger District (195,612 acres), bringing the total land under Six Rivers’ management to 1.17 million acres. The Six Rivers’ headquarters is located in Eureka, with district offices (or “ranger districts”) in the communities of Gasquet (Gasquet Ranger District, which includes the Smith River National Recreation Area), Orleans (Orleans Ranger District), Willow Creek (Lower Trinity Ranger District), and Mad River (Mad River Ranger District).

Elevations across the Forest range from nearly sea-level to approximately 7,000 feet. As a result, the Six Rivers supports diverse ecosystems and landscapes. The Forest is composed of extensive stands of coniferous forest, with moderate amounts of oak woodland and grassland in the southern part of the Forest.

Compensation and Benefits:
- Wage: $24/hour with overtime at 1.5x hourly rate. Full time, average 40 hours per week.
- Health, Dental, Vision Insurance paid 100% by GBI. Available on the first day of the month following the start of employment.
- Shared housing provided in cooperation with GBI and USFS.
- Camping Per Diem: $15/night as necessary.
- Uniform Stipend.

Job Qualifications:

At least one of the following:

  • 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; OR
  •  Six months of professional fieldwork experience.


Other:

  • 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;
  • Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license;
  • Ability to live and work in rural and remote field and office setting; and
  • 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.


Preferred:

  • 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,  geology and topography;
  • Ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads;
  • Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection, inventory, assessment and monitoring protocols; and
  • Experience using ArcGIS to create maps is a plus.

 



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.