Wilderness and Trails, Crew Lead and Team Members

Wilderness & Trails Team Lead & Team Members

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Uncompahgre National Forest, is seeking 1 Team Lead and 2 Team Members to contribute to Wilderness and Trails projects alongside USFS Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Start Date: Early to Mid May

Estimated End Date: 20 weeks after the start date

Location Details/Description: Uncompahgre & Gunnison National Forests, Norwood Ranger District. Members will be based out of Norwood, CO.

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests are a combination of separate National Forests located around Norwood. These three combined Forests cover 3,161,900 acres of public land in the central and southern Rocky Mountains, an area that lies south of the Colorado River and west of the Continental Divide with some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rockies.

The Forests vary in elevation from 5,800 feet above sea level in Roubideau Creek Canyon to 14,309 feet on Uncompahgre Peak. Opportunities abound for camping, hiking, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, motorcycle touring, horseback riding, rock and ice climbing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and sightseeing. This is a well-known and highly desirable hunting area.

Position Overview:

• Contacts visitors to provide information about recreation regulations, opportunities, and current restrictions.
• Provides information about resource management practices in the area.
• Maintains contact with Campground Host(s).
• Checks for compliance with regulations, issues notices for common violations, and reports other violations to supervisor.
• Serves as a fee collection officer. At designated fee sites, collects monies from sale of recreation use permits and safeguards money and unused permits.
• Assures recreation area and trails are maintained in accordance with standards. Constructs and rehabilitates minor recreation facilities and trails.
• Makes safety checks of public use areas and takes corrective action.
• On occasion, directs or leads one or two lower-graded employees engaged in recreation or trail maintenance work. Makes day-to-day assignments and ensures quality of completed work.
• Cleans roadside and backcountry dispersed sites. Naturalizes sites where necessary in order to control use and prevent resource damage.
• Installs and maintains information boards, travel signs, regulatory signs, and other signs associated with recreation sites, trails, travel management, and safety.
• May be required to obtain Forest Protection Officer certification and perform law enforcement responsibilities using all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), watercrafts, and snowmobiles to patrol unit roads, trails, or waterways ensuring protection of forest property, land, and visitors.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: 4 ten hour days throughout the week (days may shift throughout the season)

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $750/week for the Lead position and $660/week for the team members to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. The living allowance is a fixed rate determined by the USFS and ACE and not flexible.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general information online https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in provided USFS housing at a cost to the member for the duration of the term.

Gear Assistance: ACE members will have up to $100 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear for this position includes appropriate footwear and must be approved by ACE staff prior to purchase.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.

Qualifications

Required

• Members must be comfortable in various indoor and outdoor work environments, and at times adverse weather conditions, hiking and backpacking for several miles a day
• Work required walking and climbing in steep, uneven terrain, performing physical labor, bending, lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds or more.
• Must be able to take initiative and work independently, as well as participate effectively in collaborative efforts.
• Ability to hike and backpack in a wilderness or backcountry setting.
• Comfortable with GPS (used to locate campsites to inventory) and data entry for analysis.
• Applicants must have a personal vehicle for work-related travel.
• Members must be US citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass required criminal history checks.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term.

Preferred Skills:

• Competitive applicants for this position can have relevant experience in subject areas such as Recreation Management and/or Natural Resources.
• Chainsaw and First Aid/CPR Certification highly desired; training may be provided.
• Members must have working knowledge of detailed recreation rules and regulations to assist Forest visitors, and to detect and report violations
• Ability to educate visitors in recreation management and law enforcement objectives and policies, to obtain compliance with laws/regulations, to resolve problems, and to provide assistance to forest visitors. Contacts will include dealing with some persons and/or groups that may be uncooperative, hostile and who have different viewpoints.
• Must have strong communication skills
• Must be able to work alone and in small groups with minimal supervision, and adhere to instructions, procedure and use initiative in carrying out recurring assignments independently
• Experience and/or ability to learn the use of a GPS unit
• Public outreach and making contacts with visitors is a key component of this role contact is to educate visitors in recreation management and law enforcement objectives and policies, to obtain compliance with laws/regulations, to resolve problems, and to provide assistance to forest visitors. Contacts will include dealing with some persons and/or groups that may be uncooperative, hostile and who have different viewpoints

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources.

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/. Early consideration will be given as resumes are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE Member Manager Jack Hall at jhall@usaconservation.org

EEO: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

Current Openings for Wilderness and Trails, Crew Lead and Team Members Jobs at American Conservation Experience - EPIC