Wilderness Fuels Module - Sawyers, Medics, Assistant Crew Leads, and Crew Leads

*We will not review applications sent through Handshake. Please review How to Apply section at the bottom of this announcement.*

Term: May-October 2024

Wage Range:  $19-$26/hour,  depending on position, commensurate with experience. For wage range by position please visit our site here.

Benefits: Sick leave, holiday leave, wildfire mitigation leave

Training: Crosscut felling, Wilderness First Aid, S-212 Basic Saw Training

Housing: Housing cannot be provided by Sierra Institute at this time. For crew members interested in group housing off hitch, group housing can be partially facilitated.

The Sierra Institute for Community and Environment (Sierra Institute), in cooperation with the Lassen Volcanic National Park (LAVO) is hiring one Wilderness Fuels Module (WFM) Crew Leader to lead an eight person crew-including crew members, an assistant crew leader, and a crew medic- performing fuels management in Lassen Volcanic National Park (LAVO) to promote future prescribed and/or managed fire activities in wilderness areas of the park.

This work will also directly contribute to increasing fire resiliency of critical habitat for Northern Goshawk and California Spotted Owl. The WFM Crew Member, under the direction of the Crew Leaders, Sierra Institute support staff, and LAVO specialists, will be responsible for working as a team in safely falling, bucking, and limbing live and dead trees and constructing fireline using predominantly non-mechanized equipment (e.g., crosscut saws, axes, etc.) in undeveloped wilderness areas.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to fuels reduction activities within a designated Wilderness area in a National Park. Those with an interest in Wilderness land management, active management of forested landscapes for ecosystem resilience, and/or the use of non-mechanized equipment (crosscut saws) and fire as a tool to promote ecosystem health, are encouraged to apply. Crew members must possess a full COVID-19 vaccination status (vaccinated and boosted). 

Crew Member Qualifications Required 

● Minimum of two years’ combined field experience in forest or other natural resource management, this may include but is not limited to biological research, survey work, land conservation, or wildland fire; 

● Formalized training and/or experience falling trees by mechanized and/or non-mechanized means, and ability to produce relevant certification(s); ● Experience with and interest in utilizing non-mechanized equipment (crosscut saws, axes, etc.) to perform fuels reduction; 

● Experience with maintenance of non-mechanized tools; 

● Ability to perform physically taxing work in all weather conditions in rugged mountainous environments; 

● Knowledgeable and proficient in backcountry travel; 

● An ability to bring adaptability and improvisation, critical thinking skills, creativity, and humor to the workplace; 

● Ability to live in a campsite setting for eight days at a time; 

● Ability to effectively work with diverse teams or with diverse groups of people; 

● Ability to be punctual, diligent, and thorough in their work and support a similarly strong work ethic amongst crew members; 

● Interest in, or familiarity with, principles of Wilderness land management;

● Possess a valid, clean, state-issued driver’s license, with an ability to safely operate a 4WD vehicle; 

● Full COVID vaccination status (vaccinated and boosted). 

Preferred 

● Familiarity with the use and maintenance of crosscut saw. Field based experience in bucking or felling; 

● Ability and willingness to teach others appropriate non-mechanized tool use and maintenance techniques;

● Familiarity with mixed conifer forests and the ability to identify common tree species in the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades or willingness to learn necessary skills; ● Ability to use compasses, topographic maps, and handheld GPS units or tablets to navigate and collect data in the field; 

● Current wilderness medical training certification (e.g., WFA, WFR, WEMT);

● Leave No Trace or other backcountry ethics training; 

● Certification in S-212 (Federal Wildland Chainsaws) 

We invite all interested parties to apply including those belonging to Tribal communities, women, POC, and LGBTQ+ persons. Skills or experiences that can fill in for qualifications will be considered.

For full position description and qualifications for all roles, visit our website here.

How to Apply 

Please send your cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references as one PDF to jobs@sierrainstitute.us with “Wilderness Fuels Module - Crew Member” in the subject line. Please include where you heard about the job in the text of the email (please be as specific as possible). Position is open until filled, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please call 530.284.1022 or email jobs@sierrainstitute.us if you have questions.