Recreation Technician

Recreation Technician Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps in partnership with the Eldorado National Forest, is seeking 8 Recreation Technicians. The Recreation Technicians will perform work assignments related to the monitoring, assessment, planning, and maintenance aspects of recreation management. This opportunity is intended for candidates with a well-developed working background in conservation, natural resources management, wilderness management, recreation management, or a similar field. The Recreation Technicians should possess a passion for public land management and a professional interest in advancing their career towards natural resource management.

For more information about ACE, please visit ACEs website.

The Eldorado National Forest is located in the central Sierra Nevada region within California and encompasses a total of 7,982,279 acres, which includes 19,302,727 acres of private ownership. The Eldorado National Forest is bordered on the north by the Tahoe National Forest, on the east by the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, and to the south by the Stanislaus National Forest. The Eldorado is within 3-4 hours of the San Francisco Bay Area and about 1-1 1/2 hours from Sacramento. It ranges in elevation from 1,000 feet in the foothills to more than 10,000 feet above sea level along the Sierra crest.

The mountainous topography is broken by the steep canyons of the Mokelumne, Cosumnes, American, and Rubicon rivers. Plateaus of generally moderate relief are located between these steep canyons. The forest is also home to 297 lakes and reservoirs, including both public and private acreage, which total 11,994 surface acres. 11 large reservoirs account for 9,000 acres. The rest are mostly small, high mountain lakes. Both the rivers and lakes provide excellent fishing opportunities.

The Eldorado National Forest provides diverse recreational opportunities to the public. The Forest offers every visitor the chance to enjoy nature and be outdoors. In addition to two popular wilderness areas, Desolation Wilderness and Mokelumne Wilderness, the forest offers more than 70 day-use and overnight developed recreation facilities across the forest for individual families and groups.

Position Overview

Performs minor maintenance of developed and dispersed recreation area facilities, including campgrounds and trailheads, cleans restrooms, cleans campsites, maintains fire-safe areas, paints picnic tables, and bulletin boards, etc. Provides excellent customer service by enthusiastically answering questions, greeting, and assisting visitors. Performs patrols of the campgrounds, trailheads, OHV areas, and dispersed sites to ensure they stay presentable and addresses or reports discrepancies as they occur. Ensures visitors comply with rules and regulations. Assists in trail maintenance activities, including but not limited to brushing tread work and logging out. Collects fees and may assist in the management of group reservations. Performs other duties as assigned.

May require camping for up to two nights per week in a remote recreation area without on-site cell phone service. May be required to operate a chainsaw, training provided for members who start early enough in the season.

Position Benefits

• Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute approximately 40 hours per week and will receive a living allowance of $760 per week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.
• Housing: Housing may be available in USFS barracks, but is not guaranteed. A 100-week housing reimbursement will be available to help offset the cost of housing.
• 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 and 640 hours of service.
• Eligibility: You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35 and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility or view general eligibility information on our website.

Qualifications

• Required:
• Public outreach and making contacts with visitors is a key component of this role, contacting visitors to educate them 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.
• Members must have a high fitness level and be comfortable in various indoor and outdoor work environments and at times adverse weather conditions.
• 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.
• Must be a 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 and work alone and be a positive contributing member of a group.
• A valid drivers 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.

Preferred Skills

• Chainsaw and First Aid/CPR Certification, highly desired, training may be provided.
• Have working knowledge of detailed recreation rules and regulations to assist Forest visitors and to detect and report violations.
• Have demonstrated skills and knowledge of basic procedures for cleaning and maintaining recreational areas, facilities, and/or trails.
• Experience and/or ability to learn the use of a GPS unit.

Environmental Conditions

• Hazards: The ACE members 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.

Vehicle and Equipment Use

• Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the USFS or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the USFS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) typically provided by the USFS will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to USFS and ACE equipment training certification and safety protocols is required.

To Apply

Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to ACEs online application page for this position on our website. Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position, please feel free to contact Jack Hall, BLM/USFS Assistant Director, at jhall@usaconservation.org.