Individual Placement - Forest Technician at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge

Student Conservation Association • Round Oak, GA

1d • $460 • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) and is located at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Round Oak, GA. The role involves preparing, implementing, and evaluating prescribed fire across over 9,000 acres, monitoring red-cockaded woodpecker clusters, conducting forest inventories on permanent monitoring plots (including Lidar scans), and treating invasive exotic plants. The position is primarily in a front country setting, but may involve backcountry work where emergency services are delayed. Access to public transportation is limited, and cell phone reception may be unreliable. SCA Members regularly interact with the public.

Requirements

• Must be between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger.
• Must be a citizen or national of the United States or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.
• Must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent or agree to obtain one or be enrolled in an institution of higher education.
• State motor vehicle driver’s license.
• Ability to earn firefighter type 2 certification (requires passing the arduous pack test: carrying a 45-pound pack three miles in 45 minutes or less).
• Ability to complete or fulfill all partner driving requirements.
• Driving a motor vehicle for the partner agency/organization is a requirement for this position.

Nice To Haves

• NWCG Firefighter Type 2
• S212 Wildfire Powersaws
• Wilderness first aid
• Background in dendrology and/or botany is helpful.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, implement, and evaluate prescribed fire on 9,000+ acres.
• Monitor all managed red-cockaded woodpecker clusters (currently 140).
• Inventory 24 permanent forest monitoring plots, including scan with Lidar.
• Locate, map, and treat invasive exotic plants, including herbicide use.
• Construct firelines with hand tools.
• Operate ATV/UTV (USFWS training required prior to operation).
• Serve as Firefighter Type 2 with FWS fire crew to ignite and hold prescribed fires.
• Verify RCW cluster activity status and map new trees with Fieldmaps.
• Measure tree diameter, height, damages, and other variables on permanent monitoring plots.
• Timber and streamside management zone marking.
• Other wildlife monitoring.
• Boundary line marking.
• Trail and other public use area maintenance.

Benefits

• Housing is provided (fully furnished three-bedroom house with kitchen located on refuge).
• Living Allowance - $460 per week.
• Defensive Driving Training
• First Aid/CPR
• Eligible/Optional AmeriCorps

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED