Parks Natural Resources Technician I - Denver Parks and Recreation

City and County of Denver•Golden, CO

4d•$27 - $40•Onsite

About The Position

The Parks Natural Resources Technician I supports forestry and natural resources operations within Denver’s Mountain Parks system, which includes 22 accessible parks and 24 conservation and wilderness areas totaling more than 14,000 acres. The role helps protect native forests and species, mitigate noxious weeds, manage wildlife, and support ecological sustainability through assessments, evaluations, restoration projects, and resource management. This on-call, part-time position is based on site at Mountain Parks Headquarters in Morrison, Colorado. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with routine or variable schedules possible; the position works no more than 39 hours per week. The role is eligible to enroll in the City and County of Denver’s 457b retirement plan but is not eligible for other additional benefits.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Range or Wildlife Management, Forestry, Environmental Science, Biology, Restoration Ecology, Park and Recreation Management, or a related field; an appropriate combination of education and experience may substitute for the minimum requirements.
One year of urban and rural habitat management experience; an appropriate combination of education and experience may substitute for the minimum requirements.
Valid driver’s license at the time of application; licenses and certifications must remain current as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with vegetation and wildlife management in both urban and mountain parks.
Current Colorado Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator License and Chainsaw Certification.
Proficiency in plant identification.
Experience writing and editing technical reports.
Experience designing and carrying out forest inventory samples.
National Wildfire Coordinating Group S-130/190 wildfire training.
NWCG Wildland Fire Chainsaws Training S-212.
Current Commercial Driver’s License.
Proficiency with Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, GIS, GPS, and FVS.
Experience with chainsaws and other forestry and logging equipment.
Experience operating a four-wheel-drive vehicle in variable weather and road conditions.
Knowledge of grant programs and experience writing and managing grants.

Responsibilities

Manage mountain parks to protect native forests and species, mitigate noxious weeds, and manage wildlife, including conducting site assessments, evaluations, and restoration projects.
Work with internal and external stakeholders to preserve the mountain parks.
Conduct forest assessments and evaluations to identify and inventory tree and plant species, terrain, wildlife, grasses, and shrubs, and determine appropriate management methods.
Manage forest vegetation and fuels, including removing weeds, shrubs, and trees through felling, bucking, swamping, chipping, mastication, and burning; collect field data and map stand delineations, boundaries, and borders.
Map, eradicate, and control noxious weeds by assessing conditions, mapping targeted populations, selecting and evaluating treatment methods, and developing a system-wide monitoring program.
Map and control forest insect and disease outbreaks.
Assist with prescribed fire activities.
Conduct public outreach and natural resource and forestry education, including educating park visitors, staffing educational booths at community events, giving classroom presentations, responding to 311 forestry calls, and training and working with volunteer groups.
Perform habitat restoration, including planting trees and native plants, reseeding native grasses, collecting native seeds, installing fencing and signs, and building and installing bird boxes.
Follow public and personal safety guidelines, including using personal protective equipment and understanding herbicide instructions and applications.
Assist with data management using GPS, GIS, FVS, Survey123, and related tools to make recommendations for program and project improvements, including logistics planning.
Prepare reports and maintain a work journal documenting tree data, invasive species mitigation, wildlife counts, study locations and site activities, hours worked, and resources needed to complete objectives.
Perform regular park maintenance and restoration, including building and maintaining trails and fences and installing informational signs.
Perform other related duties as assigned.