As-Needed Registered Professional Forester

Rincon Consultants, Inc•San Luis Obispo, CA

7d•$80 - $150•Hybrid

About The Position

Rincon Consultants is seeking an as-needed Registered Professional Forester to advise and lead complex projects across California. You’ll provide strategic guidance to clients on the California Forest Practice Rules, Board of Forestry regulations, wildfire, timber harvest, and mitigation planning—while mentoring staff and ensuring the technical excellence of Rincon’s forestry services. This position may include a mix of office work and fieldwork and may involve periodic travel to project sites. The ideal candidate is confident managing complex forestry tasks, writing and reviewing high-quality reports, and mentoring staff. While this role may offer flexible work arrangements that can include a mix of in-office and remote work, our changing business needs will ultimately determine our level of remote-work flexibility. Additionally, to promote in-person collaboration and client teaming, we prioritize hiring those who reside within 50 miles of a Rincon office which currently includes: Carlsbad, Fresno, Los Angeles, Monterey, Oakland, Palm Springs, Riverside, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, San Jose, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, or a closely related field.
Current RPF license in good standing.
15+ years of professional experience in forestry consulting, forest management, or related natural resource work.
Demonstrated experience leading or advising on California forestry projects, including regulatory compliance and environmental documentation.
Strong understanding of California Forest Practice Rules, Board of Forestry regulations, wildfire-related requirements, and CEQA.
Proven ability to write, review, and QA/QC high-quality technical reports and permitting documents.
Experience mentoring staff and leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple projects.
Ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining technical rigor and client service.

Responsibilities

Provide senior-level technical leadership on forestry projects across California, including timber harvest planning, forest management, vegetation management, and mitigation programs.
Advise clients on California Forest Practice Rules, Board of Forestry regulations, and related state and local permitting requirements.
Lead and review preparation of Timber Harvest Plans (THPs), exemptions, forest management plans, and associated environmental documentation, including CEQA compliance.
Support wildfire risk reduction and resilience planning, including defensible space, fuel reduction strategies, and vegetation management tied to regulatory compliance.
Conduct and oversee forest stand exams, resource assessments, and impact analyses, including mitigation strategy development and monitoring.
Provide technical oversight and peer review of forestry-related deliverables prepared by Rincon staff, ensuring regulatory accuracy, defensibility, and high technical quality.
Coordinate with state and local agencies (e.g., CAL FIRE, Board of Forestry, CDFW), landowners, contractors, and clients to support project approvals and implementation.
Mentor and support staff by providing guidance on forestry methods, regulations, reporting standards, and professional development.
Support growth of Rincon’s forestry services through proposal development, including scoping, technical input, and cost estimates.
Serve as a senior advisor to clients, helping shape forestry and wildfire-related programs and long-term strategies.
Identify opportunities to integrate forestry services into broader land management, resilience, and sustainability initiatives.
Mentor staff by providing strategic guidance and professional development support, strengthening Rincon’s internal forestry capacity.
Contribute to practice leadership by aligning services with evolving regulations, client needs, and market trends.