Visitor Information Services Lead Member, Eldorado National Forest

EPIC • Pollock Pines, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Eldorado National Forest, is seeking one VIS Lead Member to contribute to projects alongside Forest Service St aff. This opportunity is intended for a candidate with a well-developed working background in conservation, natural resources management, wilderness management, recreation management, or a similar field. The VIS Lead should possess a passion for public land management and a professional interest in advancing their career towards natural resource management, policy, and/or wilderness. The Eldorado National Forest is located in the central Sierra Nevada region within California and encompasses a total of 798,279 acres, which includes 193,027 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 the Humboldt-Toiyabe, 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 the individual, families and groups. Ensures that the information desk at a reception area or visitor center is covered at all times, and answers the phone and radio Leads a visitor services team in identifying, distributing, and balancing the workload and tasks amongst the team in accordance with established workflow and skill level; establishes priorities to ensure timely accomplishment of assigned team tasks. Greets visitors, and responds to a variety of inquiries regarding Forest Service activities, programs, exhibits, facilities, policies, and functions Evaluates inquiries in order to provide the most useful and appropriate information or to suggest other options, such as alternate routes or activities Provides guidance to the public on rules and regulations regarding on-unit activities, and attempts to gain public cooperation in protecting resources from damage and pollution Assists visitors and callers with informational searches, and with use of the reference library Monitors and reports statistics such as visitor numbers and activities, for project planning Keeps aware of unit issues and acts as lead to other information desk co-workers as needed Serves as Collection Officer to sell forest timber permits and other items, such as maps and passes, in accordance with manual and handbook requirements Is held responsible for submitting and accounting for collected monies using approved computer programs and records Performs regular daily activities for the reception area or visitor center, including but not limited to, daily opening and closing of the facility, raising and lowering the flag, and maintaining the front desk

Requirements

• Members must be 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/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver's 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.

Nice To Haves

• Competitive applicants for this position can have relevant experience in subject areas such as Recreation Management and/or Natural Resources.
• Ability to educate visitors in responsible recreation and/or other natural resource topics in accordance with Forest Service objectives and policies, to reinforce compliance with laws/regulations, to resolve problems, and to provide assistance to forest visitors. Contacts may include dealing with some persons and/or groups that may be uncooperative, hostile and who have different viewpoints.
• 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
• Public outreach and making contacts with visitors is a key component of this role.

Responsibilities

• Ensures that the information desk at a reception area or visitor center is covered at all times, and answers the phone and radio
• Leads a visitor services team in identifying, distributing, and balancing the workload and tasks amongst the team in accordance with established workflow and skill level; establishes priorities to ensure timely accomplishment of assigned team tasks.
• Greets visitors, and responds to a variety of inquiries regarding Forest Service activities, programs, exhibits, facilities, policies, and functions
• Evaluates inquiries in order to provide the most useful and appropriate information or to suggest other options, such as alternate routes or activities
• Provides guidance to the public on rules and regulations regarding on-unit activities, and attempts to gain public cooperation in protecting resources from damage and pollution
• Assists visitors and callers with informational searches, and with use of the reference library
• Monitors and reports statistics such as visitor numbers and activities, for project planning
• Keeps aware of unit issues and acts as lead to other information desk co-workers as needed
• Serves as Collection Officer to sell forest timber permits and other items, such as maps and passes, in accordance with manual and handbook requirements
• Is held responsible for submitting and accounting for collected monies using approved computer programs and records
• Performs regular daily activities for the reception area or visitor center, including but not limited to, daily opening and closing of the facility, raising and lowering the flag, and maintaining the front desk

Benefits

• Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $800/w eek to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.
• Housing stipend of $100/wk may be available to help offset the cost of housing
• Travel Reimbursement: $500 is available to offset the cost of relocating to the project area
• 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. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age ( 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed