Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the Eldorado National Forest, is seeking ONE Botany Technician to work alongside Forest Service staff. 

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: April 21, 2025
Estimated End Date: October 4, 2025
*a 24-week minimum commitment is desired *

Location Details/Description: Pollock Pines, CA Eldorado National Forest, Pacific Ranger District 

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.

For more information on the Eldorado National Forest, please visit the USDA Forest Service website.

Position Overview: 

• Work for this position will take place in the North Zone of the Eldorado National Forest (Georgetown and Pacific Ranger Districts). The successful applicant will work as a member of the six-person North Zone botany team. Team members will:
• Conduct surveys for threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant (TESP) species
• Conduct surveys for known TESP populations to determine trends. 
• Conducts surveys of project locations to determine presence/absence of TESP species within Eldorado National Forest
• Inventory, monitor, and map new and existing TESP and  weed populations utilizing agency data collection applications, commercial global positioning systems and topographic maps. 
• Operate, maintain, and inventory weed management equipment. 
• Implement protection measures for TESP plant species in project areas
• Implement protection measures to prevent the spread of invasive weed species
• Aid partners in seed collection and pollinator surveys of TESP plant species
• Aid partners in large scale seed collection of common species
• As needed, a percentage of the technician's time may be scheduled to assist in other program areas (Wildlife, Aquatics, and Archeology), to accomplish high priority project needs and provide cross-training opportunities. Experience in other program areas is not required but a willingness to work across programs and learn about other resource areas is essential.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: Mon-Thurs, 7:00am - 6:00pm

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $795/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

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. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.

Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in provided USFS Barracks depending on availability.  Each member will receive reimbursement for housing costs up to a weekly rate not to exceed $100 per week. 

Relocation Allowance: ACE members will have access to up to $500 to be used for eligible relocation expenses. Further details regarding distribution of these funds will be provided during the interview process. 

Provided Training/Orientation: The ACE member will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support. The Forest Service will provide the member with Avenza and Collector/Survey123 field data collection systems training. Additional training may include cross-training with other departments. 

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by 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 the required criminal history checks
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website located on our Indeed homepage.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position should have a bachelor’s degree in Botany, Resource Management, or relevant professional experiences in closely related fields. 
• Experience and/or ability to learn the use of a GPS unit. 
• Database management and ArcGIS software experience. 
• Plant identification 
• 4x4 vehicle and ATV experience 
• Members should be capable of working alone, or with other people, during early morning hours, night, or during the day. 
• Members should be capable of working in remote locations for backcountry work trips over an extended period of time, primitive camping 

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 25 lbs., ability to move up to 40 pounds.
• Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates.
• Noise Environment: Moderate to high noise such as gas-powered weed whackers and other hand and power tools.
• Travel: This position does not require unique travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) 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. Hazards include hot summer temperatures, bees/stinging insects, poison oak, beetle-killed and/or fire-killed trees.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the Forest Service or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the Forest Service. ACE members may, if they possess or obtain certification and training required by the State of California and the U.S. Forest service, operate a gas or electric powered chainsaw to remove dead and downed trees obstructing work areas as permitted by their qualifications and comfort. Members may be asked to remove dead or downed trees or limbs from work areas using a non-powered saw. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the Forest Service, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to Forest Service and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.