Location:   Highlands of Roan – Mitchell and Avery County, NC and Carter County, TN
Supervisor:  Roan Stewardship Director
Salary:  $15.00 per hour (PLUS housing and utilities provided)
Duration:  Part-time/Seasonal – May 15th – August 15th, 2025. Non-exempt.

POSITION SUMMARY

This position begins approximately May 15th and ends August 15, 2025.

The Roan Naturalist represents the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club (TEHCC), as well as the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests.  The primary responsibilities of the Roan Naturalist are

1) Educate hikers about the sensitive ecology in the Highlands of Roan and Leave No Trace (LNT) outdoor ethics to minimize recreational impacts in the Appalachian Trail corridor

2) Perform basic ecology and stewardship functions in support of SAHC’s and ATC’s grassy balds and open areas management programs

3) Collect visitor use data for use by the Roan Highlands Visitor Use Management (VUM) team

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Patrol a 13-mile section of the A.T. with 80% of trail time spent between Carvers Gap and Grassy Ridge. The remaining time will be spent in other areas between Ash Gap and Hump Mountain, with particular attention given to Roan High Knob and Overmountain shelters
• Work schedule is 40 hours per week with a minimum of 2 days and 2 nights (Friday-Sunday) on the Trail interacting with visitors and another 2 days (typically Th-F) of ecological work in areas surrounding the trail corridor. The schedule for this position is weather dependent and subject to change.
• Trail nights will be spent at Overmountain Shelter site, Roan High Knob Shelter, or on the western balds, including Grassy Ridge.
• Engage as many visitors as possible in conversations to answer questions and educate the public about Roan ecology and Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics.
• Dismantle excessive fire rings and pack out trash left along the Trail and at overnight sites.
• Record visitor data, including number and type of visitors (day-hiker, thru-hiker, etc.) as well as overnight site usage. Document number of interpretive conversations, LNT conversations, amount of trash removed, and number of fire rings dismantled
• Document and report any illegal activity or emergency situations to local authorities, including U.S. Forest Service
• Use RIMS (recreation impacts monitoring system) to document and report any trail deficiencies to ATC and TEHCC, including blow-down trees, or tread problems.
• Assist with grassy balds management- this includes conducting vegetation surveys, carrying equipment and tools to field sites, conducting management activities (like brush-cutting or weed-eating),Non-native invasive plant control, and mapping work areas using a GPS.
• Assist with habitat assessments, recreational impact monitoring and wildlife/plant surveys
• Submit weekly reports to SAHC, ATC, and TEHCC outlining the past week’s activity

QUALIFICATIONS

Qualifications required to excel in this position can come from professional and lived experiences. Below we describe what we believe to be important qualifications for a candidate while remaining open to diverse backgrounds that can lead to these skill sets. Position descriptions are often presented in a way that leaves qualified candidates, particularly women, people of working-class backgrounds, people of color, and LGBTQIA applicants, feeling unwelcome, intimidated, uncomfortable, and/or unqualified to apply. Recognizing that, we strongly encourage anyone who feels passionate about this work and believes they have what it takes to thrive in this role to apply

• Outstanding communication and education skills
• Excellent organizational and record-keeping skills
• Proven ability to interact positively with the public and others
• Background in biology, ecology, or natural resources management
• Commitment to the SAHC’s and ATC’s resource protection efforts

This job has the following physical requirements:

• Ability to traverse uneven or rough terrain, and to tolerate exposure to outdoor elements and varying weather conditions. This position requires attending hikes of various levels of elevation and duration.
• Ability to carry a 50 lb. pack up to 12 miles in a day
• Ability to use power tools (e.g. weed-eater, chainsaw) to conduct vegetation management
• Experience and equipment for camping under any weather conditions
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to allow a person to perform essential functions.

DESIRED SKILLS

• First aid training and current certification
• Leave No Trace training and certification
• Knowledge of basic GPS/GIS use
• Ability to learn to identify by sight 5-10 Appalachian plant species
• Ability to learn to identify (by sight and song) 3-5 bird species
• Knowledge of basic trail maintenance techniques
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to use personal vehicle for transportation to and from trailheads. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Roan Naturalist will be on the Trail for at least two days at a time, rain or shine, often above 5000’ elevation.  Weather conditions in the Highlands of Roan are highly unpredictable, but cold, windy, and rainy conditions are common, and lightning danger is extremely high.  During this portion of the work week, the naturalist is expected to sleep on the Trail, in a tent.  Lodging is available in a nearby cabin for days off.  Weekend and holiday work are required for this position.

About Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy:

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) is an established land trust serving a 10-county region in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Since 1974, we have conserved more than 90,000 acres of the region’s most important lands, including places that offer opportunities to all people to enjoy outdoor recreation, protect scenic beauty, protect rivers and streams that serve the region’s water needs, connect places for wildlife and plants to ensure resilient landscapes in the mountains, and preserve working farmland that supply local foods.

We emphasize proactively:

• Protecting high-priority tracts identified through strategic conservation planning, mapping and prioritization
• Helping government agency partners and community partners acquire their highest priority tracts for public benefit
• Protecting tracts that enhance landscape resilience to climate change
• Protecting prime soils and working farms.
• Striving to protect culturally significant sites that can help reverse inequities among people(s) in our communities.

SAHC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  SAHC recognizes historic inequities in the conservation field, access to land and ownership of land. These factors cause imbalance in communities, and we commit to purposeful action to correct them. Conservation is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of widely diverse backgrounds, experiences and identities.  However you identify and whatever your background, please apply if this is a position that excites you.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), family responsibilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state or federal law or local ordinance.