Project Title: Natural Resource Specialist Resource Assistant
Project Type: In-person
Duration: 32 weeks (8 months). Preferred Start Date is June 2nd, 2024 and extend through January 31st, 2024. There is some flexibility with these dates.
Location: Norwood Ranger District, Norwood, Colorado
Housing: On-site housing is provided.
Project Background: The RA will work on 3 main projects.
- Explore how to make Forest operations more sustainable. RA will work in collaboration with various programs that are experiencing staff increases to identify opportunities to increase efficiency in daily operations.
- Contribute to the development of the South Uncompahgre Hazardous Fuels and Ecological Resiliency (SUHFER) Project. SUHFER is a landscape scale project proposal incorporating nearly a quarter million acres of the Uncompahgre Plateau on the Norwood and Ouray Ranger Districts. The project is intended to increase forest and watershed resilience in the face of multiple environmental stressors that are increasing as a result of climate change including prolonged drought, spread of insect and disease activity and higher risk of catastrophic wildfire.
- Collaborate with GMUG in completion of the Forest’s Climate Action Tracker
- Resource Support & job shadowing. To develop a broader understanding of the agency, a portion of the RA’s time will be spent with various resources through job-shadowing opportunities. This will allow for an increased understanding of the various resources and positions on the GMUG and how they interact and work together to accomplish our mission.
Project Duties:
- Forest sustainable operations: Approximately 20% of time
Work with the Office of Sustainability and Climate to learn about green opportunities in the agency and how to reduce consumption and shift toward sustainable products and habits. Tasks may include, but are not limited to, conducting assessments and gathering information (for water, energy and sewer usage, also solid waste disposal) in databases and spreadsheets for tracking program data, educating Forest staff about energy usage, initiating an energy saving campaign. - SUHFER Project: Approximately 55% of time.
Attend and participate in interdisciplinary team meetings, conduct climate related research and synthesis of scholarly articles and other materials, assist with mapping and spatial analysis, attend and participate in public meetings, assist with preparation of NEPA documents including scoping materials and alternative development, assist with note preparation and file organization, and other miscellaneous tasks. Some of this work may occur in the field requiring hiking on uneven terrain in potentially adverse weather conditions. - GMUG Forest’s Climate Action Tracker: Approximately 10% of time.
Attend CAT training sessions from OSC. Create and provide CAT overview presentations. Work with staff and District Rangers on CAT activities and input data into the Dashboard. - Resource Support & Job Shadowing: 15% of time. Scheduling and coordinating meeting logistics with various Forest Service personnel, preparing any necessary materials or documents ahead of time for the specific job, and producing any follow-up materials or feedback that may be required. These activities may include projects such as field monitoring and recon, timber, wildlife, fuels, or road and trail projects, or office related activities.
RAs will work and communicate with a Hispanic Access Program Associate during their Resource Assistantship. RAs will be expected to participate in scheduled conference calls, webinars, and meetings conducted throughout their term. RAs will capture photos and/or videos for reporting purposes and submit 3-5 blog posts highlighting their experience and development.
Desired Qualifications:
- A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a natural resource related field
- Fluent with Microsoft suite of office tools including word and excel
- Experience with ArcGIS
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Experience working in a diverse team setting
- Experience with project management
Minimum Qualifications:
- Age over 17 to utilize Forest Service bunkhouse
- Minimum of 24 credit hours in natural resource related courses
- Driver’s license
- US citizenship or permanent residency. Interns must undergo a government background check if selected.
Working Conditions: The RA will perform most of their duties in an office setting. Some activities may require work in the field in sometimes adverse terrain and weather conditions. Driving to and from workstations or job sites will be required. Typical weekly schedule is Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Stipend + Benefits:
- A biweekly stipend of $1,500 based on a 40-hour workweek
- Monthly housing stipend up to $1000 per month
- Health insurance coverage
- Funds available to support professional development opportunities that align with role and goals (training, conference, etc.)
- Direct Hire Authority/Public Land Corp Eligibility – after completing hours, DHA/PLC status provides special non-competitive hiring status when applying for certain federal positions.
Application:
Hispanic Access Foundation (Hispanic Access) is managing the recruitment for these positions. All applications should be submitted through Hispanic Access’ MANO Project application page. A resume and two references will be required for submission. Your application or resume should include professional and educational experience, along with any awards, technical skills or volunteer activities. Application questions or issues may be directed to MANO Program Associate Veronica Torres, veronicat@hispanicaccess.org.
Applications for this position are due on Sunday April 28th at 11:59pm EST
Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement:
Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process should contact Hispanic Access Foundation directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Forest Service Mission:
Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
Hispanic Access Foundation Mission:
Hispanic Access Foundation (Hispanic Access) is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization that connects Latinos and People of Color to partners and opportunities improving lives and creating an equitable society. Hispanic Access’s vision is that all Hispanics throughout the U.S. enjoy good physical health, a healthy natural environment, a quality education, economic success and civic engagement in their communities with the sum improving the future of America.