Position summary: The successful candidate will collect tree data from Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots across the country.

Location: Position is 100% travel. Clearwater Forest Analytics is currently managing FIA contracts in CA, the Dakotas, NE, OH, IN, and throughout New England. The candidate will be expected to go wherever they are needed.

Duration: This is a permanent position, with 9 months of work guaranteed per year (Mar-Nov), with the option to work year-round under mutual agreement. Candidate must be able to attend a 2-week certification session March 16-27, though it would be preferable for them to start 1-2 weeks prior to this.

Pay: $15-26/hr, commensurate with experience, with potential for overtime. Performance incentives based on the volume of work completed are also available up to an additional $500/week.

Benefits: 4 hours of annual leave accrued per 2-week pay period. Additionally, after two years and an acceptable performance evaluation, the employee will be eligible for conversion to a fully-benefited permanent position, including health insurance and matching 401k.

Minimum qualifications: Applicants must either have 1) A bachelor’s degree in forestry, natural resources, environmental science, biological science, or a related field, or 2) an associate’s degree in one of the aforementioned areas, and 6 months of related experience.

Company description: Clearwater Forest Analytics (CFA) is hiring 1-3 forestry technicians to assist with forest survey work across the US. CFA is a consulting firm based in Rapid City, SD that contracts with the US Forest Service to measure FIA plots across the United States. CFA has also conducted stand exams and marked timber sales for the federal government, and has provided forest stewardship plans to private landowners.

CFA has completed projects in multiple states, including MA, RI, MI, MN, SD, ND, NE, WY, UT, MT, ID, WA, and CA.

Position description: FIA is often referred to as the nation’s tree census. FIA data tells us how much timber, wildlife habitat, and carbon is stored in our forests, and how much timber is growing and harvested every year. Tens of thousands of locations are visited annually across the country. More information on FIA data collection and uses can be found here: https://vimeo.com/583539406 and https://vimeo.com/808750391

This is an opportunity to spend time in the nation’s forests, from the subalpine forests of the Rockies to the riparian hardwoods of the Midwest to the sunbaked junipers of the Southwest.

At each location, a variety of measurements are taken on every tree located within the permanent plot radius, including: diameter, height, timber merchantability, damages (insects, diseases, physical defects, etc), crown position, and others. Monumenting and documenting plot locations is vital for future crews to relocate the plot.

This position will complete both standard FIA plots, in addition to Urban FIA plots. Standard FIA plots are located in forests throughout the US, while Urban plots are restricted to developed areas and capture the dynamics of city trees. The candidate can expect to spend time in both remote wilderness areas and highly developed urban settings.

Hiking offtrail for long distances may be required.

The successful candidate will need to develop proficiency with a variety of forestry tools, including a diameter tape, laser, clinometer, compass, GPS, aerial photographs, and portable data recorder (PDR). The successful candidate should also be proficient in basic math and be able to read/interpret charts and graphs.

Previous forestry experience, and especially experience measuring FIA plots, is valuable but not required. The most important thing is for the successful candidate to be capable of learning and applying the FIA protocol. The FIA manual is over 500 pages long. Being able to find and apply the correct passage in the manual is often more important than memorizing protocol.

Many plot locations are on privately owned land, and the successful candidate will frequently interact with members of the public. A friendly, polite attitude and professional demeanor is a necessity.

The candidate will need to operate a company vehicle to access work locations.

If the candidate wishes to work in the western US, camping is often required to work in the more remote areas. Possessing your own camping gear, and being willing to use it, would benefit the candidate; however, this is not a necessity for this particular position.

Lodging: The employee will stay in employer-provided medium-term housing, typically lasting 1-3 months per location. Some housing situations may require the employee to share a room with a same-gendered employee. Lodging will typically be in an apartment or home with access to a full kitchen.

Preferred qualifications:

• Prior experience that demonstrates the ability to learn quickly and follow a complex written protocol
• Experience or coursework in forest mensuration, especially conducting forest inventory work
• Experience measuring FIA plots
• General experience conducting outdoor fieldwork and data collection
• Experience working outdoors in inclement weather (rain, heat, snow, etc)
• Basic computer proficiency (Microsoft Word, Excel, etc)
• Experience interacting with the public, especially communicating scientific topics
• A clean driving record