Lead Range Technician

Summary: American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the Bridger-Teton National Forest is seeking one Lead Range Technician for 12 weeks. This opportunity is intended for enthusiastic professionals with a background in Rangeland Management or a related field, with a deep interest in jointly advancing their career goals and the stewardship of Wyoming's natural resources through purposeful fieldwork and research.

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Start Date: June 2024

End Date: 12 weeks after start date

Location: Bridger-Teton North Zone: Blackrock & Jackson Ranger Districts

Duty Station is the Blackrock Ranger Station. The nearest town with full services in Jackson, WY which is about a 45 minute drive. Hatchet Resort is a short walk away and serves Breakfast and Dinner. A small selection of groceries and fuel services are available at Fireside Resort, a 5 minute drive. Moose, WY is about 30 minutes away and has a store with a larger selection, fuel services and a restaurant.

The Blackrock Ranger District comprises most of the Teton Wilderness. The district borders Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. It is home to the headwaters of the Yellowstone River and the Continental Divide.

The Jackson Ranger District offers an incredible abundance of recreation areas and activities to choose from for all visitors. From internationally recognized skiing to world-famous fishing to wildlife watching, the variety is endless. The District contains the Gros Ventre Wilderness, hundreds of miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers including the famous Snake River, and many more areas that are all amazing.

The Bridger-Teton National Forest offers more than 3.4 million acres of public land for your outdoor recreation enjoyment. With its pristine watersheds, abundant wildlife and immense wildlands, the Bridger-Teton National Forest comprises a large part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 United States. Offering nearly 1.2 million acres of designated Wilderness, over 3,000 miles of road and trail and thousands of miles of unspoiled rivers and streams.

For more information on Bridger-Teton National Forest, please visit: Bridger-Teton NationalForest-Home (usda.gov)

For more information regarding the ACE EPIC program, please click here.

Position Overview

The lead will assist the Forest Service at the Blackrock Ranger District. This opportunity will allow the leads to work under the supervision and guidance of professional range and natural resource specialists performing a variety of duties related to rangeland management including allotment inspections, monitoring and implementation of on the ground noxious weeds and invasive plant control. Less frequently, the participant may conduct monitoring of sensitive plant species populations.

• Operate, maintain, and inventory weed management equipment.
• Mix, maintain, and calibrate herbicides and pesticides for use in rangeland environments.
• Inventory, monitor, and map existing weed populations utilizing agency data collection applications, commercial global positioning systems and topographic maps.
• Work with permittees, partners and cooperators within the geographic area to ensure weed management efforts are successful.
• Surveys known plant populations to determine trends.
• Conducts surveys of project location to determine presence/absence of plant species.
• May operate 4x4 vehicles and ATVs.
• May perform duties using livestock.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The members should anticipate serving 40 hours/wk and will receive a living allowance of $700/wk for food and incidentals, dispersed bi-weekly. There is a possibility for camping in remote locations for backcountry work trips over an extended period of time. Field per diem at a rate of $47.50/ per day may also be available if camping is expected.

Housing: Shared government housing is available at the Blackrock Ranger Station. Daily rent will be charged at between $6.00 and $10.00. You will share a bedroom with 1-2 other seasonal employees. Provided with housing: Electricity, laundry facility with washers and dryers, garbage and recycling services. Incoming mail through USPS , UPS and FedEx service is provided at the district office. No pets, alcoholic beverages or overnight guests are permitted in shared housing. Internet is available but is not included in the rental cost. If internet service is desired, it is the responsibility of tenants to arrange hook up and payment for the service. If desired, the member is welcome to pursue housing options off site. However, the provided work vehicle will need to be kept at a USFS Office, either Jackson RD or Blackrock RD.

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.

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 and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general information online: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience and/or ability to learn the use of GPS unit.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Proven ability to be both self-directed/work independently and be a positive, contributing member of a team.
• Must be able to communicate clearly and concisely with resource professionals
• 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.
• Proficient in English
• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request)
• Ability to pass a federal criminal background check
• ACE is a drug free workplace and reserves the right to drug test at any time
• Members must be at least 21 to apply for any ACE position that requires or anticipates operation of agency/ACE vehicles for duties.

Preferred Skills:

• Database management and ArcGIS software experience.
• Horse experience is not required but would allow for greater opportunities
• Wyoming QAL license preferred, but members will have the opportunity to take the exam in their first two weeks of service.
• 4x4 vehicle and ATV experience

The member must be willing to represent ACE and the Forest Service in a professional, positive and enthusiastic manner.