Overview: Come work in the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Moutains! The Forest Research Associate II is an 850-hour limited term position running from mid-May to mid-October 2025 (full-time). The position is office and field based and will support pre-fieldwork planning, conduct field data collection, and oversee data management in coastal redwood and associated forests.

This position involves leading a crew of 3-4 technicians, conducting detailed vegetation, fuels, and ecological surveys, maintaining field equipment, ensuring data quality, and assisting with logistics for a forest research and monitoring crew. In addition to extensive fieldwork in rugged, remote terrain, the associate will have office-based responsibilities, including data entry, protocol development, and basic GIS tasks such as creating maps and managing spatial data. CPR and Wilderness First Aid certification are preferred. Position may require dry camping up to 4 days in a row. Relevant BA/BS, field, and GIS experience preferred.

Plans and assists in coordination of forest research and monitoring projects. Oversees and provides guidance to field staff members. Assists with the design and layout of forest monitoring plots and develops data collection protocols. Prepares, collects, and manages vegetation, fuels, and ecological samples for research projects, maintains detailed field records, and coordinates the analysis of samples. Enters, verifies, and analyzes collected data. Prepares research reports and summaries. Writes sections of reports under supervision or may conduct initial analyses of significant components of forestry research.