The Forest Stewards Guild Fire Management Program is hiring an Operations Specialist! The position is based out of Loveland, CO. The immediate assignment will be to serve as the lead in day-to-day operations of a shoulder season squad focused on thinning, pile burning, air curtain burning, and supporting prescribed fire operations in the Cache le Poudre and Big Thompson watersheds. This position will reduce wildfire risk by burning slash piles, thinning forests, and assisting on prescribed fire projects.

Organization Description:

The squad is part of Gravitas Peak Prescribed Fire Module, a wildland fire resource dedicated to increasing the pace and scale of prescribed fire. Gravitas Peak is a highly adaptable resource comprised of multiple wildland engines, a fully self-sufficient 10-person module, and appropriate overhead and equipment to implement meaningful fire management projects.

Organizational Culture:

We are a high-growth organization that takes a “start-up” culture mentality. We seek to iterate and advance new processes to achieve outcomes at landscape scales.

We are dedicated to supporting fire as a natural process in fire-adapted ecosystems on a landscape scale to improve ecosystem function, health, and to increase wildfire resilience. We strive to create positive outcomes along a triple bottom line: to improve the lives of people, strengthen and protect the places where we work, and to safeguard our planet’s climate.

We are dedicated to providing an open, transparent, and just organization and workplace. We strive for clear and kind communication and are committed to recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and supporting fire practitioners from underserved and underrepresented communities. We are dedicated to building a better way to do fire management – one that recognizes the inherent value of our employees, that supports work / life balance, and that provides an environment supporting growth.

The successful candidate will have extensive prescribed fire and wildland fire experience, strong organization skills, the ability to embrace adversity and uncertainty, and a clear commitment to working with diverse populations. They will:

• Engage in prescribed fire and wildfire operations, often as a squad boss or single resource boss.
• Support a prescribed fire incident management organization.
• Oversee fuels reduction projects and chainsaw program.
• Be supported towards a RXB2/3 certification, depending on individual qualifications and aptitude.
• Provide mentoring to trainee firefighters, including a five-person squad as the program develops.
• Serve as a unit instructor on NWCG trainings.
• Coordinate with project partners to ensure planning, personnel, and equipment needs are met.
• Manage a prescribed fire volunteer program.
• May oversee staff, volunteers, and individuals or crews from other agencies or organizations when serving in a leadership role in prescribed fire or wildfire operations.
• May work in variable weather conditions, in remote locations, and on difficult or hazardous terrain and / or in other physically demanding environments.
• Travel for extended periods of time and work outside of normal business hours.
• Be supported in pursuing suppression opportunities through our partner network.
• Assist with cache management and other logistics assignments.
• Maintain fire equipment and apparatus.
• Manage work assignments with minimal direction from supervisors

Minimum Qualifications:

• Clear verbal communication skills and strong organizational skills.
• FIRB and/or ENGB. CRWB not preferred but will be considered.
• FALB
• High school diploma (or equivalent) and five years of training in wildland fire operations.
• Experience using and maintaining firefighting tools, equipment, and engines.
• Experience in prescribed fire operations and leadership.
• Must achieve minimum physical fitness standards for Arduous positions for wildland fire.
• Effective knowledge of common software applications.

Preferred Qualifications:

• FEMO or FOBS experience.
• RXB3 or significant pile burning experience
• Strong interpersonal skills and enthusiasm and experience working with young adults from underserved and underrepresented communities.
• Saw and vehicle maintenance and repair skills.
• Ability to create and manage GIS data as well as create clear maps.
• Wilderness First Responder or higher medical qualifications.
• NWCG M-410 and unit instructor experience.

We encourage any individual that meets 75% or more of requirements to apply.

Compensation:

$25/hr (~$52,000 / yr annualized). Overtime available on project-by-project basis. This is a full time, at-will position. Paid leave and paid holiday benefits are provided. Employer-sponsored health and dental care coverage is available after 30 days of continuous employment. Participation in a retirement plan with employer match is available after 90 days. We will consider flexible work schedules to accommodate family or other commitments. The Forest Stewards Guild is an equal opportunity employer.

Location:

The fire crew is based in Loveland, CO. and works nationally on training assignments, suppression and prescribed fire, and fuels treatments projects. Up to 50% of the job will require extended travel. The opportunity to work from a home office on administrative projects will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for individuals with a proven record of successful independent remote work.

Contact Us:

Interested applicants should review gpwfm.org and submit a one-page cover letter, three professional references, and resume. Questions can be directed to Gabe Donaldson (gabriel @ forestguild.org). This position is open until filled. Please specify your earliest available start date.