The Forest Stewards Guild, a national organization of foresters and allied natural resource professionals, is dedicated to practicing and promoting values-based forestry. The Guild has 700 members, over half of whom are professionals who manage some of the best forests in the United States and Canada. The Guild maintains regional offices in New Mexico, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin. 

The Forest Stewards Guild currently has a field technician position open to complete research and collaborative forestry field work during the Summer of 2022. The research element will investigate how to reduce human-caused wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico. To support this research effort, the Southwest Region field technician will, 1) contribute to a Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) research project focused on human-caused wildfire ignitions in partnership with Northern Arizona University, and 2) survey public land users about their knowledge of fire prevention, spending approximately four weeks in the field. To support collaborative forestry field work, the field technician will complete pre and post treatment monitoring on a variety of forest restoration projects in Northern New Mexico, and outreach about wildfire risk to forest adjacent communities.  

The field technician will have the opportunity to learn and use a suite of social science tools and software like NVivo, SPSS and Qualtrics.   

This position is well-suited for a student interested in forest recreation, public land management, human dimensions of forestry, fire ignitions, and/or gaining research experience. The Field Technician will have the opportunity to meet and make connections with fire prevention specialists across the Southwest from a range of agencies.   

Candidates should have education and experience in natural resource management and/or social science, and bring strong organizational and communication skills. 

Position Description 

The successful candidate will have or be pursuing a degree in outdoor recreation, forestry, fire science, ecology, natural resource management, or related field. This individual will have excellent organizational, communication, and written skills, possess the ability to work alone, outdoors, and in remote locations, and demonstrate a passion for advancing wildfire science and management, and forest management across the Southwest. Previous experience in field data collection related to outdoor recreation, forestry, natural resource management or wildland fire in the region, coupled with project management experience, is highly desirable. 

The Southwest field technician will support activities related to a JFSP research project focused on wildfire prevention, which may include:  

• Completing a 1 week training in Flagstaff, Arizona in early June.  

• Conducting 4 weeks of in-person field surveys across multiple locations in New Mexico and Arizona during the Summer of 2022.  

• Organization and storage of survey data. 

• Effective communication with the research team and interagency research advisory group.  

The Southwest Field Technician will support general monitoring and outreach for the Forest Stewards Guild, which may include:  

• Completing pre and post treatment monitoring on forest restoration sites across Northern New Mexico.  

• Supporting outreach and education to increase awareness of wildfire risk through the Fire Adapted New Mexico learning network (FACNM).  

This position will work closely with our Southwest regional staff, based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

The successful individual will: 

• Assist with the collection and analysis of survey data related to human-caused wildfire ignitions.  

• Be personable and respectful to survey participants. 

• Be willing to travel and work outside in Arizona and New Mexico for several weeks. 

• Assist Project Managers with tracking research deliverables for the JFSP project. 

• Maintain relationships with diverse project partners across multiple states and agencies. 

• Represent the Guild at professional conferences or events and occasionally perform public speaking, such as PowerPoint presentations or panel discussions. 

Minimum Qualifications:  

• Knowledge and experience in Southwestern forest ecosystems and human communities  

• Strong verbal and written communication skills  

• Strong organizational skills  

• Ability to work both independently and with a team   

• Effective knowledge of common software applications such as Microsoft office 

• Valid driver’s license and ability to drive off road in inclement weather

• Agree to a background check   

• Candidate must be over 21 years of age to rent a vehicle 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Fluent or conversational Spanish 

• Sociable and outgoing to interact with a variety of people from different backgrounds 

• Bachelor’s degree in outdoor recreation, fire ecology, forestry, or other natural resources management related field, or equivalent relevant experience.  

• Experience collecting and analyzing survey data.  

The position pays $18.54 per hour.  The Forest Stewards Guild is an equal opportunity employer. 

The Guild is dedicated to providing an open, transparent, and just organization and workplace. We strive for clear, open, and kind communication and are committed to recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and supporting practitioners from underrepresented communities. We are dedicated to building a work culture that recognizes the inherent value of our employees, supports a healthy work-life balance, and provides an environment that supports personal growth. 

Location 

The position is based in Santa Fe, and the candidate should be prepared to work from home for a time pending the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Contact Us 

Interested applicants should  click “I’m Interested” to submit a one-page cover letter, resume, two professional references, and earliest available start date (must be by June 1st). Incomplete applications will not be considered. Note: After clicking “Next” on the initial application page, you will have an opportunity to upload the cover letter and reference documents. 

Deadline to apply: April 15
Start Date: June 1

Questions can be directed to Gabe Kohler at (509)-844-3048 or gabe (at) forestguild.org. 

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. 

We believe that a diverse workforce reflects the strengths of all members of our community. The Forest Stewards Guild strives to create a collaborative, supportive, and respectful setting for all employees and partners. To meet this goal, we recognize and celebrate the wide range of differences that characterize our members, employees, partners, and collaborators. Indeed, it is those differences that enhance our organization and help us to meet our mission and vision. The Guild values diverse forests because they are more productive, more resilient, more adaptable, and better able to recover from disturbances. Similarly, our community is healthier when we are inclusive of a diversity of people and perspectives.