Prescribed Fire Program Manager

Work Location: District Office in Grass Valley, California with occasional field work throughout Nevada County and a portion of Sierra County.

Job Status: Full-Time “at will” grant funded, 40 hours/week; including some evenings and weekends.

Compensation: $60,000 to $65,000 per year plus benefits. Starting pay is based on experience and education.

Benefits:  See details below

Posting Date: September 18, 2023

Estimated Start: Desired start date – December 1, 2023; may be negotiable.
 

Are you a student of fire? Do you have a passion for prescribed burning and are skilled at it? Do you enjoy meeting people, sharing your knowledge with others? Would you enjoy supporting motivated private landowners and working with a variety of people and organizations to help get good fire on the ground? The Nevada County RCD seeds a motivated, energetic prescribed fire practitioners to develop and implement our hands-on prescribed fire education program.
 

Position Summary

The Prescribed Fire Program Manager is responsible for providing outreach, technical education, assistance, and site visits to individual landowners in Nevada County for varied prescribed fire and related areas. The position includes managing, coordinating, and implementing prescribed fire education and field projects independently or in coordination with partners including but not limited to NRCS, State Agencies, and fire, conservation, natural resource, and agriculture organizations. The Program Manager will be supported by the NCO Board, staff assistant, a private part-time burn boss under contract on an as-needed basis, and numerous partner agencies/organizations with fire expertise. The position is an “at will”, grant-funded, but fully benefited position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Plan, develop, and implement a hands-on prescribed fire education program for individual landowners with varying experience levels and training including basics of prescribed fire purpose, benefits and applicability to different situations; planning, permitting and site preparation, safety, managing volunteers, ignitions, holding, water, mop-up and monitoring. Develop written and digital information and education materials for courses, website, presentations, and social media that is readily understandable and relatable to individual landowners with varied backgrounds and experience levels.
• Conduct outreach to build landowner participation in the RCD’s prescribed fire education. Represent the RCD at community events, including networking, tabling, and speaking as needed.
• Develop and implement demonstration burns with private landowners and partners, including the Fire Safe Council.
• Conduct site visits and meet with landowners interested in prescribed burning. Walk their land with them, provide basic advice about whether they have a good burn unit/site or not, and what kind of prep/resources would be needed to burn safely, legally, and responsibly. Observe and record site conditions, and capture the concerns expressed by these customers.
• Coordinate with CAL FIRE and the Air Quality Management District to help landowners develop burn plans/maps, and to obtain needed permits. Assist the landowner in developing burn plans and completing associated CEQA documents.
• Provide technical advice during prescribed burns lead by private landowners associated with the education program. Burns will be from 1/10 up to 10 acres. Advise and coach landowner on burn plans, permits, burn unit prep, conducting the burn, mop-up and post-burn evaluation.
•  Assist RCD staff with grant agreements and contracts management, including deliverable and budget monitoring, reporting. Participate in grant proposal writing.
• Assist RCD staff in contract development and management including for burn plans and larger demonstration burns with professional fire crews.
• Maintain a positive working relationship with partners, customers, co-workers, Board members, and other officials by being responsive and respectful.
• The Prescribed Fire Program Manager may, from time to time, help train and/or supervise technicians, volunteers, interns, or contractors as needed or assigned.
• This position will require regular work outdoors related to workshops, tours, demonstration burns, site visits field days, and other District-sponsored programs and events. These events may occur during inclement weather and frequently require hiking in rough, uneven and heavily vegetated conditions.
• The Prescribed Fire Program Manager will be required to travel to conferences, workshops, training sessions, and attend daytime and evening meetings that may be away from the office. Travel may occur outside the normal workday; these events may require overnight stays and may be as long as one week.
• The Program Manager will perform all duties in a prudent and sensible manner, following established protocols that ensure safety.
• Participation in meetings with District staff, Board Directors, and other partnering agency staff to coordinate work and prioritize where technical assistance will be provided.
• Partner with agencies/organizations to implement the District’s land stewardship objectives and strategies, and communicate with federal, state, and local agency personnel involved in similar work to coordinate work and avoid duplication.
• Work in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, providing service without discrimination according to District and USDA policies.
• Act as the District liaison or representative at meetings as directed by the District’s Director or his/her designee.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to plan, conduct and lead prescribed fire in low to moderate complexity burn situations.
• Certified California Burn Boss or the background and ability to obtain in 1 year.
• Experience creating, delivering and supervising outdoor educational curriculum
• Experience working within a team environment.
•  Sufficient mobility and ability, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the physical functions of the job, in the office or in the field.
• The ability to operate a motor vehicle during daylight hours, after dark, and during inclement weather in order to carry out these assigned duties.
• Move a 40-pound box once every three minutes for up to 3 hours daily. Field work will include working in and around such locations as rivers, streams and ponds, properties with dense vegetation or woodlands; and other areas with steep, slippery, muddy, rocky, or other hazardous terrain. The ability to navigate rough terrain and to work and drive in a variety of weather conditions is essential. Prescribed burn events will include smoky conditions, strenuous hiking, long days (up to 10 hours, sometimes more), and require carrying tools, back-pack water pumps, heavy fire hose or water lines, and other gear in backpacks. Work will include significant time working at a desk, using a computer, or standing at a table.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work with a variety of people with diverse interests and temperaments. Experience with public relations and customer service.
• Strong computer skills including use of Microsoft Windows and social media platforms. A basic understanding of website updating, and email newsletter creation is desired. Knowledge and/or willingness to learn Adobe Creative Suite applications a plus. Data entry and retrieval.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to plan, conduct and lead prescribed fire in low to moderate complexity burn situations.
• Certified California Burn Boss or the background and ability to obtain in 1 year.
• Experience creating, delivering and supervising outdoor educational curriculum
• Experience working within a team environment.
•  Sufficient mobility and ability, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the physical functions of the job, in the office or in the field.
• The ability to operate a motor vehicle during daylight hours, after dark, and during inclement weather in order to carry out these assigned duties.
• Move a 40-pound box once every three minutes for up to 3 hours daily. Field work will include working in and around such locations as rivers, streams and ponds, properties with dense vegetation or woodlands; and other areas with steep, slippery, muddy, rocky, or other hazardous terrain. The ability to navigate rough terrain and to work and drive in a variety of weather conditions is essential. Prescribed burn events will include smoky conditions, strenuous hiking, long days (up to 10 hours, sometimes more), and require carrying tools, back-pack water pumps, heavy fire hose or water lines, and other gear in backpacks. Work will include significant time working at a desk, using a computer, or standing at a table.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work with a variety of people with diverse interests and temperaments. Experience with public relations and customer service.
• Strong computer skills including use of Microsoft Windows and social media platforms. A basic understanding of website updating, and email newsletter creation is desired. Knowledge and/or willingness to learn Adobe Creative Suite applications a plus. Data entry and retrieval.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in wildland fire.
• Knowledge of forestry, vegetation management, wildfire behavior, watershed stewardship and conservation, resource management, basic hydrology, basic soil science, native plant and animal communities, and/or restoration ecology.
• Experience working with fire safe councils, watershed groups or other conservation groups.
• Event and project coordination experience.
• Background with CEQA a plus.
• Highlight organized and motivated self-starter with the ability to prioritize.
• Creativity, sense of humor, “can do” spirit, collegiality, flexibility, strong desire to learn.
• GIS Mapping.

Typical Working Conditions & Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will primarily work indoors in a professional office environment; operating standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copiers, calculators, and filing cabinets. Work in the office requires frequently remaining in a stationary position, operating a computer and other office equipment for extended periods of time. The employee may on occasion work outdoors. Work in the field may include uneven terrains, dense vegetation (with possible exposure poison oak, ticks, and mosquitos) and inclement weather. The employee must be able to work under the conditions described above, lift, and carry a minimum of 35 lbs. and have visual acuity sufficient to read documents and maps and perform computer operations. Driving is required for local travel. Mileage will be reimbursed if the employee uses their personal vehicle for District business. Attendance at evening meetings is required. Occasional attendance at weekend events may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation/Benefits:
$60,000- $65,000 starting Annual Salary. Starting pay will be based on experience and education. The District has developed and invested in an employee benefit program to supplement employee wages. Benefits for this position include paid vacation, paid holidays, paid sick-leave, health and retirement benefits. The District reserves the right to change or eliminate any benefit program at any time.

Application Deadline:

October 15, 2023 or until filled.

How to Apply:
To apply, please submit a resume, letter of introduction that explains your background and interest in the position and the names and contact information for at least three (3) current references. Application materials can be e-mailed as PDF documents to: manger@ncrcd.org  or mailed to the District Office such that they are received by the Application Deadline.  For more information, please email: manager@ncrcd.org

Equal Employment Opportunity
The Nevada County Resource Conservation District prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the District.
The District is an equal opportunity employer.