Wildland and Urban Intervention Specialist

Applications: Please submit a resume (2 pages maximum) and cover letter (2 pages maximum) as a single PDF and responses to the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities questions using the Google Form posted in the Ashby application. Position will remain open until filled, applicant review to begin August 1, 2023. For more information about the position, you may reach out to Colton Miller at colton@vibrantplanet.net

Job Description:

Balancing the needs of fire adapted communities with the requirements of resilient wildlands is an exercise in tradeoffs. The cultivation of data and application of science into strategic frameworks that enable tradeoff consensus is critical for ecosystem planning through treatments. However, we are out of time. Many of our wildlands are at a tipping point and traditional multi-jurisdictional planning and monitoring isn’t currently efficient or adaptable enough to keep up with the rates of change we are all experiencing. Vibrant Planet’s Land Tender, with USDA’s FORSYS engine embedded, is an optimized decision support system for hazard mitigation and ecological restoration across all natural systems so we can help communities and managers get to implementation fast and effectively adapt those plans when conditions inevitably change. We need additional talent for Land Tender’s growing demand.

Vibrant Planet seeks to hire a self-driven, experienced and knowledgeable Wildland and Urban Intervention Specialist to provide strategic support for operational land management and defensible space decision-making including, but not limited to, fuel treatment types, defensible space techniques, logging systems, regional treatment costs, and expected revenue from dynamic forest product values. Also, must possess the ability to assess, from a field practitioner perspective, remotely sensed data accuracy, mapped/GPSed landscape conditions, and potential intervention practicality.

While the position is mostly virtual, travel is required (averaging 1 - 2 trips per month) to field locations across the continental United States for in person customer interactions and field assessment/data validation. In addition, some travel to Vibrant Planet headquarters in North Lake Tahoe is likely. The majority of this work occurs in the western United States, but software deployment opportunities may occur across the world.

Roles/Responsibilities:

• Provides technical assistance to the Resilience Group staff for conducting remotely sensed forest resource assessments and the development of key metrics for evaluating vegetation management treatment alternatives and benefits on woodlands, forestlands and within the wildland urban interface.
• Monitors programs and policies of federal, state and local agencies on vegetation management use and management, laws and regulations to inform staff of potential opportunities.
• Conducts resource inventories, obtains planning information, identifies conservation opportunities, and assists in developing conservation plans and contracts consistent with land use or defensible space needs.
• Conducts site visits as needed to validate treatment unit attribution, GIS-designated harvest systems and prescriptions. Includes creation of a structured approach for validation and feedback as well as handoff to the customer success team.
• Utilizes GIS/GPS software and hardware, FVS, and other software packages to summarize and produce high level analysis and reports for integration into existing workflows.
• Works directly with the Resilience Group and also across the organization with our Software Engineering and Science teams to give feedback and contribute to developments in our technology.
• Adheres to data standards and naming conventions, maintains and updates metadata.
• Finds and assess quality of data from national, regional, and/or local sources.
• Supports the preparation of landscape-specific Technical Reports.
  
  

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Forestry or related field with 5 years of field experience OR equivalent combination of education and experience (8 years)
• Familiarity with all aspects of vegetation management programs of work including; planning (NEPA, CEQA), implementation (layout, cruising and contract preparation) and administration (various contractual mechanisms and guidelines)
• Experience working with specialists in multiple land management disciplines including aquatics, wildlife, botany, heritage, civil engineering and contracting to facilitate vegetation management activities within different western forest types.
• Expert in vegetation, fuels, and defensible space treatment methods, considerations and impacts.
• Experience in forest inventory, forest products, utilization, and forest product markets.
• 2-3 years GIS/GPS experience.
• Experience or knowledge in field reconnaissance, harvest designation, boundary marking, cruising and marking timber, spur road layout, forest products appraisals and preparation of reports and sales contracts.
• Experience working in various ecosystems and forest environments.
• Experience or knowledge administering defensible space, fuel treatments, and/or timber sales to ensure that all contractual stipulations are carried out by the operator.
• Knowledgeable with studies and surveys of wildlife use, collecting and analyzing data pertaining to soil and water activities, and conducting studies of forest resources or studies of timber stand improvement or reforestation.
• Demonstrated organizational and planning skills. Detail oriented.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to collaborate with a variety of people from diverse backgrounds.
• Problem solving capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage major projects with several team members.
• Excellent adaptive communication skills (written and verbal).
• Silvicultural prescription development and familiarity of post fire reforestation is a plus.
• Fire suppression, prescribed fire, and/or fire prevention activities is a plus.
• Cadastral experience is a plus.
• Experience with project management software (e.g. Monday) and billing software (e.g. Harvest) is a plus.
• Experience engaging with clients using proprietary software is a plus.
  
  

Duty Requirements:

• Full time, year-round employment.
• Virtual position with an operational independent/home office with sufficient internet speeds.
• Some travel is required.
  
  

Compensation:

$70k - $120k (dependent on experience)

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Unlimited PTO policy
• 401k w/future match
• Company equity
• Home office set-up allowance (one time)
  
  

Equal Opportunity Employer: Vibrant Planet is committed to diversity. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, or other status protected by law to apply.

We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background, but have capacity to grow into and thrive in the position after some mentoring. We do not require that you have experience with every job description task. We will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. We encourage each candidate to think broadly about their unique background and skill set and how it may relate to the role.