Forestry Technician (Recreation Operations) Resource Assistant: Deschutes National Forest - Bend, Oregon

Delivering Benefits to a Multicultural and Multi-use Public – Resource Assistant Program

Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) in partnership with the United States Forest Service (USFS) will be advertising for a Forestry Technician (Recreation Operations ) Resource Assistant (RA). This is a 9-month full-time work experience from approximately January 24, 2022 to September 24, 2022. Created in 1984 and modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930’s, NYC is a non-profit job training and experiential education program for youth and young adults to learn and work in the field of natural resource management. NYC will recruit and hire the selected RA candidate providing personnel and Human Resources HR needs during the placement. nwyouthcorps.org.

Position: Developed Recreation Technician (internship)

Target start date: January 24, 2022

Duration: Approximately nine months

Status: Full time (40 hours/week). Regular weekend work and some evenings may be needed. Two days off each week

Duty Location: The position duty location will be Deschutes National Forest. Bend Fort-Rock Ranger District, Bend, Oregon. There will be field work, telework, and office work according to agency and NYC COVID policy. Some travel may be required, at the expense of the employer.

Staff Area: Developed Recreation, Bend Fort-Rock Ranger District. On the Bend Fort Rock Ranger District there are 125 recreation day use sites, and 14 USFS managed campgrounds. Of these sites, 50 are recreation fee sites of varied complexities. In addition, there are 33 campgrounds operated by concessionaire.

The Newberry National Volcanic Monument is celebrating is 30th year and one of the few National Monuments managed by the USFS. Key sites of operation to oversee include two visitor centers, a show cave and 9 campgrounds. See this link for more detailed information about Newberry. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=66159

Overview: The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region manages 24.75 million acres across 16 National Forests, 59 District Offices, a National Scenic Area, and a National Grassland across Oregon and Washington. Within the region, there are more than 2,400 developed recreation sites, over 24,000 miles of trails, 51 Wild and Scenic Rivers, and two national monuments. Through culturally relevant partnerships, engagement, and communication, the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region builds connections with rural and urban communities to help sustain the health, diversity and productivity of these lands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Position Description: The Resource Assistant Program is a rigorous and immersive paid internship for individuals interested in Forest Service careers. Resource Assistants (RAs) work with Forest Service staff to complete mission-critical work that demonstrates leadership, critical thinking, and strategic communication. Through direct training, experience, and exposure, RAs gain the tools to launch their natural and cultural resource careers.

Through a partnership with Northwest Youth Corps, the selected Resource Assistant will serve as the Recreation Operations Supervisor (ROS). The ROS will be the technical specialist in the recreation program with responsibility for implementation of the Developed Recreation and Fee Program on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, Deschutes National Forest.

Specific duties include:

• Supervises a crew of up to 8 seasonal employees and 1 permanent staff to assure recreation sites are operated and maintained in accordance with district standards and plans.

• Assures recreation sites and areas with one or two major uses are operated and maintained in accordance with operation and maintenance plans.

• Schedules daily activities, establishes maintenance schedules, and inspects cleanup operations. • Leads operation and maintenance for 12 FS managed campgrounds in addition to a high number of day use recreation sites.

• Coordinate priority projects for hosted and volunteer groups.

• Inspects recreation areas for compliance with management plans, public health, and safety. Reports on conditions and use of sites and areas. Serves as inspector for recreation area cleanup and/or maintenance contracts. Performs safety hazard analyses of public recreation use areas and takes or recommends corrective action.

• Maintains contact with and provides support to Campground concessionaire and Resort permit holders.

• Serves as a Forest Protection Officer and Contracting Officer Representative for the district programs.

• May serve as a unit fee collection officer and sells recreation passes to vendors.

• Provides detailed information about recreation opportunities to Forest visitors and explains the Forest Service rules and regulations. Provides information on resource management practices, regulations, and current conditions.

• Snow mobile Operations and management

• Work closely with U.S. Forest Service recreation professionals

• Actively engage with winter season maintenance and management of recreation sites.

• The position is uniformed; interacts with the public to provide information and education around land use.

• In addition to training and exposure to the variety of programs and tasks required to implement a developed recreation program, some of the specific field-based activities associated with the position include, but are not limited to, clearing snow and ice, maintaining/cleaning restrooms, visitor information, fee site compliance, repairing/painting facilities, driving government vehicles, and being a welcoming presence on the forest.

Requirements:

• The ability to work effectively with professionals in a variety of disciplines in a collaborative and cooperative manner and handle multiple tasks/projects at a given time.

• Skills in problem solving, analysis, evaluation and resolution. Ability to organize and prioritize tasks to meet objectives as part of the performance of position duties.

• Must have a valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and ability to provide documentation. Government vehicles are available for work-related travel, but Resource Assistants are responsible for travel to and from duty station.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders, exercise sound judgment, and maintain a positive attitude.

• Must be able to work during weekends and occasional evenings and maintain a flexible schedule, where applicable. Position is not eligible for overtime, but excess hours can be flexed within pay period. Excess hours are not encouraged.

• Successful completion of a background check.

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents over 19 years old.

Desired Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to solve complex issues and convey a compelling story in a clear, concise manner in individual and group settings.

• Experience coordinating and/or managing outdoor projects in a timely manner.

• Ability to adapt to fast paced changing needs, project plans, and management decisions.

• Strong community engagement skills and a desire to authentically collaborate with diverse groups.

• Capability to solve problems through creative and innovative leadership.

• Demonstrate leadership and professionalism that fosters an environment of performance and accountability where staff and stakeholders feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring new ideas forward.

• Outdoor work experience implementing activities such as, but not limited to, construction, recreation enhancement projects, and partnership projects.

• Associates or bachelor’s degree a plus

• Spanish-speaking ability a plus

Program Benefits

• $500 weekly living allowance (totaling $18,000)

• $244.44 weekly allowance for housing daily commute (totaling $8,800)

• $2,750 reimbursement fund for work related travel and training

• RA will receive health care coverage, workers compensation, and FICA/Medicare.

• RA will qualify for a special federal direct hiring authority upon completion of 960 hours of service. The hiring authority is valid for 2 years, once issued.

• Full-time work for 9 months, but willing to accommodate some credit hour scheduling for students.

• Professional development, trainings, and networking opportunities.

About the Ranger District

The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District is located in Bend, Oregon. The District stretches from the Cascade Mountains to the edge of the High Desert. It is one of the largest ranger districts in the region located in the center of the Deschutes National Forest and is just over 1,000,000 acres. The elevation of the District ranges from about 3,500 to over 10,000 feet at the mountaintops. The weather varies during the summer from warm days to cool nights and often has below freezing temperatures during the winter. The District is home to a variety of wildlife including mule deer, elk, bald eagles, and other raptors.

For more information regarding the District and Forest, please visit the website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/deschutes/home

About Bend

The City of Bend is a rapidly growing metropolitan area and is Central Oregon’s largest city. The population is 111,822, and it is located on the Deschutes River located in the central portion of the state, on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. This “High Desert” community is a full-service community that serves as a hub for medical, educational, recreation and entertainment needs for a large geographic area in Central Oregon.

The Community

Bend. West are the lakes and peaks of the Cascade Mountains, with ski resorts and multi-use trails. In town, a trail leads up Pilot Butte, an extinct volcano.

Bend is a full-service community with various and numerous businesses, banking, restaurants, coffee shops, denominations of churches, health care and educational facilities. This former mill town has transformed into an outdoor adventure hub with quaint downtown and many cultural opportunities

The high desert city has recreation year-round. Located in the shadow of the Cascade Mountain range, with the Three Sisters mountains — Faith, Hope and Charity — looming above, the Deschutes River runs right through the center of the city. Bend, Oregon has been on dozens of best-of lists, highlighting its livability, its outdoor opportunities, its pet-friendliness. When you visit, you discover that’s all true. But dig deeper to find just how much this place has to offer.

The specialist in this position would have access to pro rates on outdoor equipment, and translatable training in snowmobile management and sawyer classification.

Application Deadline: December 19, 2021

Interviews: Will occur as qualified applications are received.

Type of position: Individual Placement

Service Dates: January 24, 2022, to September 24, 2022

Length of Term: Approximately 9 months

How to apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references and completely fill out the application form found at http://bit.ly/NYCInternApplicationForm

Please select “Deschutes NF – “Developed Recreation Specialist” when applying.

Additional Information

If you have questions about the position, please reach Northwest Youth Corps Internship Program Officer Andrew Tagge at andrewt@nwyouthcorps.org or Deschutes National Forest Recreation Team Lead for Developed Recreation and National Monument, Casey Andrews at casey.andrews@usda.gov.

Northwest Youth Corps COVID-19 Protocols: We have developed and facilitated industry leading COVID management protocols that are in place to keep our members and staff healthy, and have maintained an excellent safety record. Read our COVID protocols by visiting www.nwyouthcorps.org/m/covid19.