Andrew Pickens Forest Recovery Lead Technician

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Forest Recovery Lead Technician will support implementation of a five-year Hurricane Helene recovery and forest restoration agreement between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the U.S. Forest Service on the Sumter National Forest, with a focus on the Andrew Pickens Ranger District. The position will help deliver on-the-ground recovery work that reduces hazardous fuels, restores resilient forests, improves watershed health and biological diversity, and strengthens community wildfire preparedness across the Southern Blue Ridge region of the southern Appalachian Mountains.

Working as part of TNC’s South Carolina Forest Recovery Team, the Lead Technician will provide day-to-day field leadership for forest restoration, hazardous fuels reduction, prescribed fire, post-storm recovery, and related monitoring activities. The position will organize field assignments, coordinate personnel and equipment, monitor progress, and work alongside TNC staff, U.S. Forest Service personnel, contractors, and other partners to maintain safe and efficient operations.

Work will occur primarily on the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of the Sumter National Forest and may include adjacent lands where treatments directly support recovery and restoration objectives for the district. Some work will occasionally occur on the Long Cane Ranger District or at other approved locations. Activities may include prescribed fire preparation and implementation, mechanical and manual fuels work, fire control feature construction and rehabilitation, invasive species treatment, vegetation management, field assessment, fuels characterization, data collection, and restoration of disturbed areas with native vegetation.

The Lead Technician will help maintain field readiness by inspecting and maintaining tools, vehicles, equipment, personal protective equipment, and supplies; coordinating logistics and mobilization; documenting accomplishments; and communicating field conditions, safety concerns, and operational needs to the Forest Recovery Director and U.S. Forest Service project contacts. The position may serve in Incident Command System positions for which the employee is qualified or formally assigned as a trainee.

The position requires work in variable weather, smoke, remote locations, steep and rugged mountain terrain, and physically demanding conditions. Frequent travel to project sites and occasional overnight, evening, weekend, and extended operational assignments will be required. This is a full-time, term position based in the Upstate of South Carolina, within reasonable commuting distance of the Andrew Pickens Ranger District, and may be extended beyond the initial five-year term, subject to funding and organizational need.

We’re Looking for You:

If you are looking for meaningful field-based conservation work, join TNC’s South Carolina Chapter as a Forest Recovery Lead Technician supporting the Andrew Pickens Ranger District. You will help turn Hurricane Helene recovery investments into visible, measurable results on the ground while building a strong safety culture and supporting a capable, collaborative restoration team.

We are seeking a practical, dependable field leader who can organize work, solve problems, communicate clearly, and contribute directly to demanding restoration and prescribed fire operations. The successful candidate will balance production, safety, stewardship, accurate documentation, and respectful collaboration with agency staff, contractors, partners, and communities.

Essential Functions:

• •Lead and participate in field activities that support forest recovery, prescribed fire, hazardous fuels reduction, ecological restoration, and related conservation objectives.
• •Provide day-to-day field leadership by organizing assignments, coordinating personnel and resources, monitoring progress, and adapting work to changing conditions.
• •Support the planning, preparation, implementation, monitoring, and follow-up of prescribed fire, vegetation management, invasive species treatment, and other forest restoration activities.
• •Operate and maintain tools, vehicles, equipment, and project supplies in accordance with training, authorization, and established safety requirements.
• •Collect and maintain field data, treatment records, and other documentation needed to track accomplishments and support project reporting and adaptive management.
• •Promote safe and compliant operations by participating in briefings, hazard assessments, after-action reviews, and incident reporting and by following approved plans, policies, and environmental requirements.
• •Coordinate field logistics and communicate operational needs, progress, safety concerns, and project results to the Forest Recovery Director and other designated contacts.
• •Work collaboratively with TNC staff, agency personnel, contractors, landowners, community members, and other partners; support training, outreach, and workforce development when assigned.

Responsibilities & Scope:

• •May lead or monitor staff, interns, volunteers, temporary staff, or contractors in completing assigned field activities.
• •Has responsibility for assigned components of projects or deliverables and works within approved plans, established processes, and delegated authority.
• •May work with minimal or distant supervision and make day-to-day decisions based on experience, field conditions, safety requirements, and project direction.
• •May assist with project logistics, purchasing, vendor coordination, inventory, expenditure tracking, and other administrative needs.
• •Builds effective working relationships with TNC staff, landowners, conservation partners, contractors, government personnel, community members, and the general public.
• •Is responsible for completing assigned field activities safely, accurately, and on schedule.

What You’ll Bring:

• •BA/BS degree in science-related field and 1 year related experience in custodial and ecological land management or similar field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• •Experience with natural systems.
• •Experience in ecological land management principles.
• •Experience operating and or repairing various types of equipment and machinery.
• •Experience performing physically demanding outdoor work safely and leading or coordinating field-based work teams.
• •Experience following maps, work plans, safety requirements, and technical instructions; maintain accurate records; and communicate effectively with coworkers and partners.
• •Must obtain and maintain Wildland Fire Fighter Type 2 (FFT2), First Aid, CPR, AED, and other qualifications or training required for assigned duties.
• •Valid driver’s license and must to meet TNC’s vehicle-use requirements, travel frequently, and operate vehicles on unimproved roads.
• •Requires working in variable weather, smoke, difficult terrain, and other field conditions, including long or irregular hours and multi-day assignments, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Desired Qualifications:

• •Additional education or experience in forestry, natural resource management, fire ecology, ecological restoration, or a related field.
• •Experience leading field crews, volunteers, entry-level staff, or contractors.
• •Experience with prescribed fire, wildland fire, fuels management, forest restoration, invasive species management, or related conservation practices.
• •Current NWCG qualifications or other relevant forestry, equipment, pesticide application, or safety certifications.
• •Experience operating and maintaining field tools, vehicles, trailers, or mechanical equipment used in land management activities.
• •Knowledge of Southern Appalachian forests and Southern Blue Ridge ecosystems, natural resource management practices, and post-storm forest recovery.
• •Experience collecting field data and using common mapping, mobile data collection, and office software applications.
• •Experience working with government agencies, conserva