Fire and Fuels Technician Fellow

Position: Fire and Fuels Technician

Duration: 12 Month Fellowship (52 weeks): Starting February 2024 ( end date is dependent upon the start date)

Location: Coronado National Forest, Douglas Ranger District, 1192 W. Saddleview Rd., Douglas, AZ 85607

The Douglas Ranger District encompasses three mountain ranges: the Chiricahua Mountains (291,496 acres), the Dragoon Mountains (54,211 acres) and the Peloncillo (Pel-un-see-yo) Mountains (87,986 acres). These mountain ranges are part of the Coronado National Forest “Sky Island” landscape with some of the most diverse wildlife and plant life in Arizona. The District is located in the southeastern corner of Arizona and southwest New Mexico. As the heartland of the Chiricahua Apache, the Douglas District is the custodian of many unique historic and pre-historic cultural resource sites.

The RA will have the opportunity to collaborate with FS staff and to travel to various project sites in the course of their work. Projects the RA will be involved with include hazardous fuels reduction and restoration projects. Treatment methods include thinning, grubbing, mastication and prescribed burning.

Duties and Responsibilities: The incumbent will assist with vegetation treatment planning and implementation. Vegetation treatments are designed for reduction of fuels to mitigate risk of catastrophic wildfire effects while providing for wildlife habitat, forest health, and properly functioning watersheds. Assists with planning, developing, and implementing land management plans, burn plan preparation, compliance documents, and agreements. Assists with the organization and maintenance of resource information and data to facilitate required reporting of planned and completed restoration and fuels treatment projects. Collects field data and uses GIS technology and established GIS procedures to produce maps and update spatial reporting requirements. Assists with fire suppression activities and prescribed fire implementation. Ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of groups and individuals is essential.

Fellows will work and communicate with a HAF Program Associate during their fellowship. Fellows will be expected to participate in scheduled conference calls, webinars, and meetings conducted throughout their term. Fellows will capture photos and/or videos for reporting purposes and submit 3 blog posts highlighting their experience and development.

Preferred Skills:

Housing

Douglas, Arizona, is located 118 miles southeast of Tucson (population 486,700) on the US-Mexico border with a population of approximately 15,000. The City of Douglas, as part of the southern Arizona region, has been listed as one of the 100 top places to live in America according to a recent study conducted by Bizjournal.com. Serving as Arizona’s gateway to Mexico, Douglas is full of history, architecture, minerals, artifacts, and fossils.

The community has five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Douglas also has Charter Schools open for enrollment. Located just 10 minutes outside of town, Cochise Community College has its Douglas Campus. Additionally, The University of Arizona South Facility is co-located at Cochise College Campus. The Copper Queen Medical Center is located in Douglas, and provides care via an emergency room, clinics with state-of-the-art telemedicine capabilities and a quick care facility. Private physicians and medical clinics are available in town. Douglas has a full complement of religious congregations, including Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, LDS, Church of Christ, Church of God, and Jehovah Witness. The Elks Lodge, Lions Club, VFW Post and the Bushmasters Club are all active and visible in the community.

Bisbee, Arizona is located near Douglas and is a very popular place to live because of its small town charm and cooler climate (elev. 5,500ft). Bisbee, a once-booming copper town of over 20,000 people, has transformed itself into a quiet tourist community (pop. 5,600) offering many opportunities to stroll the sidewalks and enjoy the art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, and local breweries. Today Bisbee is better known for its relaxed quality of life and uncommon blend of creativity, friendliness, and style.

Sierra Vista, Arizona is 50 miles west of Douglas and serves as the main commercial, cultural, and recreational hub of Cochise County. Sierra Vista is located on the southwestern side of Cochise County and is 75 miles southeast of Tucson, 15 miles southwest of Tombstone, 20 miles northwest of Bisbee, and 15 miles from the border of Mexico. Sierra Vista has a population of approximately 45,000 residents and provides ample opportunities for shopping, dining, recreation and housing. Sierra Vista is the home of the historic Fort Huachuca, a bustling US Army Installation. Sierra Vista is home to University of Arizona, College of Applied Science and Technology, a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) designated Intelligence Community - Center of Academic Excellence (IC-CAE) university, Cochise College, and Wick Communications, a media company operating 27 newspapers and 18 specialty publications in 11 states.

Application:

HAF is managing the recruitment for these positions. All applications should be submitted through HAF’s MANO Project application page. A resume and two references will be required for submission. Your application or resume should include professional and educational experience, along with any awards, technical skills or volunteer activities. Application questions or issues may be directed to Carina Chavez at carina@hispanicaccess.org.

Applications for this position are due by October 29th, 2023.

US Forest Service Mission: To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Hispanic Access Foundation Mission: Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization that connects Latinos to partners and opportunities improving lives and creating an equitable society. HAF’s vision is that all Hispanics throughout the U.S. enjoy good physical health, a healthy natural environment, a quality education, economic success and civic engagement in their communities with the sum improving the future of America.