CA Field Technician

anabranchsolutions; Bishop (CA); On-site; USD 27,552 - 38,572; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave

Overtime eligible

Group per diem

Employee discount programs

SEP-IRA Retirement (after 3 years)

Job summary

anabranchsolutions seeks a Stream Restoration Crew Member for a traveling team. The role involves sourcing materials, constructing BDAs and PALS, and operating field equipment across remote sites near Lake Tahoe, CA. You’ll live in remote camps during eight-day hitches and receive group meals and gear support.

Candidates should be physically fit, safety-conscious, and able to work outdoors in varied conditions. Valid driver’s license and US work eligibility required.

Qualifications

• Ability to learn in field trainings and adapt to remote work.
• Ability to work safely in rugged environments and adverse weather.
• Must be physically capable of heavy lifting and manual labor.
• Must lift and carry 55 pounds and transport gear.
• Flexible with changing schedules and logistics.
• Strong teamwork and clear communication.
• Eligibility to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Sourcing and staging natural building materials locally.
• Construct low-tech BDAs and PALS structures.
• Operate equipment including a hydraulic post pounder.
• Use tools like chainsaws, grip hoists, ATVs, and trailers.

Skills

Field safety

Team player

Physical fitness

Driver’s license

Willingness to learn

Positive attitude

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Hydraulic post pounder

Chainsaws

Grip hoists

ATVs/UTVs

Trailers

Hand tools

Safety gear

Job description

Stream Restoration Crew Member (Traveling Team)

Location: Forni Meadow – Eldorado National Forest (Near Lake Tahoe, CA)

Start Date: Early August 2026 (four hitches – potential work in October)

Hitch Dates

• 1: August 4‑11
• 2: August 18‑25
• 3: September 1‑6
• 4: September 15‑22

The field season is generally active from August to October. We encourage anyone with availability within this window to apply; priority will go to candidates with greater availability.

Primary Responsibilities

The primary job duties are to acquire natural building materials (brush, woody debris, rock) locally, stage them, and construct low‑tech process‑based restoration structures such as Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) and Post‑Assisted Log Structures (PALS). This includes cutting and hauling slash to degraded streams, building instream structures, and pounding posts with a hydraulic post pounder to secure the structures.

• Material Sourcing & Staging: acquire and prepare natural building materials.
• LTPBR Structure Construction: cut, haul, and build BDAs and PALS.
• Equipment Operation: safely pound posts using a hydraulic post pounder.
• Tool Utilization: hand tools, chainsaws, grip hoists, hydraulic post pounders, ATVs/UTVs, trailers, and more.

Schedule & Field Life

Field life is rugged and rewarding. Crew members will live and work in remote locations with limited amenities.

Schedule: typically eight‑day hitches of ten‑hour shifts, followed by six days off. Day shifts, including holidays during active hitches.

Accommodations: crews should expect to camp most often at the worksite.

Gear Provided: safety gear, waders, wading boots, tent, and shared group camping equipment (coolers, kitchen, water jugs). Personal sleeping bag not provided.

Food: a group per diem is afforded to the team for family‑style grocery shopping and communal meal preparation.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability and willingness to learn in the field and during trainings.
• Ability to work safely in remote, rugged environments and adverse weather conditions.
• Physical fitness and comfort with intensive manual labor.
• Must be able to safely lift and carry 55 pounds, including packing equipment in and out of field sites.
• Flexibility with ever‑changing schedules and field logistics.
• Strong team‑player attitude with clear, consistent communication skills.
• Positive attitude, self‑motivated, and high situational awareness.
• Enthusiasm for working in remote landscapes, wetlands, and rivers.
• A valid driver’s license.
• Eligibility to work in the United States.

Desired Qualifications (Not Required)

• Experience or education in natural resource management, riparian planting, landscaping, trail maintenance, construction, arboriculture, logging, forest thinning, farming/ranching, or wildland firefighting.

Benefits

• Paid sick leave accrual.
• Overtime eligible.
• Time‑and‑a‑half pay for worked company holidays.
• Group meal per‑diem.
• Employee discount programs.
• SEP‑IRA Retirement plan (after 3 years of employment).

Important Dates

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Positions are open until filled.