Environmental Restoration Team Member

American Conservation Experience; California; On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living allowance $775/week

Barracks housing

Gear allowance $500

Footwear stipend $300

Travel assistance up to $1000

Per diem $40/day

Position-specific training

Job summary

American Conservation Experience is seeking four Environmental Restoration Team Members to work with CA BLM staff on rangeland and habitat restoration in remote northeastern California and northwestern Nevada. Positions require multi-day camping, long drives, and backcountry travel from Cedarville, CA.

The role emphasizes hands-on fieldwork, herbicide application, riparian restoration, and data collection using ArcGIS tools, with housing provided and a living allowance during hitches.

Qualifications

• Willing to live and work in remote backcountry conditions.
• Must be able to perform intense fieldwork and camping for multi-day periods.
• Must pass background checks and meet program eligibility requirements.

Responsibilities

• Herbicide application in spring/summer as needed.
• Range inventory including fence and water system assessments.
• Construct and maintain riparian/wetland fences.
• Maintain water developments (troughs/pipes).
• Perform GPS data collection and GIS data quality checks.
• Support vegetation planting and seeding efforts.
• Conduct wildlife, vegetation, and livestock surveys.

Skills

Teamwork

Physical stamina

Driving long hours

GPS data collection

Backcountry camping

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

ArcGIS Online

ESRI Survey123

Field Maps

GPS data collection

Job description

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Foundation for America's Public Lands, is seeking four (4) Environmental Restoration Team Members to assist the CA BLM's Eagle Lake and Applegate Field Office staff with assessing, restoring, and repairing rangeland, wildlife habitat, and recreation sites within the remote area.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: April 5th, 2027

Estimated End Date: October 30, 2027

*A 30-week minimum commitment is required*

This position will be based in Cedarville, CA, a remote mountain town, with the team working out of both the Applegate Field Office in Cedarville, CA, and the Eagle Lake Field Office in Susanville, CA, located in the eastern region of Northern California. These offices are overseen by the BLM Northern California District Office. The BLM's Eagle Lake and Applegate Field Offices manage about 2.7 million acres of public lands in northeastern CA and northwestern NV. These offices cover a diverse landscape, encompassing the full range of the Great Basin, from rugged playas to lush aspen ridges. This position is located in a very remote , but beautiful part of northeastern California and northwestern Nevada that will require long-distance travel to worksite locations . From Cedarville, though, you will have close access to many incredible recreational opportunities nearby, including hot springs, hiking and backpacking the alpine lakes of the South Warner Mountain Wilderness, and expansive high desert landscapes. There are small grocery options available within walking distance of the barracks in Cedarville and multiple grocery stores available in Alturas, approximately a 30-mile drive away. A personal vehicle is not required for this position, but is highly encouraged, as it also makes the applicant's days off much more enjoyable. There is no public transportation available in the area. This is a remote mountain town location.

For more information about the Eagle Lake and Applegate Field Offices, please visit the Northern California District Office website.

Position Overview:

This opportunity will be focused on improving rangeland and restoration of Sage-steppe ecosystems. The member will assist the Eagle Lake and Applegate field offices with various fieldwork throughout the field offices. This position is intensely physically demanding and requires comfortablity with driving for long hours at a time. Fieldwork will be conducted largely in remote backcountry areas of the field offices with multi-day camping trips or "hitches" lasting 4 days. This will be completed with government-provided tools utilizing various travel methods, including hiking, 4x4 driving, and UTV (side-by-side) driving.

Duties for this position will likely include, but are not limited to:

• Herbicide application (primarily in spring and early summer)
• The 2026 team spent 8-10 weeks applying herbicide
• Range inventory (walking and inventorying fences, mapping roads, assessing the condition of stock ponds and troughs, etc.)
• Riparian/wetland fence construction and maintenance
• Water development maintenance (troughs and water pipelines)
• Small-scale juniper removal with reciprocating saws (or chainsaws if desired, and following proper training and certification)
• GPS data collection with ESRI Survey 123, Field Maps, and Quick Capture
• GIS data quality control with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro
• Riparian/wetland low-tech restoration (primarily in Sept/Oct)
• Small-scale vegetation planting and broadcast seeding (primarily in Sept/Oct)
• Simple wildlife, vegetation, and livestock monitoring/surveying

Opportunities for cross-training and experience with BLM programs like recreation, archaeology, wildlife, botany, forestry, fuels, and others are possible during this project. These opportunities are greatest outside of the normal 4-day work week, but will be made available as logistics allow during the work week.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate for this position will be an enthusiastic, adaptable, and resourceful young professional interested in pursuing a career in public land management. They will find hard work rewarding, will be comfortable being in a vehicle for long periods of time, will be confident in a backcountry remote setting, and will communicate effectively with their team.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promote exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule:

Monday - Thursday, 4-10-hour days, for the duration of the project. Interns will be expected to often camp during the duration of their workweek at or near work sites each week as weather conditions allow. Time away from work is limited but possible, depending on the schedule.

Living Allowance:

The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week to be eligible for a living allowance. Members will receive a living allowance of $775.00/week (pre-tax) to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. The living allowance is a fixed rate determined by the BLM and ACE and is not flexible.

Housing:

Barracks-style housing will be available in Cedarville, CA, at the BLM Field Office. Members will be reimbursed monthly for the cost of this housing. Alternative housing situations are possible, but would be at the discretion of the individual.

Gear Assistance:

ACE members will have up to $500.00 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear for this position includes work-related gear/apparel, camping equipment, etc. Additionally, each member will have up to $300 in a footwear stipend for chainsaw-required footwear. These purchases must be approved by ACE staff before being made.

Member Travel Assistance:

ACE members will have access to up to $1,000.00 to be used for eligible travel at the beginning and end of their term of service. Further details regarding the distribution of these funds will be provided during the interview process.

Per Diem:

ACE members will have access to a per diem of $40/day while on hitch and away from home barracks housing to support hitch food expenses.

Provided Training/Orientation:

ACE members will receive position-specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies, procedures, and networks for support. Specific training from the BLM may include S-212 chainsaw training, WFA training, 4x4 off-road driving, and UTV operation (ROHVA). Additional training will be provided for all projects, including herbicide application, GPS data collection, fence construction and maintenance, and habitat restoration.

Qualifications

Required:

• Member must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts.
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone and be a strong, effective team member.
• Able to work in a small team with many different personalities, work styles, and experience levels.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request). Members must be 21+ to drive due to ACE's insurance and liability requirements.
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required two-part criminal history check.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning-of-term feedback forms, end-of-term evaluations, and, for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website.

BLM Requirements:

• Willing to undergo and must pass a DOI security background check.

Preferred:

• Interest in working outdoors in remote locations on projects requiring manual labor to make significant improvements to rangelands.
• Able and willing to be comfortable driving for long periods of time to work sites and back.
• Ability and willingness to camp in a dispersed/remote backcountry setting without bathroom facilities or any infrastructure near work sites for up to four days in all types of weather conditions.
• Deep interest in rangeland management, biological sciences, outdoor recreation, and any other similar discipline.
• Able and willing to work outdoors in often rigorous physical conditions.
• Ability and willingness to use GPS equipment and maps.
• Familiarity with field note methods, data collection, and preparation techniques.
• All candidates are encouraged to apply, though regionally local candidates will be strongly considered.

Physical Demands, Work Environment, and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools and tablets. Required to stoop, kneel, and/or crouch. Must have the ability to hike over rough terrain and camp overnight under a range of field conditions.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral, and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 30 lbs., ability to move up to 50 pound.
• Environmental: Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates.
• Noise Environment: Moderate to high noise, such as gas-powered chainsaws and other hand and power tools.
• Travel: This position will require domestic travel frequently within the position as either a driver or passenger.
• Environmental: The weather is consistent with a high-desert area. Temperatures in the summer can and will reach 105°F, and in the spring, fall, and winter, can drop well below freezing. Temperature swings within the same week or even the same day can be significant; you may have to prepare for both freezing weather and fairly hot weather on the same hitch.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards:

The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards, including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger themself, fellow staff/members, or resources.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety:

If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the Bureau of Land Management or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the Bureau of Land Management. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the Bureau of Land Management, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to the Bureau of Land Management and ACE equipment training, certification, and safety protocols is required.

Employment or Service with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee, member, or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.

ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are enrolled in a program to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.