Field Technician - Riverscape Restoration

anabranchsolutions; Cle Elum (WA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave accrual

Overtime eligible

Time-and-a-half pay for holidays

Group meal per-diem

Employee discount programs

SEP-IRA Retirement plan

ICHRA contributions

Job summary

Anabranch Solutions, LLC is seeking traveling team members for its stream restoration and monitoring crew. Work involves building BDAs, PALS, and other low-tech structures at riverscape restoration sites across the western United States.

Expect rugged field life, camping at sites, and shifting hitch schedules with 10‑hour days. Accommodations are provided during hitches; per diem supports group meals and travel. Join a hands-on team transforming degraded riverscapes.

Qualifications

• Ability and willingness to learn in the field and in trainings.
• Ability to work safely in remote and adverse conditions.
• Flexibility with ever-changing schedules.
• Willingness to travel.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to communicate clearly and regularly.
• Positive attitude and follow instructions.
• Self-motivated with situational awareness.
• Comfort with manual labor and/or physical exertion.
• Must lift and carry 55 pounds; load handling regularly.

Responsibilities

• Locally acquire natural building materials and stage materials.
• Construct BDAs and PALS and other low-tech structures.
• Cut and haul slash, construct in-stream structures.
• Pound posts with hydraulic post pounder to secure structures.
• Operate tools: hand tools, chainsaws, grip hoists, ATV/UTVs.
• Travel to new project sites and work eight-day hitches.

Skills

Teamwork

Travel willingness

Safety awareness

Adaptability

Clear communication

Manual labor

Self-motivation

Following instructions

Situational awareness

Lifting heavy loads

Tools

Hand tools

Chainsaws

Grip hoists

Hydraulic post pounders

ATV/UTVs

Trailers

Job description

About Anabranch Solutions, LLC

Our What

: We transform riverscapes that were once degraded and vulnerable into healthy and thriving ecosystems through simple, cost-effective, low-tech process-based restoration actions that kickstart recovery and self-sustaining fluvial and ecological processes. Once these processes are set in motion, the footprint of the recovery spreads well beyond the footprint of the restoration actions.

Our Why:

At Anabranch Solutions, we aspire to a future where people hold deep respect for and engage in stewardship of rivers, enabling these vital ecosystems and their surrounding communities to reach their full potential.

About the role

We are currently seeking traveling team members for our stream restoration and monitoring crew! The restoration crews travel in teams of 5-10 people building and monitoring low-tech process-based restoration (LTPBR) structures. These structures will include Beaver Dam Analogs and Post-Assisted Log Structures. Restoration crews will spend their season outdoors; living and working in remote locations throughout the west.

Field life is rugged and rewarding. Crew members will be living in remote locations - often with limited amenities. Crews will meet at job sites or other pre-determined locations before each hitch, and should primarily expect to camp at each worksite during the hitch. However, Anabranch will provide travel trailers, short-term rental housing, or hotel stays when possible during on-hitch time, location dependent. Accommodations are available during hitch, and typically dorm-style living with communal meal prep, shared kitchens, and shared sleeping quarters. Teams will travel often - generally moving to a new project site for each hitch.

Work schedules are typically eight day hitches of 10-hour shifts followed by six days off. Sometimes hitch schedules may be adjusted to four 10-hour shifts followed by three days off, or five 8-hour shifts followed by two days off when necessary. All necessary camping gear (other than sleeping bags) as well as all necessary safety gear, waders, and wading boots will be provided. Additionally, per diem is afforded to the group for family-style grocery shopping and meal preparation.

What you'll do

The primary job duties are to locally acquire natural building materials (e.g., brush, woody debris, & rock), stage said materials, and construct beaver dam analogs (BDAs), post-assisted log structures (PALS), and other low-tech structures for riverscape restoration projects. Constructing BDAs and PALS entails cutting and hauling slash to degraded streams, constructing in stream structures, and pounding posts via hydraulic post pounder to lock everything in place. Construction utilizes a variety of tools, including but not limited to: hand tools, chainsaws, grip hoists, hydraulic post pounders, ATV/UTVs, trailers, and more.

Qualifications

• Ability and willingness to learn in the field and in trainings
• Ability to work safely in remote and adverse conditions
• Flexibility with ever-changing schedules
• Willingness to travel
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Ability to communicate clearly and regularly
• Positive attitude
• Willingness to follow instructions
• Self-motivated with situational awareness
• Comfort with manual labor and/or physical exertion
• Must be able to safely lift and carry 55 pounds; packing heavy loads of equipment in and out of sites is often required
• A valid driver’s license
• Eligibility to work in the United States

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with LTPBR
• Experience in related maintenance, construction, monitoring or management activities such as conservation corps, fire-fighting, riparian planting, landscaping, trail maintenance or construction, forest thinning, arboriculture and/or logging

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)
• ICHRA contributions

Important Dates

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