BIOLOGY / HYDROLOGY TECHNICIAN
Resource/Biology Technician The resource/biology technician may perform a variety of different outdoor assignments, for the purpose of helping implement forest management projects that achieve desired natural resource objectives and multiple-uses. This job description outlines several different types of technician duties, which work on forest projects intended to benefit or maintain water, wildlife, fish, recreation and so forth. Resource technician may work independently to drive a vehicle to often-changing forest jobsites, walk on forest slopes, and use their applied-knowledge to complete the tasks. Technician assignments may include: survey & inventory, locate & assess, field measure & record, field designate, plan & design, quality control, contract inspect & administer, and contract prepare. Resource technicians also assist the professional biologist, hydrologist, soil scientist, geologist, range conservationist, archeologist, landscape architect, or recreation manager. Just a few of the different forest assignments a resource technician may be involved with, include:

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• Contract inspection & oversight for resource work

• Contract preparation, mapping and permitting

• Stream survey for fish presence/fish habitat/large wood

• Road drainage assessment for upgrades

• GIS mapping of wetlands & streams

• Wildlife habitat assessment

• Snag inventory; wildlife tree creation

• Endangered species surveys

• Special resource site identification

• Cattle grazing survey for forage utilization

• Trail relocation; campground hazard tree removal

• Identify high landslide hazard areas

• Survey for cultural artifacts, historical attributes

• Determine aesthetic seen areas from critical viewpoints

• Assist the resource professionals for projects

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Travel to forest jobsites in a truck is on both highways and on unpaved, narrow, winding, steep forest roads. Technician works to safely route-find and drive to jobsite. Requires skilled use of numerous natural resource instruments, electronic devices, and field data recorders. Communicates safe travel on single-lane forest roads using citizens band (CB) radios. Requires special safety clothing, physical-fitness, and hiking often steep forest terrain, climbing over downed trees, while carrying instruments.

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Prior Experience: Work as a forestry aid or forestry crew; Drivers License; high school diploma or GED; preferred study in natural resource technology at high school, trade school or community college; learn from work with experienced technician; demonstrated safe performance; written handbooks and technical guides; on-the-job-training.

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DRILLING EXPLOSIVE SPECIALIST
The rock technician (drilling/explosives) performs an unusual outdoor assignment to safely break-apart solid rock in a rock quarry, or at a forest road construction project. The rock technician drills deep holes into hard rock, sets explosives into those holes, then explodes/fractures the rock into workable stone sizes—which can then be processed through a rock crusher to make gravel and other construction rock products. It is a precise art & science to use the rock drilling rig, and set the proper explosive charge, for the purpose of safely breaking the desired amount of rock. Operates the rock drilling rig, which is a mobile compressor-powered pneumatic drill, mounted on tracks. Rock technician places correct amounts of dynamite into the holes, then safely explodes (“shoots”) the charge to send the planned quantity of broken rock into the desired direction. Hazardous explosives and equipment must be safely stored, handled, and detonated using rigid procedures. This technician works with other professionals, technicians, and forestry crews on road construction or quarry rock crushing projects. May drive a vehicle to often-changing forest jobsites, walk on rough forest terrain, and use applied-knowledge to complete the tasks. Travel to forest jobsites in a truck is on both highways and on unpaved, narrow, winding, steep forest roads. Technician works to safely route-find and drive to jobsite. Requires skilled use of drilling equipment and explosives handling. Communicates safe explosives activities, drilling, and travel on single-lane forest roads using multiple electronic devices and radios. Requires special safety clothing, physical-fitness, and hiking often steep forest terrain, climbing over downed trees, while carrying drilling supplies.

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Prior Experience: Licensed User of Low or High Explosives & Blasting Agents, by the federal ATF; work as an engineering technician, at a rock quarry, or logging/forestry crew; Drivers License; high school diploma or GED; preferred study in engineering or forestry technology at high school, trade school or community college; learn from work with experienced rock technician; demonstrated safe rock performance; written drilling and explosives handbooks and technical guides; on-the-job-training.

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FIRE TECHNICIAN
The fire technician performs a variety of mostly outdoor assignments, to implement complex projects dealing with forest fire prevention, fuel hazard reduction, and firefighting. Some fire projects may use tree harvesting or prescribed fire to accomplish important goals, while other projects reduce the woody forest fuels that create hazard of unwanted and destructive wildfires. And, if a forest fire happens during the summer, the fire technician may be dispatched to a firefighting “incident management team.” This technician may work independently to drive a vehicle to often-changing forest jobsites, walk on rough forest terrain, and use their applied-knowledge to complete the tasks. Fire technician assignments may include: contract inspect & administer, contract prepare, survey & inventory, locate & assess, field measure & record, field designate, plan & design, quality control, appraisal, and bid & negotiate. Just a few of the forest assignments a fire technician may be involved with, include:

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• Contract inspection & oversight for road & trail work

• Contract preparation, mapping and permitting

• Planning, location and design for fuel thinning projects

• Prescribed under-burning of light forest fuels

• Piling and burning of logging debris, “slash,” to reduce hazards

• Supervise firefighting crews on a large wildfire

• Communicate with recreation users about forest fire prevention

• Inspect logging operators to assure fire prevention

• Work with rural forest homeowners to reduce woody fire hazards near homes

• Plan prescribed burns to prevent air quality intrusions

• Plan to construct fuel breaks, where future fires could be contained

• GIS mapping of fuel treatment and wildfires

• Assist the professional fire managers and foresters

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Travel to forest jobsites in a truck is on both highways and on unpaved, narrow, winding, steep forest roads. Technician works to safely route-find and drive to jobsite. Requires skilled use of numerous instruments, electronic devices, tools, and field data recorders. Communicates safe burning activities, firefighting, and travel on single-lane forest roads using multiple electronic devices and radios. Requires special safety clothing, physical-fitness, endurance, and hiking often steep forest terrain, climbing over downed trees, while carrying tools and instruments.

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Prior Experience: Work as a forestry aid, forestry crew or logging crew; capable of passing qualified firefighter tests; Drivers License; high school diploma or GED; preferred study in forestry technology at high school, trade school or community college; learn from work with experienced fire technician; demonstrated safe firefighting performance; written fire management handbooks and technical guides; on-the-job-fire training.

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FIREWATCH
A specialized job that watches for fires, the “firewatch” is assigned to outdoor logging and road construction operations, where heavy equipment is used. During the summer, the firewatch is responsible for safely observing & patrolling an industrial operating area for several hours after its daily shutdown—to assure that no sparks ignite to cause a forest fire. Commonly, a firewatch is also assigned to reside in a camper trailer near the operating area, performing additional full-time fire prevention and security oversight of the valuable timber, logs, machinery, and tools on the jobsite. Firewatch walks and drives on forest roads throughout the operating area; also, must be capable of operating fire pump and firefighting tools to safely attack a fire start. Travel around forest jobsites in a truck on unpaved, narrow, winding, steep forest roads. Communicates safe firewatch activities, firefighting, and travel on single-lane forest roads using radios and cell phones. Requires special safety clothing, physical-fitness, and hiking often steep forest terrain, climbing over downed trees, while carrying tools and instruments.

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Prior Experience: Drivers License; preferred experience on a logging or forestry crew; learn from work with experienced firewatch; demonstrated safe firefighting performance; written fire handbooks and other guides; on-the-job-fire training.

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FORESTRY AID
The forestry aid is an entry-level job that performs a variety of mostly outdoor tasks, assignments, for the purpose of helping a technician implement forest management projects. The aid is an apprentice that typically works with another technician; though they may still be required to drive a vehicle to often-changing forest jobsites. The aid walks on forest slopes, and learns applied-knowledge to help complete tasks. Forestry aid assignments may help to: contract inspect & administer, contract prepare, survey & inventory, locate & assess, field measure & record, field designate, plan & design, quality control, and assist forestry and natural resource technicians. Requires learning to use numerous natural resource instruments, electronic devices, and field data recorders. Communicates safe travel on single-lane forest roads using citizens band (CB) radios. Requires special safety clothing, physical-fitness, and hiking often steep forest terrain, climbing over downed trees, while carrying instruments.

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Prior Experience: Drivers License; high school diploma or GED; preferred experience on a forestry crew, or study in natural resource technology at high school, trade school or community college; learn from work with experienced technician; demonstrated safe performance; written handbooks and technical guides; on-the-job-training.