The Moody Forest Burn Crew Manager oversees a squad (3-8 Burn Crew Members) in wild land fire activities and/or other actions focused on the management and restoration of habitat for rare fire dependent species such as red-cockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise, and eastern indigo snake, as directed by the Moody Forest Preserve Director.
Individual will supervise and manage a seasonal prescribed burn crew daily that will be used to conduct prescribed burns primarily in southeastern Georgia. The crew will work in other areas of Georgia and potentially across state boundaries. The primary responsibility of the crew will be to conduct prescribed burns on key TNC preserves and assist TNC partners such as private land owners, state, and federal agencies around Moody Forest Wildlife Management Area and in the Altamaha Significant Geographic Area.
As part of the incumbent’s ongoing professional development, they will be responsible for keeping abreast of new burn techniques and equipment to enhance skills and maintain/grow professional fire certification credentials. In addition, they shall work to build and maintain relationships in the professional fire community and in the local community where the Conservancy works. This may include participation in wild land fire suppression activities in partnership with other non-profits, local fire departments, and local, state and federal agencies, either as a TNC employee, or as a volunteer or short-term employee of the partner entity (such as an Administratively Determined, short term federal employee). The crew will be based on TNC-owned property at Moody Forest in Appling County near Baxley, Georgia. To maximize the effectiveness of the crew and to provide a general security presence for TNC’s equipment, the Burn Crew Manager must live on site with the Burn Crew Boss (or other command position) and the Burn Crew Members.
RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE
- Function as both leader and member of a work team, in a high stress team environment.
- Convey work instructions to Burn Crew members.
- Monitor the progress of Burn Crew Members toward achieving fire management goals.
- Makes decisions on the fire line based upon evaluation of fire behavior, available resources and judgment.
- Perform other preserve management duties when conditions are not conducive to prescribed fire.
- Ability to perform heavy physical work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.
- 1-year training in fire operations, science-related field or similar field or related experience in land management.
- Qualified Fire Fighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) and successful completion of FFT1 task book. Requirements for FFT1 can be found in the Conservancy Fire Management Manual at: http://www.tncfiremanual.org/SquadBoss.htm.
- Must achieve arduous physical fitness standard as set by local Fire Manager and the TNC Fire Manual.
- Experience operating and maintaining various types of equipment.
- Experience supervising staff or volunteers is required
- May be required to obtain related licenses and certifications such as CPR and herbicide application.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
- >2 years training in fire operations or other science-related field or related experience in land management or similar field.
- Ability and willingness to work in a team environment and on a cross-agency manner.
- Ability to evaluate inputs in a rapidly changing work environment and make decisions that affect the safety and work of firefighters within squad.
- PC and GIS familiarity, including database knowledge, in order to maintain preserve records.
- $20.70/hour which includes an amount to cover the costs associated with business use of personally-owned device (cell, smart phone, tablet, etc.).
- Housing with basic utilities will be provided at no cost to the employee upon signing and agreeing to lease terms, and the employee must live in provided housing with the other Burn Crew Members and/or Burn Crew Manager to maximize the effectiveness of the crew and to provide a general security presence for TNC’s equipment.