Fuels Reduction Technician - Tahoe National Forest

American Conservation Experience is seeking a Fuels Reduction Technician to assist with fuels reduction projects at Tahoe National Forest, Nevada City, CA. The role involves developing strategic plans for fuel treatment, conducting inspections, and supporting prescribed fire activities under supervision. This position offers professional development opportunities and exposure to land management agencies. The job starts on April 20, 2026, and ends in Fall 2026.
Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the US Forest Service, is seeking 1 Member to contribute to fuels reduction projects alongside Tahoe National Forest Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: April 20, 2026 (04/20/2026)

Estimated End Date: Fall 2026

Location Details/Description: Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District (based out of Nevada City, California)

The Tahoe National Forest is located in the northern Sierra Nevada (east of Sacramento) and extends from the foothills across the Sierra crest to the California state line. It includes over 850,000 acres of public land interspersed with 350,000 acres of private land in a checkerboard ownership pattern. Rivers, snow-capped peaks and dense forests offer outstanding recreation year-round. A complex set of ecosystems are found as the terrain ascends from 1,500 feet along the western boundary to over 9,000 feet along the crest. The forest provides a variety of resources and opportunities and is managed by the Forest Service.

Nevada City is a vibrant town alongside Grass Valley, CA with excellent access to trails, ski resorts, and world class rafting and swimming holes. Nevada City has a flourishing arts scene, hosts excellent concerts and music festivals, and has many restaurants and shopping areas. The Sacramento metro area is within an hour's drive for urban amenities.

For more information about this area, please visit the Tahoe National Forest website.

Position Overview: The ACE Member will be assisting in the development of long-term strategic plans for the treatment of fuels using fire, mechanical, and chemical methods. After someone has a few years of fire experience, they would be ready to learn about planning for fuels work. Development tasks would include estimating fuel loading and fuel characteristics, identifying appropriate fuels treatments for various terrain and fuel types, collecting and sharing GIS data, learning what inputs are needed from resource specialists in planning for a prescribed fire, and identifying or creating a good holding feature, updating and creating burn plans, and collecting fuel moisture data.

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

Project Objectives:

Either independently or with guidance, oversees fuels reduction prescriptions with local resources or contractors, lays out project boundaries, conducts inspections of contractors work.
Brings to the attention of responsible individuals, situations on the ground that are inconsistent with guidelines.
Under the supervision of a certified Burn Boss, applies the instructions issued in a burn plan. Takes and records weather, makes proper notifications, measures fuel moisture, coordinates with fire and specialist staff to prepare for burns, patrols burns and monitors patrol plan.
ACE members cannot operate as the lead on any fire activities, regardless of their previous experience or qualification level.
The Forest Service will operate as the Burn Boss and lead for all burn operations.
Observes and reports areas of possible archeological significance, and sightings of sensitive, threatened or endangered wildlife species. Coordinates with district specialists in accordance with fuels related projects or burn plan guidelines
Flag unit boundaries and determine site area.
Collects fuel moisture sampling data to support fire and fuels management and inputs into the database either independently or with oversight of Fuels staff.
Planning, decisions, and judgments made in this position affect long term fuel/fire management activities, other resources, and agreements/contracts related to vegetation management.
Accuracy of the work affects the quality of residual resource values such as timber stands, visual quality, water quality, and all resources related to fuels management.
Schedule: The position will primarily be working 4 ten-hour days, Monday-Thursday. This may vary depending on burn windows and the member may be asked to adjust schedule to work on weekends.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute 40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $1010/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age (You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.

Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE. A Housing Allowance of up to $280/week will be available. Local candidates are encouraged to apply.

Gear Allowance: New ACE members will have up to $500 to spend on eligible gear purchases, and returning members or FS employees will have up to $250. Eligible gear for this position may include boots, work pants, hiking socks, and must be approved by ACE and Forest Service staff prior to purchase.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.Development tasks would include estimating fuel loading and fuel characteristics, identifying appropriate fuels treatments for various terrain and fuel types, collecting and sharing GIS data, learning what inputs are needed from resource specialists in planning for a prescribed fire, and identifying or creating a good holding feature, updating and creating burn plans, and collecting fuel moisture data. . ACE members will have up to $500 to spend on eligible training/professional development opportunities, which must be approved by ACE and Forest Service staff prior to purchase.