Fire Effects and Fuels Steward

Position Title: Fire Effects and Fuels Steward – AmeriCorps 

# of Opportunities: 1

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Visitor and Resource Protection, Grand Teton National Park, Moose, WY 83012

 Terms of Service:

• Start Date: May 18, 2026
• End Date: September 4, 2026
• Length of Service: 16-Week Position 
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hours

 Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career internship opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with the Grand Teton National Park will host a Fire Effects and Fuels Monitor.

The data collected by the steward would be used by land managers to determine whether fuels treatments were successful in meeting objectives and to inform the adaptive management process.

 Description of Duties:

• Fire Suppression, Monitoring, and Post-Fire Activities (60%)
  • Serves as a member of the wildland fire program by participating in fire response and monitoring, fuels management, and post-fire activities to achieve a wide range of program missions and goals. Applies an understanding of firefighter safety, fire behavior, topography of the area, weather, and fuels conditions in fire management work. 
  • Implements tactical strategy on attacking, controlling, or mopping up fires, building or patrolling firelines, cleaning up burned areas within firelines, suppressing spot fires, conducting firing operations, felling snags or trees, and cutting brush. Adjusts actions based on changing information and evolving situational awareness and communicates assessments to higher level leadership.
  • Identifies and adjusts lookout locations, escape routes, and safety zones.
  • Observes, collects, and records fire-related weather, topography, and fuels data. Monitors and records fire characteristics such as rates of spread, flame length, fire behavior, and fire effects and plots fire progression on a map. Monitors and records smoke dispersion and air quality information. Selects and/or approves monitoring locations and sets fire monitoring observation cycles/intervals according to established protocols. Collects data, documents observations, and prepares reports on observed and potential fire and fire suppression impacts to resources. 
  • Ensures vehicles, tools, and equipment are kept in a full state of readiness for emergency fire dispatch (e.g., safety gear is ready, vehicles are fueled and ready, equipment is loaded).
• Fire Effects and Fuels Monitoring and Data Management (40%) 
  • Performs a variety of standardized prescribed fire, fire effects, and fuels monitoring duties. 
  • Collects and reports live and dead fuel load and fuel moisture, and vegetation quantity and conditions. 
  • Collects geospatial data, and records microhabitat and plant association data.
  • Collects, organizes, and manages field data using standardized data collection procedures. 
  • Ensures quality control of data collected. Processes and steps for completing the serve depend on factors such as the purpose of the assignment or conditions in the field. The employee identifies such considerations and chooses the appropriate course of action. 
  • Identifies grasses, herbs, shrubs, and trees to species. Confirms field and voucher specimens are properly collected, identified, prepared, and stored. 
  • Enters fire effects and fuels field data into a centralized database using customized software. 
  • Routinely performs error checking, data entry, quality control of fire effects and fuels monitoring  data, and other data management activities. Identifies and reports problems in data entry and analysis software.
  • Tests and/or implements fire effects and fuels monitoring protocols. Implements data management protocols for both field and office data management activities.
  • Participates in fire education activities such as conducting field trips, attending and presenting for public education and special events, and explaining fire management activities to visitors, youth groups, schools, and other audiences.

 
Eligibility Requirements:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 18 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Able to pass a MVR check and has had license for at least three years or 21 years of age to be insured for driving. 

Preferred Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will have a deep interest in Interest in fuels, fire ecology, prescribed fire and wildfire. The majority of the position will focus on fire effects and fuels monitoring, but it will be critical to the steward's experience on the crew to receive a redcard for local IA and prescribed fire with potential opportunities for full two weeklong wildfire assignments as an AD hire. All wildland fire training will be provided upon hire. We will provide extensive in-house training to a candidate who is willing to consider the following:
• Arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping, and twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity.
• Must be able to train and attempt the arduous pack test required for red card certification (carry 45 pounds for 3 miles in under 45 minutes).
• Must be able to fulfill the essential functions and serve conditions of a wildland firefighter: https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/owf-msp-wlff-essential-function-work-conditions-09.2023-508.pdf
• Must be able to fulfill the Interior Department's Wildland Fire Medical Standards: https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-03/federal-interagency-wildland-firefighter-medical-standards-20150112-508.pdf.  
• May be asked to participate in DOI drug testing program.
• Some college preferred but not required.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.35 
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $88 per week.
• Housing Provided: Yes
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible 

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Stewards Contact information:

Service Site Contact information: Olivia Burke, Fire Effects Crew Leader, olivia_a_burke@nps.gov

Our Commitment:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.  

 Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Four 10-hour days, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service 
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term. 

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.