National forests are hiring in California. See the pay for fire, recreation and other jobs
National forests up and down the Sierra Nevada are hiring hundreds of people for fire, recreation and other jobs.
The application deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 1, for a few of the positions and later in the month for the rest. Most of the jobs are temporary, but they could provide experience that leads to full-time work with the U. S. Forest Service.
Modesto-area residents might best know the Stanislaus National Forest, reached along Highways 4, 108 and 120. It is a key part of the watershed for Northern San Joaquin Valley farms and cities, and popular for camping, hiking and other pastimes.
The Stanislaus and other forests have had megafires resulting from over-dense trees and brush. The agency has greatly increased funding for fuel reduction, including selective logging and prescribed burning. It aims to make the peak season less intense for firefighters.
The Stanislaus staff oversees dozens of campgrounds, picnic areas and other visitor sites as high as about 10,000 feet above sea level. Other employees protect wildlife, the watershed and archaeological sites, including those of the Me-Wuk and later people.
The Stanislaus has 65 openings, all but one of them near the low end of the pay scale. The exception is a forestry aide based along Highway 4, paying $30,015 to $49,009 a year, depending on experience. This person assists experts in fuel reduction, timber sales, recreation, wildlife and other fields.
The Tahoe National Forest has an even higher-paying opening, with the title of forester. The annual salary ranges from $33,906 for an intern to $74,250 for a seasoned pro. A forester helps ensure that logging does not damage the land and water.
A sampling of the Stanislaus National Forest temporary jobs:
- Wildlife technician, $20.14 per hour, assisting with population surveys, habitat projects and other tasks.
- Visitor information assistant, $18.06.
- Recreation tech, $18.06, helping manage off-road-vehicle use by visitors
- Archaeological tech, $18.06
- Fire lookout, $16.57, monitoring smoke and other conditions from a tower.
Visit fs.usda.gov to see the deadlines, qualifications and other details of the forest jobs.
