Wilderness Fellow

~ Since our establishment in 1993, Leopold Institute scientists have worked on many high priority wilderness issues for the four National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) agencies. ~

Wilderness research topics include: natural disturbances (e.g., past, present and future role of wild land fire in shaping ecosystems); social barriers to fire restoration; recreation experiences and impacts, trends in use and users and managing conflicting demands; inventory and monitoring (e.g., amphibians and reptiles); and, ecosystem services, social and cultural resources and climate and land use change vulnerability assessment.

Leopold Institute scientists also have a long history of working with wilderness agency managers on the development of wilderness stewardship tools, such as the Limits of Acceptable Change planning framework, determining legislative history, wilderness character monitoring and frameworks to evaluate proposals for scientific activities and restoration actions in wilderness.

Position Overview

The Wilderness Fellows Program is a collaborative of the Society for Wilderness stewardship, the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The Wilderness Fellows Program was created in order to complete Wilderness Character Baseline Assessments, thereby continuing important assessment work that has been underway since 2001, and fulfilling the USFS Wilderness Stewardship Performance (WSP) element “Wilderness Character Baseline”. The Wilderness Character Baseline requires that steps be made to provide the foundation for evaluating trends in wilderness character. 

Additional Information:

• Title: Wilderness Fellow
• Reports To: SWS National Program Manager
• Classification: Hourly
• Location: 10 Positions are available, located in the following: Hungry Horse, Montana; Helena, Montana; Jackson, Wyoming (2 positions); Central Sierras, California; Tahoe, California; Rutland, Vermont; Rhinelander, Wisconsin; Hoonah and Yakutat, Alaska; Ketchikan, Alaska
• Duration: June 10, 2019 – December 3, 2019
• Time: Full Time, Seasonal
• Full position description here

Responsibilities

• Attend one-week training in Granby, Colorado (travel provided). 
• Work out of remote USFS locations. 
• Coordinate meetings with USFS resource specialists to gather information regarding wilderness character.
• Research, compile and analyze legislative and administrative historical data.
• Travel to and into wilderness areas. 
• Compile data for selected monitoring and complete components of a baseline.
• Implement inventory and monitoring strategies for tracking wilderness character.
• Set and meet benchmarks and deadlines for data collection, meetings, and draft and final reports.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, Master’s degree preferred.
• Educational background in Wilderness Management, Protected Area/Natural Resource Management, Recreation Resource Management, Conservation Social Science, Environmental Policy, Natural, Biological and/or Physical Science.
• Deep interest in wilderness/resource management and the U.S. Forest Service.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Research skill and attention to detail and organization.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively on projects, high degree of initiative.
• Results-oriented with the ability to set and follow realistic goals and objectives.
• Flexibility to adapt when faced with changing needs and priorities.
• Ability to travel to training and remote field locations (travel provided), and to relocate if necessary (assistance not provided). 

Compensation

• Salary: $600 weekly stipend
• Benefits: 1 earned personal day per month and federal holidays; Forest Service housing provided

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to upload your resume, cover letter, a one-to-two page writing sample, and three professional or academic references to Heather MacSlarrow by April 26th, 2019.