NEPA Outreach Coordinator, Kootenai National Forest

close to Trout Creek, MT

Job Title: NEPA Outreach Coordinator

Organization: Cabinet Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest, U.S. Forest Service

Location: close to Trout Creek, MT

Organization Overview: The Cabinet Ranger District is one of four districts on the Kootenai National Forest in northwestern Montana. Of the 528,000 acres within the District boundary, about 432,000 are federally administered. The Kootenai NF covers 2.2 million acres.

The District has 35 permanent employees and up to 50 temporary employees during the summer field season. District offices are located two miles west of Trout Creek, Montana along Highway 200. At Trout Creek the elevation is 2400 feet with annual precipitation totaling 25 inches. Fall and spring are generally mild; summers can be moderately hot with short periods of 100 degree weather; and winter brings snow and temperatures that are warmer than generally associated with Montana.

Position Overview: The Cabinet Ranger District is looking for strong and innovative leadership in the NEPA Coordinator position.  The District’s program is active and diverse in its program of work, including a diversity of timber and vegetation restoration; natural fuels; aquatics, fisheries and wildlife habitat restoration; recreation infrastructure; mining and minerals; and other projects.  Complex landscapes, listed fish and wildlife (including grizzly bear), wilderness, and highly prized recreation values add to the complexity of the workload and it’s challenges. 

This position works with an interdisciplinary team (IDT) to develop project proposals, assess effects of proposed actions and compile environmental documentation (e.g., decision memos, environmental assessments) so that Responsible Officials can make decisions on issues and affected resources. Provides leadership and oversight to individual projects as delegated.  Offers technical knowledge to others concerning technical writing, project record development, and consistency with policy and direction. Reviews documents for NEPA consistencies. Manages the Planning Appeals Litigation System (PALS) database. Coordinates with District and Forest Leadership to monitor and update the status of projects. The ability to work successfully on a team is paramount as this position works both autonomously as well as collaboratively with the Forest NEPA Coordinator.

Duties:

  • Oversight, facilitation, and leadership of project-level analysis in support of District projects, including vegetation management/timber actions, natural fuels actions, hydrologic and terrestrial habitat enhancement actions, recreation infrastructure actions, and District Special Uses programs. Directs development of proposed actions, scoping efforts, issue and alternative development, affected environment and effects analysis, and project records in support of respective analyses;
  • Coordinates and collaborates with resource specialists and resource areas (wildlife, fisheries, forest vegetation, wildland fire and natural fuels, hydrology, recreation, minerals, and other relevant specialty areas in support of environmental documents and analyses;
  • Formulates and edits environmental documentation, including Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, actions Categorically Excluded from detailed analysis, and associated Decision documents in support of Line Officer decisions. Supports resource specialist documentation.  Applies affective and state of the art writer-editor techniques in support of those products;
  • Serves as subject matter expert (SME) for NEPA law, policy, and manual and handbook direction for project analysis and Forest Plan implementation;
  • Oversight and management of Project Records for District analyses and Decisions;
  • Point of Contact for NEPA analysis activities on the Unit. Coordinates with Forest and District counterparts in relevant resource areas for monitoring and leading annual program of work. Coordinates and updates District Line Officer on project progress;
  • As needed, provides contracting officer’s representative oversight for NEPA analysis contracts. Includes SME support to contractors with respect NEPA law, policy, and manual and handbook direction for project analysis and Forest Plan implementation.

Qualifications:

  •   Master’s degree preferred, or bachelor’s degree with at least three years of experience, in an area of science relevant to climate change and tribal issues, including the social sciences and public health;
  • Knowledge and experience in 1) environmental sustainability, 2) tribal resource management, and 3) exposure of Indigenous peoples to the impacts of climate change, adaptation, and interpretation of locally relevant information;
  • Understanding of tribal governments and communities, values, needs, Indigenous knowledges, and knowledge of tribal treaty rights and federal trust relations;
  • Knowledge of climate change impacts in the North Central region;
  • Ability to assist in the development and evaluation of new projects and initiatives
  • Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to articulate technical issues, products, and concepts to non-scientists;
  • Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as a collaborative team member;
  • Demonstrated ability to organize, prioritize, document, and manage multiple projects.
  • Preference will be given to federally recognized tribal members.

Salary/Pay: $54,727 – $86,074 per year, as well as housing

Application Deadline: May 31

How to Apply: Please click here to view the full job description as well as how to apply

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