Registered Professional Forester (RPF)

Non-Commercial Forestry jobshiringnearme.org Fire Prevention & Reforestation
Lake County, California
Full-time jobshiringnearme.org Open to all career stages

The Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC) is a nonprofit organization seeking a California Registered Professional Forester (RPF) to serve as our in-house licensed forestry professional. CLERC works in close partnership with CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service, local fire agencies, and private landowners to design and implement fire prevention, forest health, and reforestation projects that protect communities and ecosystems.

CLERC does not engage in commercial timber harvest operations. This position is intended for foresters interested in public-benefit, non-commercial forestry, including fuels reduction, forest resilience, post-fire recovery, and watershed protection.

We welcome candidates at any stage of their career—from newly licensed RPFs to highly experienced foresters—provided they hold an active California RPF license and can independently perform the core professional functions of the role.

Position Overview

The RPF serves as CLERC’s licensed authority for the development of forestry prescriptions, technical planning, and regulatory compliance for non-commercial forestry projects. The position is responsible for preparing professional forestry documents; producing GIS maps and shapefiles; supporting grant development and reporting; and providing technical oversight during project implementation.

This role emphasizes prescription development, spatial analysis, and interagency collaboration, rather than timber production or harvest administration.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop professional forestry prescriptions for:

• Fire prevention and hazardous fuels reduction
• Strategic and shaded fuel breaks
• Reforestation and post-fire recovery
• Forest health and resilience treatments

• Prepare and review professional forestry documents appropriate for non-commercial projects
• Produce GIS-based maps and shapefiles for project planning, grants, regulatory coordination, and reporting
• Coordinate technically with CAL FIRE, USFS, and other partners
• Provide professional oversight of field implementation and monitoring
• Support grant applications, deliverables, and compliance documentation
• Communicate technical forestry concepts clearly to staff, partners, and landowners

Required Qualifications

• Active California Registered Professional Forester (RPF) license
• Demonstrated experience developing forestry prescriptions or technical planning documents
• Ability to independently produce professional-quality GIS maps and shapefiles
• Familiarity with fire prevention, fuels reduction, reforestation, or forest health projects
• Ability to work collaboratively in a nonprofit, grant-funded, and interagency environment

Experience with CAL FIRE and/or USFS forestry programs is strongly preferred.

Benefits

• Up to 33 paid days in the first year.
• Health benefits (medical, dental, vision, and life insurance) effective the first of the month following hire date.
• 401(k) employer match, up to 3% of annual salary.
• Safety boot reimbursement.