SW Forest and Fire Science Manager

Job title: SW Forest and Fire Science Manager 

Location: Flexible within the 2-3-2 Partnership region, preference is for Santa Fe, NM.  

Status: Regular, full-time (36-40 hours per week) 

Compensation range: $34.35/hour plus benefits  

Application deadline: June 29th 2026 at 8AM (MST). Please read the ‘how to apply’ section below. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

The Forest Stewards Guild is hiring an organized and adaptive professional to serve as the Forest and Fire Science Manager for our Southwest Region. This position plays a key role in translating fire and forest science, and monitoring data into practical strategies and communications that inform adaptive land management, support collaborative planning, and engage forest dependent communities. 

The Manager will lead multiparty monitoring related to the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project (CFLRP). The Manager will guide the monitoring program, facilitate collaborative input, and coordinate with other Guild staff, US Forest Service leadership, and the Mountain Studies Institute to advance multiparty monitoring efforts. The Manager will facilitate the 2-3-2 Monitoring Committee, prepare formal reports, oversee agreements with partner organizations that collect and analyze monitoring data, and develop creative means to communicate monitoring results.   

The Manager will also lead a Joint Fire Science Program-funded project, Accelerating Science to Action Partnerships (ASAP) in the 2-3-2 Partnership landscape. The Manager will convene researchers and managers to incorporate climate resilience into on-the-ground projects. This requires a blend of collaborative coordination and technical expertise to identify shared challenges, determine what existing climate and resilience planning tools exist, and co-develop on-the-ground solutions. 

In addition to these two main projects, the Forest and Fire Science Manager will support our Southwest team with science questions. In 2027, the Manager will collaborate with the Guild team to identify new opportunities and projects. As the Manager grows in their position, they will be able to focus proposals and partnership on their areas of interest within the Guild’s focus on forest stewardship. This position is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of applied science, collaboration, and project communication, and is excited to help accelerate science into action across diverse, fire-adapted landscapes. An entrepreneurial attitude will be essential for long-term success. 

Who We Are  

The Forest Stewards Guild, a national organization of foresters and allied natural resource professionals, is dedicated to practicing and promoting responsible forestry as a means of sustaining the integrity of forest ecosystems and the people dependent upon them. We use innovative, science-based solutions to meet the challenges of forest conservation and management. The Guild has over 700 members in the United States and Canada. The Guild maintains regional offices in New Mexico, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, and Wisconsin. The Southwest office has a history of working alongside place-based communities and Tribes for 30 years, including some longstanding programs related to youth education and workforce development, fire adapted communities, and collaborative forestry.  

Position description  

The successful candidate will have an advanced degree in forestry, fire ecology, natural resource management, social science, science communication, or five years equivalent experience of professional work leading collaborative knowledge sharing efforts. This individual will have excellent organizational, communication, and written skills, and a desire to support ecological forestry and forest dependent communities in the Southwest. The Guild has been expanding in the Southwest, and the ideal candidate will possess the desire and leadership skills to sustain and strengthen the Guild’s regional presence and impact. Previous experience understanding forest resilience and collaboration with diverse partners in the Southwest, coupled with project management experience, is highly desirable. The SW Forest and Fire Science Manager will work closely with directors and staff based out of the Santa Fe, NM office.  

The successful individual will: 

• Lead Multiparty Monitoring for the 2-3-2 Partnership and Rio Chama CFLRP
  • Build and maintain relationships with land managers, academic researchers, community members, and other forest and watershed practitioners interested in shared learning.
  • Facilitate the 2-3-2 Monitoring Committee through regular meetings, and convene an annual Monitoring Workshop with 2-3-2 Partners to review data outcomes and support adaptive management.
  • Co-lead, in partnership with Guild Manager and Partners, the revision and publication of the second edition of the 2-3-2 Multiparty Monitoring Plan.
  • Coordinate Rio Chama CFLRP monitoring, including socioeconomic and ecological data collection, analysis, and science communication.
  • Oversee agreements, including deliverable tracking and invoice processing, with partner organizations supporting Guild monitoring efforts.
  • Collaborate with US Forest Service and Partner organizations to maintain transparent, reliable, and up-to-date data management systems and prepare annual monitoring reports.
  • Align monitoring analysis with the ASAP Project and other regional priorities.

• Lead the Accelerating Science to Action Partnerships in the 2-3-2 Partnership landscape
  • Oversee project administration including budget, match, contractor agreements, and bi-annual reports.
  • Coordinate project operations, partnerships, and timelines to ensure deliverables are met.
  • Integrate existing modeling tools and climate-fire-ecosystem science into partner decision-making.
  • Support vulnerability assessments, scenario planning, Indigenous knowledge integration, and meaningful partner engagement.
  • Develop communication products to make complex data and findings accessible to land managers and community leaders.
  • Present on project outcomes, challenges, and findings at public meetings, academic conferences, and during monthly JFSP coordination calls.
  • Identify and pursue additional funding opportunities to extend the longevity and impact of the project.

• Support Forest Stewards Guild work in the region
  • Summarize, prepare, and write an annual Southwest Fire Season Overview in partnership with the Southwest Fire Science Consortium.
  • Conduct literature reviews, as requested, to support Guild fire resilience work.
  • Supervise assigned Guild staff working in the Southwest Region.
  • Independently manage own project workflow and collaborate with a team using software such as Asana and Microsoft Teams.
  • Coordinate with funders, partners, and collaborators; contribute to grant writing and reporting.
  • Maintain and grow partnerships for Southwest programs.
  • As needed and desired, support Guild prescribed fire operations.

Required Qualifications 

• Advanced degree (Master’s preferred) in forestry, fire ecology, natural resource management, social science, science communication or related field.
• Strong data interpretation skills with experience synthesizing complex scientific information for non-technical audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially in communicating science to practitioners and community partners.
• Experience in project management, including budget oversight and staff supervision.
• Commitment to collaboration, inclusion, and respectfully and appropriately integrating Indigenous and community knowledge into collaborative processes.
• Project coordination experience working with multiple contracts and deliverables at one time.
• Proficiency in tracking deliverables and report writing.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Effective knowledge of common software applications.
• Valid driver’s license.

Additional Desired Qualifications: 

• Experience working in the Southwest U.S. fire-adapted ecosystems and with collaborative conservation partnerships.
• Experience in group facilitation, planning and leading large meetings and field gatherings.
• Experience working with federal, state, tribal, and NGO partners.
• Familiarity with climate adaptation and scenario planning tools (e.g., FireCLIME, LANDIS-II, FireBGC, and/or others).
• Experience using partnerships to leverage resources and funding to accomplish cross boundary projects.
• Certificate or professional experience with Geographic Information Systems, including database creation and maintenance, data analysis, and creation of online interactive maps.

Compensation and Benefits Package  

• The Forest Stewards Guild offers a competitive compensation and benefits package that reflects our total rewards strategy. The starting salary is $34.35 per hour, with the ability to grow based on performance outcomes over time assessed annually.
• Full-time, exempt.
• Paid and sick leave is accrued hourly from the first day of employment
• 12 paid holidays per year
• Employer-sponsored comprehensive health and dental care coverage paid at 80%, 40% for spouse, partner, and dependents of regular, full-time employees on Guild health insurance plan.
• Short and long-term disability policies, accidental death/dismemberment, life insurance, and family leave are paid by the Guild.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 5% employer match is available.

Location  

This position is based at the Guild’s office in Santa Fe, NM. Other locations in northern NM and southern CO (i.e., Chama, Taos, Alamosa, Pagosa, Albuquerque, etc.) will be considered. A hybrid schedule is acceptable, and remote work is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This position requires travel throughout northern NM and southern CO. The expectation is that travel to Santa Fe will be required for meetings and field coordination. Some overnight travel is required when distances make it necessary. All travel costs from the Guild office in Santa Fe are covered, including the use of a Guild vehicle. 

The Guild is dedicated to providing an open, transparent, and just organization and workplace. We strive for clear, open, and kind communication and are committed to recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and supporting staff from underrepresented communities. We are dedicated to building a work culture that recognizes the inherent value of our employees, supports a healthy work-life balance, and provides an environment that supports personal and job growth.  

We believe that a diverse workforce reflects the strengths of all members of our community. The Forest Stewards Guild strives to create a collaborative, supportive, and respectful setting for all employees and partners. To meet this goal, we recognize and celebrate the wide range of differences that characterize our members, employees, partners, and collaborators. Indeed, it is those differences that enhance our organization and help us to meet our mission and vision. The Guild values diverse forests because they are more productive, more resilient, more adaptable, and better able to recover from disturbances. Similarly, our community is healthier when we are inclusive of a diversity of people and perspectives.