Visitor Information Services Lead Member, Eldorado National Forest

Visitor Information Services Lead

Summary: American Conservation Experience a nonprofit Conservation Corps in partnership with Eldorado National Forest is seeking one VIS Lead Member to contribute to projects alongside Forest Service Staff.

This opportunity is intended for a candidate with a well-developed working background in conservation natural resources management wilderness management recreation management or a similar field. The VIS Lead should possess a passion for public land management and a professional interest in advancing their career towards natural resource management policy and/or wilderness.

Start Date: Mid May 2026

End Date: 22 weeks after start date

Location: Eldorado National Forest Pollock Pines CA. Crystal Basin Information Station.

The Eldorado National Forest is located in the central Sierra Nevada region within California and encompasses a total of 798279 acres which includes 193027 acres of private ownership.

The Eldorado National Forest is bordered on the north by the Tahoe National Forest on the east by the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the Humboldt-Toiyabe and to the south by the Stanislaus National Forest. The Eldorado is within 3 - 4 hours of the San Francisco Bay Area and about 1 - 1 1/2 hours from Sacramento. It ranges in elevation from 1000 feet in the foothills to more than 10000 feet above sea level along the Sierra crest. The mountainous topography is broken by the steep canyons of the Mokelumne Cosumnes American and Rubicon rivers. Plateaus of generally moderate relief are located between these steep canyons.

The forest is also home to 297 lakes and reservoirs (including both public and private acreage) which total 11994 surface acres. 11 large reservoirs account for 9000 acres. The rest are mostly small high mountain lakes. Both the rivers and lakes provide excellent fishing opportunities. The Eldorado National Forest provides diverse recreational opportunities to the public. The Forest offers every visitor the chance to enjoy nature and be addition to two popular wilderness areas (Desolation Wilderness and Mokelumne Wilderness) the forest offers more than 70-day use and overnight developed recreation facilities across the forest for the individual families and groups.

Position Overview:

• Ensures that the information desk at a reception area or visitor center is covered at all times and answers the phone and radio
• Leads a visitor services team in identifying distributing and balancing the workload and tasks amongst the team in accordance with established workflow and skill level; establishes priorities to ensure timely accomplishment of assigned team tasks.
• Greets visitors and responds to a variety of inquiries regarding Forest Service activities programs exhibits facilities policies and functions
• Evaluates inquiries in order to provide the most useful and appropriate information or to suggest other options such as alternate routes or activities
• Provides guidance to the public on rules and regulations regarding on-unit activities and attempts to gain public cooperation in protecting resources from damage and pollution
• Assists visitors and callers with informational searches and with use of the reference library
• Monitors and reports statistics such as visitor numbers and activities for project planning
• Keeps aware of unit issues and acts as lead to other information desk co-workers as needed
• Serves as Collection Officer to sell forest timber permits and other items such as maps and passes in accordance with manual and handbook requirements
• Is held responsible for submitting and accounting for collected monies using approved computer programs and records
• Performs regular daily activities for the reception area or visitor center including but not limited to daily opening and closing of the facility raising and lowering the flag and maintaining the front desk

Scheduling: This is an office based position with a typical 5 days a week schedule. Weekends may be required in the summer season (June through September)

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute 40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $800/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses dispersed bi-weekly.

Housing: Not provided: Housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE or the Forest Service. A housing stipend of $100/wk may be available to help offset the cost of housing

Travel Reimbursement: $500 is available to offset the cost of relocating to the project area

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (16 weeks) the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age (You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility or view general eligibility information on our website.

Qualifications

• Members must be US citizen or Permanent Resident as required to comply with U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional positive and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone and be a positive contributing member of a group.
• A valid drivers license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass required criminal history checks.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Skills:

• Competitive applicants for this position can have relevant experience in subject areas such as Recreation Management and/or Natural Resources.
• Ability to educate visitors in responsible recreation and/or other natural resource topics in accordance with Forest Service objectives and policies to reinforce compliance with laws/regulations to resolve problems and to provide assistance to forest visitors. Contacts may include dealing with some persons and/or groups that may be uncooperative hostile and who have different viewpoints.
• Must have strong communication skills
• Must be able to work alone and in small groups with minimal supervision and adhere to instructions procedure and use initiative in carrying out recurring assignments independently
• Public outreach and making contacts with visitors is a key component of this role.

To Apply: Please submit your resume a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience and contact information for three professional/academic references to ACEs online application page for this position on our website. Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact BLM/USFS Associate Director Jack Hall -

If you meet at least 70 percent of the qualifications we want to hear from you! ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

EEO: Employment or Service with ACE is based upon ability qualifications attitude and job-related factors. Every qualified employee member or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment hire training transfer promotion compensation demotion termination benefits employee activities and general treatment without regard to race color religion age sex creed national origin pregnancy ancestry citizenship status genetic information veteran or military status physical or mental disability sexual orientation medical condition marital or parental status political affiliation ethnicity hair texture or style arrest record caste hereditary status endogamy or any other classification protected by applicable local state or federal law.