tera

Fire & Fuels Mentor

Lakeport, California · Contract

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 4 days ago

HRISLeadershipCommunicationMentoringAdaptability

About the role

TERA is seeking to hire multiple NWCG qualified Fire & Fuels Mentors for the 2026-27 Lake Cal-TREX.
Fire & Fuels Mentors will regularly serve in leadership roles on Lake Cal-TREX burns.

Fire & Fuels Mentors will provide instruction, demonstration, leadership, and feedback to support these groups in building the following skillsets:
Fuels reduction treatments and burn unit preparation, including chainsaw operations (felling, limbing, and bucking); use of brush cutters, mowers and string trimmers; placing and building burn piles; and creating burn unit control lines while minimizing impact to ecological and cultural resources
Fire & Fuels Mentors will be expected to regularly serve in leadership roles appropriate to their level of skill, experience, and qualifications, which may include squad lead, holding lead, firing lead, burn lead, or other leadership roles.
The Lake Cal-TREX integrates EcoCultural Fire training, a collaborative burning season, and an on-call EcoCultural Fire Crew to build local capacity and steward land with fire in Lake County.
Build capacity for native voices to play a central role in land stewardship

3+ years experience in wildland, prescribed and/or cultural fire, with a minimum of 60 operational days on the fireline
Current NWCG qualification as FFT1 or higher and FAL3 or higher, or ability to renew qualification through TERA RT-130 on Sept 29, 2026
2+ years of hands-on work in fuels reduction and/or ecocultural stewardship, including safely and effectively operating a chainsaw in a fire and fuels context
2+ years experience leading a team in fire and fuels work, workforce development, or similar field
Ability to listen well, and give and receive direct, honest, and constructive feedback
In addition, the following are required minimum qualifications for this position:
1+ years experience working with Tribes or Tribal communities
1+ years experience with cultural burning
Current NWCG qualification as FEMO, FAL2, CRWB, FIRB, ENGB, RXB3 and/or RXB2
Current qualification as California State Prescribed-Fire Burn Boss (CARX)
Current or past qualification as Paramedic, EMT or Wilderness First Responder
All applications must be submitted through BambooHR at https://tera.bamboohr.com/careers
Multiple openings for this position are available.
Applications will be reviewed and hiring will take place on a rolling basis beginning July 30, 2026, and continuing through September 30, 2026.
This hiring period may be extended if additional Fire & Fuels Mentors are needed.
If the position is still posted on BambooHR, we are still accepting applications.

Fire & Fuels Mentors must be available for at least one (ideally both) of the Lake Cal-TREX fall burn and training camps, which will take place October 19-23 and November 2-6, 2026.
In addition to one or both of the burn and training camps, Fire & Fuels Mentors must be available for a minimum of 20 additional work days during the 2026-27 Lake Cal-TREX season (September 2026 through June 2027).
Candidates who have significant availability in October and November 2026 will be prioritized for hiring.
TERA's standard work hours are Monday-Friday from 7:30am-4pm.
Burn and training days often require earlier start and/or later end times.
Occasional additional evening and weekend work may be required.

Training and mentorship will focus on the skill areas of fuels reduction treatments, burn unit preparation, and burn operations.

Temporary Employees are eligible for overtime pay when applicable, paid sick leave under California law, and workers' compensation coverage.
Paid sick leave (PSL) of 5 days or 40 hours will be granted to Temporary Employees following successful completion of a 30-day probationary period.
TERA is a young organization in a dynamic growth phase, and building a team of professionals who are deeply committed to TERA's vision.
TERA's On-the-Job Training Participants, a group of 10 graduates from TERA's summer 2026 Fire & Forestry Career Training who will be learning alongside the TERA crew from mid-September to mid-November 2026

This listing is sourced directly from tera's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.