Trails Program Assistant - Temporary

Are you a nature enthusiast who enjoys outdoor physical work alongside others? Do you have a knack for leading group projects and generating social media content? Can you sharpen a chainsaw, identify plants, read a contour map, or grade a slope by hand? Chatham County’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department is seeking an enthusiastic individual to assist with the planning, development, and maintenance of the County’s growing trail network.

This position assists with the development, coordination, and oversight of a county volunteer program for trail work and invasive species management, the development of a trail monitoring and reporting system for the County trail network, and assists with various aspects of trail planning and project development. This position involves both field and office work. This position works under the general direction of the Recreation Trails Coordinator.

**Note** Must attach a Cover LetterThe following essential functions serve as a general guide for this position. Position functions are subject to change based on departmental needs and external factors including, but not limited to, regulatory requirements.

• Assists with trail planning, alignment layout, permit coordination, trail construction, trail monitoring and maintenance;
• Coordinates, trains, and oversees volunteer groups;
• Assists with the development and upkeep of the Chatham County Hubsite for trails and volunteers;
• Attends various meetings and take notes; 
• Promotes trail programs by generating monthly social media content;
• Conducts research on funding, programing, best practices, and other topics;
• Performs other duties as assigned.  

High school diploma or GED and one (1) year of experience in trail building or maintenance, or two (2) years of farming, gardening, landscaping, or forestry experience involving outdoor work with hand tools, and one (1) year of experience coordinating and leading work crews or volunteer groups, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with grant writing, carpentry, or graphic design is preferred. 

• Familiarity and skill working with and maintaining landscaping hand tools (shovels, picks, hoes, hand saws, loppers, etc.);
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions;
• Ability to communicate well, both orally and in writing; 
• Ability to meet deadlines and juggle multiple tasks/responsibilities;
• Ability to “read the landscape” in terms of contours, slopes, grading, erosion, hazards, etc.;
• Ability to learn, implement, and teach sustainable trail design and construction practices.
• Ability to identify and address project requirements, challenges, or problems;
• Basic carpentry knowledge;
• Basic familiarity with local flora, Piedmont ecosystems, plant identification, and conservation principles;
• Familiarity with Microsoft Suite (outlook, word, excel, etc.);
• Familiarity with Canva, Adobe Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) or similar;
• Ability to exercise tact and courtesy in contact with the general public;
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions;
• Ability to stand for extended periods of time, walk, lift, and carry up to 50 pounds as required;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the general public, management, and co-workers. 

Physical Requirements
This work requires the regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 35 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, walking, speaking or hearing, use of hands and fingers, handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms and repetitive motions, frequently requires sitting, pushing or pulling and lifting and occasionally requires climbing or balancing and stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work frequently requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions such as heat, humidity, dust, and dirt and occasionally requires working near moving mechanical parts, work occasionally requires exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and plants and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment; work is generally in a moderately noisy location.

Special Requirements
**Must be fingerprinted and successfully pass a Criminal History Record Check with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (NCSBI)**
Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license.
Must possess or obtain chainsaw certification.
Must possess or obtain Wilderness First Aid certification.