Outreach Technician / Environmental Technician II

Job Type: Full-time, on-site

Location: South Lake Tahoe, CA

Salary: $18-$27.92/hour

Application Due Date: July 25, 2025

Job Description:

The Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) is seeking an Outreach Technician to support the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT). Tahoe RCD works with diverse partners, including land managers, government agencies, fire districts, tribes, and communities to protect and restore Lake Tahoe’s natural Resources.

TFFT is a partnership of 21 federal, tribal, state, and local organizations focused on wildfire preparedness and forest management in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The team’s work includes fuel reduction, forest management, defensible space, home hardening, and public outreach. The Fire Public Information Team (Fire PIT) is TFFT’s communications arm and leads public awareness and information-sharing efforts. This selected candidate will be a Tahoe RCD employee and serve as a key support role for the Fire PIT and broader TFFT collaboration.

The Outreach Technician will coordinate internal and external communications, enhance public engagement, and support collaborative initiatives across the TFFT network. The role focuses heavily on supporting Fire PIT’s operations, messaging strategies, and outreach efforts. This position involves content creation, social media management, public event coordination, and interagency collaboration. Occasional support for grant writing and program administration is expected. This is a seasonal, non-exempt role that includes both office and field work. Some evening or weekend hours may be required. We welcome applicants with non-traditional experience. If you're passionate about Lake Tahoe, community engagement, wildfire resilience, and public communication, we encourage you to apply

Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement internal and external communications strategies to support Fire PIT and TFFT-wide messaging

  • Coordinate public awareness campaigns related to wildfire mitigation, defensible space, and preparedness.

  • Support a diverse communications team from partner organizations to ensure consistent outreach across mediums.

  • Create, manage, and monitor content across social media platforms, websites, newsletters, and printed materials.

  • Organize and promote public events, webinars, community meetings, and partner forums.

  • Draft press releases, talking points, briefing materials, and other communications products for both internal and public use.

  • Track communications effectiveness using engagement metrics and feedback and recommend adjustments to improve impact.

  • Increase awareness of TFFT’s mission, accomplishments, and priorities through storytelling, strategic outreach, and visual communication.

  • Support internal coordination across TFFT workgroups to maintain shared understanding of goals, timelines, and key messages.

  • Identify and implement innovative outreach tools and digital strategies to enhance engagement.

  • Assist with collaborative initiatives and grant-related tasks as needed.

Qualifications and Experience:

Minimum

  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, environmental science, journalism, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience

  • 1-3 years of recent experience in public outreach, media, communications, or public relations/public affairs fields to include:

    • Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and persuasively in a variety of platforms, including press releases, newsletters, social media, and website content.

    • Experience writing and editing copy and managing social media channels for public outreach and engagement.

    • Experience with video production and other audio-visual disciplines.

    • Experience collaborating with multiple organizations to execute public communication strategies.

  • Excellent listening and interpersonal skills, and the ability to facilitate agreements while working with a wide range of people with differing and sometimes conflicting opinions.

  • The ability to take initiative, solve problems, and work independently as well as part of a team.

  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to move quickly from one task to another and be adaptable to changing priorities.

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, as well as digital and visual communication tools (e.g. Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, email marketing, and website platforms) and social media tools.

  • Valid California or Nevada Class “C” driver’s license and ability to pass a background check.

Preferred

  • Familiarity with wildfire mitigation programs, community fire resilience efforts, or natural resource management

  • Knowledge of the Lake Tahoe Basin and its public agency and nonprofit landscape

  • Experience facilitating meetings, guiding collaborative groups, or building consensus among stakeholders

  • Experience in program evaluation, data tracking, and evaluating communications impact reporting

  • Bilingual in English and Spanish or demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with Spanish-speaking community members.

See the “Learn More” link below for more information.