UAC job openings

[homemadesalsa]

Hi folks-

I just got word from the Utah Avalanche Center that they are looking to hire 3 folks for this coming winter in the Greater Salt Lake area.

Duties would include the following:
* 30- 40 hours of work per week/ salary DOE
* snow/ stability observations
* teaching avalanche awareness and some level 1 classes
* some forecasting
* ability to drive a snowmobile is a plus

You'll probably need to have at least level 2 avalanche training and some avy teaching experience.

Please pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested.

For more information or to apply, contact the Utah Avalanche Center at uac@avalanche.org

[Hacksaw]

Interesting.........

[rideit]

I'm gonna apply...I'll use Upallnight as a reference!
Yeah!

[Bruno Groovey]

That was funny ride it.

[wra]

Interesting.........

I'd guess the work is in the Uintas and the Wasatch plateau, Hacksaw.
No heli.

[Hacksaw]

No heli.

WHAT!!!!???

Well, we never had one at CAIC, even with as much as I pushed for it with Knox.

[fuac]

To clarify what is going on with the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center (FUAC) and the recent job postings for the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC):

Background: The FUAC is a non-profit organization that was formed to support the UAC (a government entity under the jurisdiction of the USFS). We (FUAC) raise money, give some of it to the USFS (along with the state, county, and other agencies), and spend the rest on education and awareness programs, lobbying, equipment, observers, and other things that the UAC as a government agency can’t easily spend money on. We also maintain a “rainy day” fund to keep the UAC office open and prevent layoffs when federal or local money is cut back. We are comprised entirely of volunteers and our administrative costs are covered by a local equipment company, so pretty much every penny we take in gets spent in support of the center. We focus on keeping people out from underneath avalanches and we do not get involved in any access issues.

The USFS forecaster jobs referred are for motorized – oriented work in the Uintas, Logan area mnts, and Wasatch Plateau and have been created within the UAC with some of the extra state money granted to the UAC in the last legislative session. Part of that money was intended to get more education and outreach into other parts of the state, reflecting the fact that most avalanche accidents occur to people who did not consult the avalanche advisory before heading out and do not carry basic rescue gear.

Regarding the FUAC observation contract with Bob: When the FUAC first began paying Bob as an observer, he was the only observer and the UAC was primarily focused on BC skiing in the Wasatch. The UAC is now responsible for avalanche education and forecasting for the entire state and snowmobilers, snowshoers, hikers, and others make up a much bigger part of the public that the UAC serves. Today, we have over 30 observers, mostly in the central Wasatch. The cost of that observer program has been split about evenly, with half going to Bob and half going to the rest of the observers. We typically get several observations from the central Wasatch per day.

There has also been an increase in the last few years in the administrative burden placed on the UAC, mostly associated with computer support. Doing IT work is not a very good use of forecaster time. Field work is an essential component of good avalanche forecasting and forecasts are much better when the forecaster does field work. It’s also the most fun and important part of the forecasting job. So it makes no sense to pay someone else to do field work while a forecaster is in the office doing administrative work.

The bottom line is that we felt that the money being spent on observations was growing out of proportion to our need for those observations. We proposed reducing the amount we pay Bob for his observations while continuing to pay for teaching classes and he has chosen not to work with us under those conditions.

Bob is inarguably a skilled avalanche professional who knows the Wasatch extremely well and this change has nothing to do with his knowledge, skills, personality, or position on different user groups. We have tremendous respect for Bob and wish we could figure out a way to work together, but it looks unlikely right now.

If you want to talk to the FUAC about this, about volunteering, or anything else, visit us at http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/fuac-welcome.htm and follow the contact links.

Paul Diegel
President, Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center

[uac]

Click here for UAC job info

[~mikey b]

thanks for posting that, Brett - sounds like some good jobs - any idea when they'll be posted? What GS level?

if anyone wants a little help with the FS application process, drop me a PM, and I can give you some advice - USA Jobs and AVUE aren't always exactly user-friendly