Field & Lab Technician (Forestry + Fuels) - Georgia (Seasonal / Project-Based)

Gaia AI is hiring a motivated forestry/fuels field professional to support a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)-funded research project focused on fuel load monitoring and wildfire risk. You’ll collect high-quality field and lab measurements that will be used to evaluate and calibrate LiDAR-derived 3D point clouds for next-generation fire modeling workflows (including QUIC-Fire and FastFuels).

This role is a great fit for someone who enjoys a mix of hands-on fieldwork + organized lab processing, and who takes pride in producing clean, reliable data.

What you’ll do

Fieldwork (near Georgia Athens + regional travel as needed)

• Collect surface fuel load samples using clip plot methods (0.25 m²) following established protocols and project guidance
• Conduct forest inventory measurements with a strong focus on accuracy and consistency:
• DBH (diameter at breast height)
• Total height (and additional tree metrics as required by protocol)
• Support plot navigation, setup, and documentation (flagging, labeling, metadata capture)
• Operate and assist with deployment of Gaia AI ground-based LiDAR field equipment (training on Gaia AI technology provided)

Lab-based work (Athens, GA area)

• Process clip plot samples: sorting, drying, and weighing biomass
• Maintain organized sample tracking (labels, chain-of-custody, logs) to ensure samples and measurements remain linkable to plot IDs and LiDAR scans
• Help keep the workflow efficient and QA-friendly (catching inconsistencies early)

What success looks like in this role

• Tree measurements are repeatable and accurate (critical for linking to LiDAR point cloud outputs)
• Clip plot samples are collected, labeled, and processed cleanly
• Data and samples remain traceable from field → lab → final dataset
• You communicate clearly about progress, issues, and field conditions

Qualifications

Required

• Demonstrated experience in forestry, fuels, ecology, or natural resources fieldwork (professional, academic, or equivalent)
• Ability to accurately measure DBH and tree height (or strong related experience and the ability to quickly pass a measurement accuracy check during onboarding)
• Strong attention to detail (you care about clean labels, consistent methods, and traceable datasets)
• Ability to work independently and manage time well alongside extended periods of fieldwork.
• Comfort working outdoors in variable conditions (heat, humidity, uneven terrain) and carrying weight
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to field sites

Preferred

• Experience with fuels sampling methods (clip plots, surface fuels, vegetation cover estimates, etc.)
• Lab experience processing ecological or soils/biomass samples (sorting/drying/weighing)
• Familiarity with GPS navigation, plot layouts, and field metadata collection
• Experience collaborating with federal/state land managers or research teams

Location & schedule

• Preferred location: Georgia (Athens area strongly preferred)
• Start: As soon as available (project field seasons begin February 15 2026; training and ramp-up can start earlier depending on availability)
• Work follows a seasonal cadence with concentrated fieldwork and lab processing periods:
• ~3–4 months during 2026
• ~4–5 months during 2027
• Field weeks and lab weeks may alternate depending on project needs

(We can discuss the exact structure depending on candidate availability and project timing.)

What we offer

• A chance to directly contribute to DoD wildfire risk and prescribed fire science
• Hands-on experience supporting a cutting-edge workflow connecting field fuels + LiDAR + fire behavior modeling
• Work alongside an experienced team collaborating with USFS researchers and federal partners
• Training on project protocols and Gaia AI equipment
• A mission-driven team building practical tools for better forest and fire management

About Gaia AI

Climate change and wildfire risk are reshaping how forests are managed. Gaia AI is a climate tech company building modern, high-precision tools for forest monitoring using advanced sensors and perception AI. Our work supports forest management for multiple values, including carbon, biodiversity, sustainable wood production, and wildfire risk mitigation.

How to apply

Send a short note with your relevant field experience and availability (especially for 2026/2027 field seasons), plus a resume/CV to [email protected]

*Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.