Restoration Technician

Job Mission

Terraformation is seeking a Restoration Technician to implement and care for forestry projects across Hawaiʻi. Our Internal Forestry Operations team leads our mission, demonstrating how even remote places can inspire innovative solutions for a greener future. In this role, you’ll support reforestation efforts by implementing and maintaining projects that showcase the effectiveness of our methods and equipment.

This is a hands-on, detail-oriented position requiring consistency and care at every stage of project development. We’re looking for someone who enjoys fieldwork, values efficiency, and is passionate about restoring native Hawaiian forests.

This role involves travel between multiple work sites across Hawaiʻi Island, making driving an essential function (motor vehicle records will be reviewed upon hire and annually). Work may occur on lands with threatened and endangered species, requiring strict adherence to protocols and high standards of environmental stewardship.

Fieldwork is typically team-based, so strong collaboration and a positive attitude are essential. At the same time, the ability to work independently and stay self-motivated is important. As a startup, Terraformation also values flexibility and curiosity - you may support additional tasks such as nursery work, seed collection and banking, infrastructure, or agroforestry.

Job Type: Full-time (40 hrs a week)

Location:  North-West Hawaiʻi Island (Kona/Waimea/Kohala). Employee will report to either our Kona or Waimea site and then carpool in a work vehicle to the field. 

Salary: $23-25 per hour, plus benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO, paid holidays, and sick leave) plus equity (depending on location and experience)

Responsibilities

• Work cohesively with managers and peers to successfully implement restoration projects

• Plant, maintain, and monitor restoration plants in the field, including fertilizing, mulching, hand weeding, hand watering, reporting, etc.

• Perform weed control by hand, with herbicides, or using tools and equipment such as hand saws, loppers, chainsaws, weed whackers, and mowers

• Handle pesticides appropriately

• Move rocks in the field, as needed

• Check and repair fence lines

• Perform light maintenance on equipment and machinery

• Set up, maintain, and monitor irrigation lines, where necessary

• Record GPS locations of outplantings

• Keep the base yard, company vehicles, and storage areas organized and clean, including emptying trash and recycling, pressure washing, decontamination, etc.

• Document and report field conditions and completed tasks to the field supervisor daily

• Participate in all required trainings (in person and remotely)

• Follow guidelines and instructions closely

• Assist with nursery tasks such as up-potting, spraying, hand watering, and daily observations

• Attend Terraformation community events

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years of forestry fieldwork experience

• Experience operating power tools and field equipment

• Ability to lift 50 lbs and work in both dry and wet conditions

• Valid driver’s license required

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to identify common native plants

• Experience in conservation work in Hawaiʻi

• Understanding of Hawaiian culture and its connection to ecosystem restoration

• Passion for addressing climate change and understanding the critical role of native plant propagation in carbon sequestration and restoring ecological balance

About Terraformation

Terraformation is committed to addressing climate change through the power of native forest restoration. Our portfolio of high-quality projects is designed to restore forests that will remove high quantities of carbon, renew ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and create sustainable long-term community income and benefits. Our project teams have planted over one million biodiverse and native trees, stored 131 million seeds, supported 19 forestry projects, and created over 700 jobs through reforestation efforts worldwide. 

Our innovative approach not only equips local forestry teams with training, technology, and access to capital,