Description

Service Forestry Specialist, NRS2
Recruitment #2022-11-A135
Full-time, Permanent, Represented positions
Location: Pacific Cascade Region- Chehalis, Menlo, Naselle, Castle Rock, Battle Ground, Fort Rains. Location may be flexible within the region.

Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?
From Pacific Ocean beaches to the crest of the Cascade Mtn. Range, DNR’s Pacific Cascade Region includes the counties of Clark, Skamania, Cowlitz, Lewis, Wakiakum, Pacific and parts of Grays Harbor. The region includes forest land, agriculture, urban communities, and conservation lands. It also has unique features such as Mt. Saint Helens and the Columbia River Gorge. Within the region, this position can be located in several locations where we have support facilities. The location is negotiable.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an excited opportunity in Pacific Cascade Region’s Forest Resilience Program. Are you someone who loves the outdoors and is passionate about restoring the ecology of our forest ecosystems? Do you enjoy working with diverse landowners and partners, working to find solutions in forest management? Are you passionate about forestry and helping small landowners? Then this job is for you! We are seeking a motivated individual to join our Forest Resilience efforts and our new Service Forestry team – experts in private forestland management, working with landowners to deliver critical resources, educational opportunities, and more.

The Forest Resilience Team works across all lands and in the interest of all Washingtonians to sustain and increase the health and resilience of our forests and communities and the ecosystem services forests support for the well-being of people, communities, wildlife, and landscapes today and into the future.

DNR regions operationalize and serve as stewards of the Division’s portfolio and deliver on the agency mission to manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations. Specifically DNR regions serve as the operational arm of the agency and are responsible for the coordination, oversight, and delivery of key activities and priorities.

Our Service Forestry Specialist is responsible for delivery of technical assistance and services to landowners and communities by providing services within the framework of the One Stop Shop for Integrated Landowner Assistance. Service Forestry Specialists occupy an important role as a community’s link to DNR and are often the face of the agency for forest landowners. Specifically, these specialists provide technical assistance about financial assistance programs, low complexity forest management, watershed protection, insect and disease control, forest recreation, tree planting, wildlife habitat development, and fuels reduction or mitigation.

Activities include implementing financial assistance programs and service as first-line delivery of technical assistance and expertise on forest management topics. Further activities include providing landowners with technical review and analysis of forest health and fire hazards on forested properties. This includes making recommendations for appropriate practices to reduce wildland fire potential and enhance forest health on stands of timber near dwellings, high public use areas, and on forested properties. By performing these activities, this position helps to manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Duties

Responsibilities:

• Facilitate landowner participation in financial assistance programs and forest health or fuel reduction contracts.
• Solicit candidates for participation through formal and informal opportunities such as public education events, media opportunities, partner engagement, or other activities.
• Respond to inquiries about financial assistance opportunities; perform site visits to ensure landowner and program objective compatibility; assist landowners with completion of required documents; review applications for completeness; score or rank applications; perform compliance checks and take corrective action if required; and perform signoff inspection upon completion.
• Incorporate landowner objectives into standard mitigation actions to develop property specific management prescriptions.
• Gather spatial data and other attributes to catalog activities performed; monitor and report on treatment implementation.
• Respond to and provide low-complexity technical expertise and advice to landowners regarding forest management practices, diagnosis and recommendations for forest health problems, animal damage and competing vegetation control, wildland fire risk reduction, and other resource issues and opportunities.
• Engage subject matter experts such as Service Forester, entomologist, pathologist, wildlife biologist, Regulatory Assistance Forester, Service Forestry Coordinator, Community Resilience Specialist, or others when knowledge or experience level is exceeded.
• Provide technical specifications for forest management practices and silvicultural treatments.
• Make educational presentations to, family forest landowners, natural resource professionals who advise them, loggers, and other audiences regarding forestry topics.
• Author educational and informational articles on program related topics for Stewardship Notes, Small Forest Landowner Newsletter, and other publications.
• Teach forestry related topics for WSU Extension and other education programs.
• Participate in training, professional development, and continuing education to maintain credentials.
• As other duties allow, maintain qualifications to participate in fire assignments.
• Establish relationships and foster coordination with DNR programs outside Forest Resilience.
• Establish strong working relationships with community and shared stewardship partner organizations working with DNR to achieve forest health and resiliency goals in the region including regional staff with tribes, Conservation Districts, US Forest Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Parks, University of Washington – Cooperative Extension, Forest Collaborative, and Fire Adapted Communities.
• Ensure all communities in the district have access to information and programs offered by the agency and its cooperators.
• Ensure activities are tracked and integrated into DNR’s Forest Health Tracking System and new One-Stop Shop tracking tools.
• Support the development and cultivation of a new and developing regional program; develop innovative solutions to deliver forest health goals within the region.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in forestry, natural resources, or closely related field from an accredited program AND 1 year of field experience in forest management in the pacific northwest or similar environment.
  OR Associate's Degree in forestry, forestry education, or closely related field from an accredited program AND 3 years of field experience in forest management in the pacific northwest or similar environment.
  OR An equivalent combination of education and experience totaling 5 years.
• Valid Public Pest Consultant certification or ability to obtain within 6 months of employment.
• Experience in general forest management activities such as forest road design and construction, timber management planning, silviculture techniques, reforestation methods, and timber harvest boundaries.
• Experience using forestry tools such as measuring and hand tools.
• Proficient with computers, Microsoft Office applications, and SharePoint.
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including ArcMap, ArcGIS Online, Survey123, Collector, and other mapping tools to document work and convey information to non-technical audiences.
• A valid driver’s license and have two years of driving experience. This position requires driving as an essential function. Finalists and/or interview candidates will be asked to provide a driving record from all states in which they have held a license during the past three years.
• Working independently
• Time management
• Effective oral and written communications and can convey messages clearly and persuasively. Excellent public speaking skills.
• Organizational management - has a strong understanding and ability to organize efficiently and the ability to develop or use systems for tracking implementation and accomplishments of several complex projects.
• DNR Core Competencies:
  • Personal Accountability
  • Value Others
  • Compassionate Communication
  • Inspire Others
  • Commitment to Excellence

Conditions of Employment:

• The majority of work is performed alone in sometimes isolated unimproved areas and on forest or rangeland but may include office, field, and classroom settings. Ability to walk over steep, uneven terrain in a variety of forest environments, year-round, statewide in a variety of weather conditions is required.
• Frequent and extensive overnight statewide travel is required to provide services. The ability to drive long distances in a variety of weather conditions, year-round, is required.
• Employees of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are required to complete their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines (be fully vaccinated against COVID-19) or be approved for a medical or religious exemption and accommodation as a condition of employment. Please note, any offer of employment is contingent upon you providing verification of your vaccine status or having an approved medical or religious exemption and accommodation. No start date will be approved until you have either verified your vaccine status or have an approved exemption and accommodation. “Fully vaccinated” means the following: An employee is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after they have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax) or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen) authorized for emergency use, licensed, or otherwise approved by the FDA or listed for emergency use, or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization.

Desired Qualifications:

• Certified Tree Farm Inspector, SAF Certified Forester, and FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certification are recommended.
• Working knowledge of silviculture and forest management practices in the Pacific Northwest or similar fun environment.
• Experience teaching or providing group presentations.
• Experience working in a positive, responsive, cooperative, collaborative manner with the public and other professionals (both inter-organizational and interdisciplinary).
• Experience with government procurement rules, contracting, and administration.
• Experience providing technical assistance, education, and educational materials to non-professional audiences, especially forest landowners.
• Current knowledge of Forest Practices rules; Forest Practices Board Manual guidance; and DNR Forest Practices policies, procedures, and practices.
• Previous experience working with small forest landowners.
• Valid Certified Tree Farm Inspector certification or ability to obtain within 6 months of employment.

Supplemental Information

About the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
At DNR we approach our work through the lens of making Washington a better place environmentally and are dedicated to serving Washington’s lands and communities through diversity, equity and inclusion. With nearly 1,500 employees in locations throughout Washington, we manage and protect more than 5 million acres of state-owned forest, range, commercial, agricultural and aquatic lands.
Our Vision – Our actions ensure a future where Washington’s lands, waters, and communities thrive.
Our Mission – Manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations.
Our Core Values:

• Safety and Well-Being —Our top priority is the safety of the public and our employees.
• Public Service —We value and respect the public we serve, and we value and respect the people of the Department of Natural Resources who step up to serve.
• Innovation and Creative Problem-Solving — We solve our state’s most pressing challenges through innovative thinking, dedication, and bold and creative vision.
• Leadership and Teamwork —We are committed to building leaders at all levels and building teams for success.

DNR provides excellent benefits, a few of those include:

• Commitment to organizational health and wellness
• Work/life balance
• DNR Employee Resource Groups (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, Women’s Employee Resource Group, Veterans Employee Resource Group, etc.)
• Statewide Employee Business Resource Groups, visit here to learn more
• Leadership that empowers and supports employees
• Professional development opportunities
• Educational and career development aid
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
• Opportunities to participate in wildland fire suppression assignments
• A comprehensive benefit package that includes employer contributions toward health insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, sick leave and vacation days. Visit http://careers.wa.gov/benefits.html for more information.

Application Requirements:

• To be considered you must apply online at www.careers.wa.gov (Click on the APPLY button above). You must complete the entire online application to be considered for the position.
• Attach a letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the position profile and the position required, desired and special requirements.
• Attach a resume describing your experience and qualifications.
• Provide three to five professional references – you may attach a document, use the References text field in the online application, or include with resume.
• Complete all supplemental questions.

Additional Information:
This recruitment may be extended and may also be used to fill future similar vacancies for up to sixty (60) days.

Veterans wishing to claim Veteran’s preference please attach a copy of your DD-214, NGB-22 or other verification of military service. Please black out your social security number prior to attaching. We thank you and are grateful for your service!

The Department of Natural Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Persons needing accommodation during the screening process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact DNR Recruiting staff at (360) 522-2500 or (360) 522-0143 or by email at DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) at 1-800-833-6388 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Check us out on: DNR’s website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | WordPress

Questions? Please contact Mackenna Milosevich at mackenna.milosevich@dnr.wa.gov, 360-688-6300 or Daniel Friesz at daniel.friesz@dnr.wa.gov, 360-762-4031 or e-mail us at DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov

Once you submit your online application, you can check your status by logging into your account. If you experience technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application call NEOGOV toll-free at (855)524-5627 or email CareersHelp@des.wa.gov.