Forester - Resource Forester Northern Southeast Area; PCN

Job Description

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, is recruiting for a Forester 1/2/3 in Haines. This position is open to Alaska Residents only. Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify. What you will be doing:
This position supports the Area Forester in managing forest resources, including developing commercial timber sales by planning and implementing sale layouts, conducting timber cruising, and administering sales. The position works alone and in small teams in remote and rural forests. Resource support work in this position also includes sales administration; the forester is expected to document sale activity professionally, provide direction, and influence timber sale purchasers, contractors, and the public to protect the State's interests.

Part of the position's time may also focus on administering the Alaska Forest Practices Act on private land. The position will spend time in the office planning fieldwork, processing gathered information, and communicating subject matter in written and verbal forms to represent and resolve issues.

Mission and values/culture:
The mission of the Division of Forestry is to develop, conserve, and enhance Alaska's forests to provide a sustainable supply of forest resources for Alaskans. We are leaders in forest management, forest practices, wildland fire management, and cooperative forestry programs across the state. Our influence crosses ownership boundaries through leadership of all-risk incident management teams, management of federal timber resources under the Good Neighbor Authority and Shared Stewardship Agreements, and up-to-date best management practices that apply to all commercial forests.

Benefits of joining our team:
The work provides exposure to Alaska's unique physical and cultural environment. The Southeast Alaska Archipelago has abundant forest and aquatic resources. Island life and public land dominate the landscape. Forest management in the area is transitioning from old-growth to young-growth management. Work in this position and environment will provide many opportunities to adapt lessons learned elsewhere and to develop new approaches in contemporary forest management.

Demand for active management by the forest industry from all land is significant. Staffing in the organization is lean, providing opportunities for broad exposure to our variety of missions; there are multiple options for long-term growth and advancement in both the resources and fire programs. Career-long training and innovation are building blocks of our culture. Work schedules vary with the season;

summer tends to offer extended weather and long daylight hours for project work, which can, in turn, create blocks of time off to enjoy the location's outdoor opportunities.

The working environment you can expect:
The job is based in the Haines office, together with the Area Forester, as the primary managers of the Haines State Forest. The amount of office time varies with the season and the ongoing operational needs. The balance of office to field work is approximately 50/50 over the span of the year. Most of the fieldwork is located in the Haines State Forest surrounding the communities of the Chilkat Valley and also requires travel to support mission work in other Area offices in the region and, to a lesser extent, the State.

Time in the field will vary from one day to two weeks: travel out of the area for resource work typically ranges from 3 to 5 days and infrequently up to 10 days. Accommodation when traveling is typically at hotels, short-term rentals, and occasionally remote camps. Most accommodations are in small communities.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies. Self-management:
Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior. Forest management:
Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of silviculture and forest ecology, forest use, management, harvesting, conducting inventories, regeneration, sustainability, and conservation; and the role of disturbances in timberland resources. Geospatial science:
Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to the collection, storage, analysis, visualization, and distribution of geographic based data and maps. Analytical thinking/problem solving:
Uses a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one's knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary. Oral and written communication:
Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial);…