Forester 4 Area Forester Southern Southeast

Job Description

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of

Forestry & Fire Protection,

is recruiting for a

Forester 4, with a duty station of Ketchikan, Craig, Klawock, or Thorne Bay, Alaska

The State of Alaska seeks a professional forester to join our team focused on Alaska’s forest management responsibilities in the temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska. The organization operates in the dynamic and diverse geographic setting of Alaska and the many opportunities it offers. A forester in the position can expect to be involved in a variety of projects. The work requires a robust presence in the field that the incumbent supports with similar time in the office.

The Division seeks individuals interested in growth or advancement in our organization.

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 the application of up-to-date, best management practices across all commercial forests.

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 a building block 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, provide blocks of time off to enjoy the location’s outdoor opportunities.

The job is based in the Ketchikan office and composed of a team of four people. 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 conducted on other islands and requires travel. Time in the field will vary from one day to two weeks: most travel lasts less than a week.

Accommodation when traveling is typically at hotels, short-term rentals, and occasionally remote camps. Most accommodations are in small communities.

• Accountability:
  Holds self and others accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for own actions and decisions. Complies with established control systems and rules.
• 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.
• Decision Making:
  Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Oral and Written…