Forester; Service

Organization

Natural Resources

Agency Contact Name and Information:
Abbie Hanners or Dana Smith, hro.gov or

Jan 15, 2026, 4:59:00 AM

DNR Athens 360 East State Street Athens 45701

United States of America-OHIO-Athens County-Athens

$25.77/hr

Full-time

Work Hours:

8-5 subject to change

Union: OCSEA

Technical

Skills:

Natural Resources

Professional

Skills:

Attention to Detail, Critical Thinking, Customer Focus

Who we are:

Did you know Ohio operates 76 state parks, manages over 750,000 acres of diverse wildlife land and more than 2 million acres of water? That’s just the tip of the iceberg of what we do at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) as we seek to ensure a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all!

Across our 12 divisions and support services, we employ office staff, law enforcement officers, geologists, biologists, engineers, attorneys, communicators, managers, and so much more. Whatever your passion, we likely have a position to fit it and pathways for advancement!

Working at ODNR is a special experience. Our employees are afforded opportunities to participate in public events at parks, nature preserves, wildlife areas, and annually at the Natural Resources Park at the Ohio State Fair. We routinely have Lunch and Learn events at our Assembly Center which are streamed on Teams Live as are monthly updates with our Director.

What we need:

We are seeking energetic, passionate people who enjoy the outdoors and want to play a key role for the position of Service Forester within the Division of Forestry
, headquartered in Athens County
. The address is 360

E. State Street, Athens, Ohio 45701. To learn more about the Division of Forestry please visit Division of Forestry | Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ohiodnr.gov).

• Serve as Service Forester and provide technical forestry assistance to private landowners;
• Provide assistance to landowners and inspect forestry land to determine eligibility for classification under Ohio Forest Tax Law;
• Perform public relations duties, promoting interest, activity, & understanding in forest conservation;
• Assist in the division's mission to promote and apply management for the sustainable use and protection of Ohio’s private and public forest lands;
• Starting hourly pay of $25.77/hr with multiple pay increases over your first 5.5 years of service, with an end salary of $33.52/hr there may also be cost of living adjustments (COLA) applied. Longevity pay supplements begin after five (5) years of state service. For more details, refer to Pay Rate and Longevity Tables | Department of Administrative Services.

Required to remain in the classification after employment:
Must successfully complete basic firefighter/introduction to fire behavior course (i.e., S-130/S-190) within first year of employment pursuant to national interagency incident management system (i.e., wildland & prescribed fire qualification system guide).

Requires travel; exposed to inclement weather, dust, dirt, insects & poisonous plants; responds to wildfires.

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website!

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

* Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

• Completion of undergraduate core coursework in forestry or related field of study; 12 months of training or 12 months experience in public relations; 12 months of training or 12 months experience in operation of computer software programs; valid driver's license.
• OR 12 months experience as Forestry Technician, 22321.
• OR equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.
• Professional consulting forester credential per Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 1501:3-10-01. See details at this link: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).%20
  
  Forestry/_Fore

Forestry, Technical

Skills:

Natural Resources, Professional

Skills:

Critical Thinking, Attention to Detail, Customer Focus

Please ensure your online application clearly indicates how you meet minimum qualifications (MQs).…