Forestry Technician

• Job
• Location:
  
  Grand Marais;
  Side Lake;
  Sandy Lake
• Telework Eligible:
  No
• Full/Part Time:
  Full-Time
• Regular/Temporary:
  Unlimited
• Who May Apply:
  Open to all qualified job seekers
• Date Posted: 12/19/2025
• Closing Date: 01/20/2026
• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit:
  Department of Natural Resources
• Division/Unit:
  Forestry
• Work Shift/
  
  Work Hours:
  
  Day Shift
• Days of Work:
  Monday - Friday
• Travel Required:
  
  Yes, occasionally
• Salary Range: $24.41 - $34.24 / hourly; $50,968 - $71,493 / annually
• Classified Status:
  Classified
• Bargaining Unit/Union: 207 - Technical/AFSCME
• Work Area:
  Division of Forestry
• FLSA Status:
  Nonexempt
• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities:
  Yes

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well‑being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

The DNR, Division of Forestry is seeking to fill multiple Forestry Technician positions across the state. This posting will be used to fill vacancies in the following work areas:
Grand Marais, Sandy Lake and Side Lake, Minnesota. During the application process, applicants will choose their preferred location(s).

The Forestry Technician position exists to implement technical tasks across all Division of Forestry programs so that forest resources are protected, managed, and utilized in accordance with department policy and procedure. During periods of elevated wildfire danger, the Forestry Technician will be assigned to work weekends, evenings, and holidays. Also, to support ongoing incidents, the Forestry Technician will be assigned to travel throughout Minnesota on multiple‑day assignments.

The Forestry Technician commonly performs the following work tasks:

• Evaluate the condition of forest stands and recommend silvicultural prescriptions and harvest methods to meet multiple resource goals.
• Estimate standing volume, appraise timber for sale, and administer state timber permits.
• Engage in wildfire prevention and suppression activities to minimize threats to life, property, and resources.
• Collect forest inventory data using common forestry tools and mobile data recorders.
• Propose planting projects with appropriate tree seedlings and stocking rates.
• Propose and implement tending and timber stand improvement projects.
• Identify tree, shrub, and plant species common to Minnesota.
• Use air photos, maps, GPS, and/or compass to navigate to forest stands and establish management boundaries.
• Operate and maintain various vehicles, equipment, and tools (pickup, trailer, fire engines, bulldozer, snowmobile, ATV, lawn mower, long‑handled tools, etc.).
• Provide outreach to the public and external agency colleagues.
• Lead seasonal or intermittent employees and emergency‑hire firefighters to meet assigned objectives.
• Review and approve, or deny, burn permit requests.

This position requires the ability to complete physically demanding tasks with or without accommodation: the ability to work independently in remote locations sufficient to accomplish work without immediate supervision: as well as the ability to work weekends, evenings, holidays, and occasionally on multi‑day assignments away from home during times of elevated fire danger to protect life, property, and natural resources from wildfires and other natural disasters in Minnesota.

To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience/education in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month and year for each job held. Any degrees must be earned by June 1st, 2026 to receive credit.

To be considered for this job, applicants must have either:

• One year experience in forestry that demonstrates:
  • Knowledge of forest management, soils, hydrology, and ecology principles sufficient to evaluate stand conditions and recommend silvicultural prescriptions and harvesting regulations.
  • Experience using common forestry tools (e.g., GPS,…