Intermediate Forester - Forestry Specialist Int

Intermediate Forester

The DNR is looking for one (1) Natural Resources Forestry Specialist Intermediate, located in Blackduck, MN.

The Forestry Specialist Intermediate position exists to perform forest resource management work by administering one or two forestry sub-programs at the Area administrative level under limited supervision. The Forestry Specialist Intermediate also performs field assignments across all Division programs so that forest resources are protected, managed, and utilized in accordance with department policy and procedure. This position occasionally functions as a lead worker to Forestry Specialists, Forestry Technicians, interns, emergency firefighters, temporary crews, and volunteers.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Administer the Fire Prevention Sub-program tasks within the assigned area.
• Direct the Invasive Species Sub-program tasks within the assigned area.
• Interact and collaborate with other sub-program and program staff at the Area, Region, and Statewide levels.
• Use GIS and 4
  
  Trees systems to input forest data, perform analysis, manage databases, and create maps.
• Engage in wildfire prevention and suppression activities to minimize threats to life, property, and resources.
• Receive and review burn permit requests from landowners and prescribed burn practitioners. Approve or deny requests based on knowledge of fire weather and fire science principles.
• Provide fire training to other foresters, emergency firefighters, and fire departments.
• Participate in outreach events to promote sustainable forestry and wildfire prevention to community or school groups.
• Operate various vehicles, equipment, and tools (pickup, trailer, ATV, snowmobile, fire engine, long-handled tools, etc.).

Occasional overnight travel required. Normal working hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Division employees must be able 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 or to respond to other natural disasters in Minnesota.

Minimum Qualifications

• 3 years (36 months) of forestry experience conducting fieldwork in at least three (3) of the following concentrations: use of GIS to collect and enter forest inventory, regeneration, or native plant community data; designing, appraising, administering, and scaling timber sales; applying silviculture techniques in reforestation, release and stand improvement; use of aerial photography for mapping, surveys, and data collection; application of methods to prevent or suppress wildfires.
• OR
• 2 years (24 months) of any three of the above experience conducting forestry fieldwork and 1 year (12 months) of forestry experience performing program-level or lead worker duties such as administering forestry programs, preparing reports/proposals, monitoring outcomes, or assigning work.
• An associate's degree in forestry or a related natural resources field may substitute 6 months of fieldwork experience.
• A bachelor's degree in forestry or a related natural resources field may substitute 1 year (or 12 months) of fieldwork experience.

In addition, applicants must also have:

• Ability to earn National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) basic firefighter (FFT2) qualification within 6 months of hire.
• Planning skills sufficient to manage a forestry sub-program; make schedules, assign job tasks, lead Area teams, track and report progress, make programmatic decisions, and exercise discretion under limited supervision.
• Human relations skills sufficient to assign and monitor work progress of others, resolve task conflicts with loggers, contractors, the public, and other employees, and represent the division on committees or work groups.
• Ability to communicate orally and in written form sufficient to clearly teach or train others and convey complex forest management practices or policy to coworkers, contractors, special interest groups, or the public.
• Knowledge of multi-use forestry concepts sufficient to plan, conduct, and evaluate management activities that benefit wildlife species, ecosystem health, recreational opportunities, and wood marketing and utilization.
• Computer skills sufficient to keep records, analyze data, manage databases, write reports, and communicate and collaborate with partners and colleagues using various applications (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, SharePoint, Adobe, ArcGIS).

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, or higher, in a forestry program accredited by the Society of American Foresters.
• Leadership skills or training (such as L-280, "Followership to Leadership") sufficient to collaborate, make decisions, give direction, motivate, and influence others.
• Experience completing tasks in programs administered by the Division of Forestry including Wildfire Prevention and Suppression, Cooperative Forest Management, Ecological Classification System, Timber Sales, Silviculture, Forest Inventory, Forest Health, Terrestrial…