Associate Forester

At PGE, our work involves dreaming about, planning for, and realizing a smarter, cleaner, more enduring Oregon neighborhood. Its core to our DNA and we haven't stopped since we started in 1888. We energize lives, strengthen communities and drive advancements in energy that promote social, economic and environmental progress. We're always on the lookout for people passionate about leading and being a part of teams that are advancing innovative clean energy solutions that are also affordable and accessible to all.

PGE is hiring two Associate Foresters, with one position based at the Sunset Operations Center and one at the Southern Operations Center in Salem. Working closely with a Senior Forester, each Associate Forester will support vegetation management operations within an assigned region by responding to customer calls, creating and managing work orders in Quickbase, supporting outage investigations, and documenting findings. The role will also conduct field quality-control audits, coordinate crews completing individual assignments such as hazard-tree removal, assist with audits of larger grid-based work plans, and partner with contractors and internal teams to support the safe and timely completion of vegetation management work.

Each Associate Forester will report to their assigned operations center at the beginning of the workday, pick up a company vehicle, and travel throughout the assigned region.

• Western Region/Sunset Operations Center: Washington County, including West Portland, Gales Creek, the Highway 26 and Highway 6 corridors, and south to approximately Newberg.
• Southern Region/Salem Operations Center: From Newberg south to Turner, west to Grand Ronde, and east toward Scotts Mills and the Cascades.

• Performs safety audits.
• Conducts scoping.
• Analyzes risks and prioritizes jobs according to urgency and location.

• Under direction, plans and organizes vegetation clearance activities.
• Schedules work assignments and contract crews based on manager priorities.

• Reviews contract crew performance against PGE standards and specifications.
• Monitors crew productivity to ensure PGE is receiving benefits for vegetation clearance expenditures relative to statement of work.
• Adapts tree pruning practices as needed to optimize resource use.

• Responds to routine and nonroutine questions from region engineering.
• Represents PGE's Forestry department to contractors impacted by/impacting company operations in accordance with established guidelines.
• Schedules meetings to explain and resolve problems.
• Works with PGE transmission forester to coordinate herbicide applications in assigned area.

• Coordinates vegetation clearance with line restoration crews during emergency periods.
• Interfaces with regional line operations to determine maintenance and construction vegetation clearance needs.
• Coordinates vegetation clearance and selective herbicide applications with city, county and state agencies.

• Ensures work meets all applicable standards, regulations and agreements.
• Reviews new standards, regulations and agreements and identifies potential impacts.

Requires a bachelor's degree in earth science, horticulture, geology, forestry, natural resources or similar field or equivalent experience.

Typically two or more years in tree trimming, arborist work, nursery work or related field including vendor management and project management.

• ISA Arborist certification required at hire.
• ISA Certified Utility Arborist and Oregon pesticide consultant certifications required within six months of obtaining position.

• Intermediate knowledge of forestry processes and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of forestry best practices, including tree trimming and herbicide/pesticide application
• Thorough knowledge of regulations impacting vegetation management
• Working knowledge of vendor management principles
• Intermediate skills in critical thinking, including analysis and problem solving
• Working skills in using database and documentation tools

• Working decision-making skills
• Working skills in critical thinking, including analysis, problem solving and prioritization
• Working Interpersonal Skills
• Intermediate written and oral communication skills
• Working presentation skills
• Working organizational awareness