Forester 4 (PCN 10-N25036)

Job Description

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, 

is recruiting for a Forester 4 in Anchorage, Soldotna, Juneau, or Ketchikan.

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. 

Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

What You Will Be Doing:  

The State of Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) seeks a professional forester to join our team as a non-permanent forester. This position will end in April 2028. Under general supervision, this position is responsible for developing and leading a special cooperative program with the U.S. Forest Service that has region-wide, division-wide and state-wide significance.

Mission and Values/Culture:  

The mission of the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection is to protect the lives and property of Alaskans from wildfire and manage Alaska’s forests to provide a sustainable supply of forest resources. We are leaders in forest management, forest practices, wildland fire management, and Cooperative Forestry programs across the state. Our influence crosses ownership boundaries through the leadership of all-risk incident management teams, management of federal timber resources under the Good Neighbor Authority, and up-to-date best management practices that apply to all commercial forest management. This position contributes to the sustainable management of Alaska’s forests by applying forest management principles, involving stakeholders, and coordinating forest management information to develop a Good Neighbor Authority program working with the US Forest Service in southeast and south-central Alaska.  

Benefits of Joining Our Team:  

Working in this position and environment will provide opportunities to adapt lessons learned elsewhere and to have a meaningful role in shaping forest management on state and federal lands. This temporary position will allow the successful candidate to exercise professional forest management skills including in-depth forest planning and interagency, interdisciplinary team participation. If you are looking for a non-permanent professional-level forestry job in Alaska and have good organizational skills, and can work a telework schedule from Anchorage, Soldotna, Juneau or Ketchikan this position might be for you.  

The Working Environment You Can Expect:  

Depending on the location of the successful applicant, this position may be eligible for telework options or may have a hybrid telework/office schedule. A telework schedule may be appropriate with field visits to the Tongass and Chugach National Forests as well as adjacent state lands.  This position will work directly for the Division Director who is located in Fairbanks. Regardless of location, significant travel throughout southeast (Tongass) and south central (Chugach) Alaska would be required to coordinate projects on both federal and state forests. Fieldwork is anticipated to be a major component of this role but meetings with federal partners and coordination of projects will also be required.   

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.  

• 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.
• Oral and Written Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. 
• Planning and Evaluating: Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes. 
• Analysis and Assessment: Uses information technology to access, collect, analyze, maintain, and disseminate data and information. 

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field that includes a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours in forestry or closely related curricula.
AND EITHER
One years of professional advanced level experience in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field. The required experience includes work such as Forester 3 or Natural Resource Specialist 3 with the State of Alaska, or the equivalent with another employer.
OR
Three years of professional journey level experience in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field. The required experience includes work such as Forester 2, Fire Management Officer, State Logistics Center Coordinator, or Natural Resource Specialist 2 with the State of Alaska, or the equivalent with another employer.
 
Substitution:
 
Four years in any combination of post secondary education from an accredited college that includes a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field AND journey level experience in the technical aspects of forest management and practices such as fire prevention, suppression, timber sales, reforestation or inventory may substitute for the required bachelor's degree. (2.67 semester or 4 quarter hours of post-secondary education are equal to one month of experience). The experience includes work such as Wildland Fire and Resource Technician 3, Wildland Forestry Technician 2, or Wildland Fire Dispatcher with the State of Alaska, or the equivalent with another employer.
 
Certification from an accredited vocational technical school in forestry, natural resource management, or a closely related field and three years of experience in the technical aspects of forest management and practices such as fire prevention, suppression, timber sales, reforestation or inventory may substitute for the required bachelor's degree. The experience includes work such as Wildland Fire and Resource Technician 3, Wildland Forestry Technician 2, or Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2 with the State of Alaska, or the equivalent with another employer.
 
Certification via NWCG (National Wildfire Coordinating Group) Incident Qualification Card (AKA 'red card') within the preceding three (3) years in any of the following will substitute for the required education:
1.      Incident Commander Type 2 (ICT2),
2.      Planning Section Chief Type 2 (PSC2),
3.      Operations Section Chief Type 2 (OSC2), or
4.      Logistics Section Chief Type 2 (LSC2)
For NWCG Incident Qualification Card certification information see: National Incident Management System (NIMS): Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide (PMS 310-1).
 
Special Note:
Closely related curricula and work experience includes fields such as: geosciences, geography, natural resources, environmental sciences, soils, hydrology, wildlife habitat management, forest engineering, remote sensing, vegetation classification, natural resource bio-metrics, and wildland fire control.
 
One year of work experience equals 12 months of seasonal work.
 
Positions may require travel both in and out-of-state for fire suppression assignments; may be on stand-by or recall status during the fire season; may be assigned work in and out of the area that requires the absence from the duty station for 14 to 21 days; may fly in small fixed wing aircraft or helicopters and handle hazardous materials.

Most positions require "Red Card" qualification under the Incident Command System.

Some positions may require a commercial driver's license with appropriate endorsements.

Starting Salaries

Anchorage/Soldotna/Ketchikan – $2940.00 biweekly

Juneau – $3087.00 biweekly

Additional Required Information

** Please read the below information carefully. **

At the time of application, the applicant must attach as individual documents the following items (If unable to attach documents, please fax or email the contact listed below):

• Cover letter.

At the time of the interview, please ensure that you provide the following materials: 

• A list of three (3) professional references with current contact information, with at least one being a current or former supervisor.
• A copy of any documents necessary to show proof of meeting this position’s minimum qualifications.  This includes a copy of your college transcripts if you use education to meet the position’s minimum qualifications. 
• A valid driver’s license

SPECIAL NOTICES

• Significant travel within the state is required (normally one to two trips every month).  Requires fieldwork in remote areas of Alaska.
• The carry and use of firearms is required.
• Obtain a Red Card with appropriate training under the ICS (Incident Command System).

Application Notice

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or a hardcopy application. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska “How to Apply" page. Your application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.   

Cover Letter

A cover letter of no more than 1 page is required at the time of application. Please describe how you possess the position-specific competencies that would benefit the position. This letter will be used as a writing sample.  Please attach the cover letter to your application before submitting it online. If you cannot attach it, fax or email it to the contact number below.  

Supplemental Questions

For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions.  The State of Alaska (SOA) uses four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s level of competence in applying certain behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.

Education

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. 

Special Instructions for Foreign Education

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the post-secondary institution. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. 

Work Experience

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase. 

Note: Attaching a resume is not an alternative to filling out the application entirely. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.  

Bargaining Unit

If you are a current state employee, please mark the union you are a member of at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee. 

Driver’s License Requirement

Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.  

Firearms

This position requires the use or possession of a firearm or ammunition. In accordance with the federal Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 (PL 104-208), if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you may not hold this position.

A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is an offense that is (1) a misdemeanor under Federal or state law and (2) has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim.

If you have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, do NOT apply for this position.

EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Please be sure to check your junk folder for any messages that may be sent to you about this recruitment. 

Contact Information

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For assistance with your password, please visit the reset password page.

For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:

Joely Bernas

Administrative Operations Manager

Phone: 907-269-8477

Email: joely.bernas@alaska.gov

Salary : $3,087