Forestry Technician

Full Job Description

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. This is a temporary appointment.

Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1560 hours in a service year. This position is located in Oregon, Tillamook, Cascade and Salem.

We expect to fill many vacancies. Note: These are not Law Enforcement positions.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume.

No assumptions will be made about your experience. GS-05: One (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS-4 level.

Examples of specialized experience may include assisting in inspecting cutover areas on current sales for compliance with terms of timber sales contracts; assisting in investigating suspected timber trespass cases including locating and identifying trespass sites, quantities, etc.; and examining timber stands to determine need for insect and disease control work; OR Successful completion a full 4 year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science.

No more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable; OR A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

GS-06: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level.

Examples of specialized experience may include collecting and compiling forest and woodland management data regarding location, character, extent, volume, rate of growth and quality of timber; designating timber to be removed in timber sales or for use disposal; and preparing reports on forest and woodland trespass cases; OR one year of graduate level education directly related to the work of a Forestry Technician such as forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject matter field directed related to the position; OR a combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

GS-07: One year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS-6 level.

Examples of specialized experience may include assisting professional foresters by gathering a variety of resource information for the forestry portion of resource analysis and management planning documents; researching and drafting assigned segments of documents; administering limited timber sales contracts; and preparing forest road layouts; OR one year of graduate level education directly related to the work of a Forestry Technician such as forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject matter field directed related to the position; OR A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands/Work Environments: Work requires some physical exertion such as bending and walking/hiking in terrain that is rough, rocky, mountainous and densely vegetated that may also be steep, wet and muddy.

Required to lift and carry equipment necessary to perform the work of the position, this includes tools, personal protective equipment, food and water for extended periods away from a vehicle.

Work while in the office is performed in adequately lighted, ventilated, cooled and heated area.

Fieldwork is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme and adverse weather conditions and injuries and discomforts from pests and animals. Major Duties:

• Conducts timber cruises and stand surveys within varying stand conditions to locate and estimate the character and quantity of timber on a given area, according to species type and tree quality.
• Assist professional foresters in the layout out of timber treatment areas including blazing/posting/painting unit boundaries, assist in identifying special treatment areas, and assist in identifying yarding methods within project units.
• Forest Technicians would measure and identify defects of timber on the ground using maps and follow written cruise plans provided by an advanced cruiser that explains sampling intensity, plot locations, type of cruise and any special instructions.
• Under supervision of a professional forester, and using pre-established marking guide/rules, Forestry Technicians select and mark trees to be harvested or left uncut.
• Marks trees using an approved marking guide/rules in areas complicated by variations in type, species composition, defect, site, age, class, etc. Prepares area maps, marks unit boundaries and uses GPS to record boundary locations.
• Forestry Technicians conduct stand examinations gathering stand metrics including tree species, diameter at breast height, tree height, crown height, age estimations, and an inventory of snags over a given area.
• Forestry Technicians may lead small crews in routine tree marking and stand exams activities with oversight from higher grade Foresters or Forest Technicians.
• Summarizes cruising, marking, and stand exam data and prepares reports and topographic maps indicating quantity of timber, condition of area, difficulties to be encountered, etc.
• Forestry Technicians assist with cone collection, site preparation and planting, performing reforestation stocking surveys, determining the heath of planted trees, pre-commercial thinning.
• Forestry Technicians assist with other timber sale preparation tasks as needed including stream inception surveys, native and non-native botanical surveys, and other duties as assigned.