District Forester (Sonora Forestry District)

Sacbar; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) with company match

Retirement contributions

Life Insurance

Job summary

Sierra Pacific Industries, a fourth-generation family-owned company, seeks a District Forester to manage timberlands in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. Based in Sonora, CA, you will work with California Registered Professional Foresters to plan harvests and oversee operations.

The role requires THP experience, strong communication, and ability to operate in remote field conditions. Benefits include health, retirement, and life insurance; wage range is $70,000–$110,000 yearly.

Qualifications

• California Registered Professional Forester license or eligibility to obtain one.
• Familiarity with California Forest Practice Rules and THP preparation.
• Understanding of logging, road construction, and reforestation operations.
• Excellent communication, self-motivated, and strong work ethic.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and GIS-based software.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Prepare Timber Harvest Plans (THPs), including research, field work, mapping, and writing.
• Administer contracts for field operations including logging, road construction, professional services, and miscellaneous agreements.
• Conduct botanical, wildlife, archeological, road, and watercourse surveys.
• Collaborate with reforestation activities, including planting and site preparation.
• Interact with state regulatory agencies and diverse groups professionally and effectively.
• Perform forestry-related project work in varying weather and field conditions.
• Hike in remote mountainous regions using maps, compass, and GPS.
• Work both in a team setting and independently in remote areas.
• Assist and collaborate in other district forestry work as needed.

Skills

Communication skills

Self-motivated

Teamwork

Strong work ethic

Education

California Registered Professional Forester license or eligibility

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

GIS software

Job description

• We train and promote from within
• Excellent low-cost health benefits
• Retirement plan with employer-paid contributions
• Paid vacation and 10 holidays

At Sierra Pacific Industries, we understand our greatest strength is the people who choose to build a career with us. We are a fourth-generation family-owned company that has grown to be one of the largest lumber and millwork producers in the United States. Our more than 6,000 employees are proud to work at our state-of-the‑art sawmills and other facilities, including: manufacturing, custom wood‑framed windows, fabrication, millwork, veneer, cogeneration, trucking, forestry, and other operations.

Our more than 2.4 million acres of timberland in the Western United States are sustainably managed by professionals in our Forestry Division. Currently, our Sonora Forestry District has an opening for a qualified District Forester to help manage the Company’s timberlands in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. This position involves working with California Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs) to prepare harvest plans and administer harvest operations. The successful applicant is expected to work out of our district office located in Sonora, California.

About the Position

• Prepare Timber Harvest Plans (THPs), including research, field work, mapping, and writing
• Administer contracts for field operations including logging, road construction, professional services, and miscellaneous agreements
• Conduct botanical, wildlife, archeological, road, and watercourse surveys
• Collaborate with reforestation activities, including planting and site preparation
• Professionally and effectively interact with the state regulatory agencies and diverse groups
• Perform forestry‑related project work in a wide range of weather and field conditions
• Hike in remote mountainous regions using maps, compass, and GPS
• Effectively work both within a team setting as well as independently in remote areas
• Assist and collaborate in other forestry work on the district as needed

Qualifications

• A California Registered Professional Forester (RPF) license or the ability to qualify for, take, and pass the RPF exam after qualification through a combination of educational and/or work experience
• Familiarity with the California Forest Practice Rules and fieldwork involved in Timber Harvest Plan (THP) preparation
• Understanding of logging, road construction, and reforestation operations
• Excellent communication skills, self‑motivated, and strong work ethic
• Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and GIS‑based software programs
• Ability to effectively work both independently and as a team member
• Current valid driver’s license and the ability to operate a four‑wheel drive vehicle and safely navigate steep forest roads

Why Join Our Team?

Because this is more than an invitation, it's a commitment to offer opportunities for personal and professional growth to everyone! We ask people to grow with us and make the company even better.

Benefits

• full Health Benefits Plan (including medical, dental, and vision) with low‑cost premiums
• a 401(k) with Company Match
• additional Retirement Contributions
• company-paid Life Insurance

Celebrate our 300th million seedling planted with us!

spi-ind.com/OurForests/ThreeHundredMillion

Sierra Pacific is an (EOE) Equal Opportunity Employer, including those with a disability and veterans.

The general wage range for this position at Sierra Pacific Industries is from $70,000 to $110,000 per year, and is dependent upon a number of factors, including, but not limited to: relevant work experience, skill, knowledge, and/or education.

About Our Company

Sierra Pacific Industries is a fourth-generation family‑owned company based in Northern California that started in 1949 and has grown to be one of the largest lumber and millwork producers in the U.S., employing around 6,500 crew members. Sierra Pacific continues to be a company where its employees are proud to work at state‑of‑the‑art facilities and others strive to become part of the team.

We own and sustainably manage more than 2.4 million acres of timberland in California, Oregon, and Washington. Our forests are sustainably managed under a 100‑year plan by Registered Professional Foresters, Wildlife Biologists, Botanists, and other professionals. We are growing forests for our future, planting over 6 million new trees every year. In Spring 2024, we planted our 300 millionth seedling on our timberlands. This milestone was decades in the making, reflecting our commitment to sustainable forest management and ensuring we have forests not just for today, but for generations to come.

Sierra Pacific effectively uses nearly 100% of every piece of wood we bring to our facilities. In fact, any small amount that isn't turned into hand‑crafted doors and windows, millwork, lumber, or landscaping material is actually converted into electricity in our eight biomass‑fueled power plants.

We are proud that all Sierra Pacific facilities follow our drug‑free and tobacco‑free policies. As part of our safety in the workplace policy, an offer of employment is subject to a negative drug screen result. We use E‑verify to verify the social security number and work authorization of all newly hired employees. Sierra Pacific is an (EOE) Equal Opportunity Employer, including those with a disability and veterans.