Forester

Portland General Electric; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total rewards package

Job summary

Portland General Electric is seeking a Forester to manage vegetation near electrical facilities, promoting transmission resiliency and safe, reliable service in Oregon. This role includes field scoping, scheduling vegetation work, vendor coordination, and compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

Required: bachelor’s degree in forestry or related field, 5+ years in utility/tree trimming, ISA Arborist Certification (and ISA Utility Specialist preferred).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry or related field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in utility or private tree trimming, arborist work, or related field including vendor management.
• ISA Arborist Certification; ISA Utility Specialist; Oregon Pesticide Consultant license preferred (within 6 months); TRAQ preferred.

Responsibilities

• Performs safety and contractor audits and quality checks.
• Plans and coordinates vegetation clearance activities and scheduling.
• Coordinates with line operations and public agencies for vegetation clearance.
• Advises region engineers on vegetation clearance needs and issues.
• Ensures contractor performance meets PGE standards and policies.

Skills

Utility forestry

Arborist knowledge

Vendor management

Project management

Communication skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in forestry or related field

Tools

ISA TRAQ

Job description

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.

Forester Job Function: Forestry: Manage vegetation in proximity to electrical facilities to promote resiliency of transmission services.

Key Job Information:

• Job Title/Code: Forester/6275
• Grade/Exemption: Grade 7/EX
• Career Level: P3- Individuals at this level requires in-depth knowledge and experience. They use best practices and knowledge of internal or external business issues to improve products or services. They solve complex problems, taking a new perspective using existing solutions. They work independently, receiving minimal guidance. They act as a resource for colleagues with less experience.

Key Responsibilities:

Scoping

• Performs safety and contractor performance audits (Quality Assurance/Quality Control)
• Conducts scoping Work layout(s)
• Notifies customers and all stakeholders of impending work and helps to manage and review work processes.
• Analyzes risks and prioritizes jobs according to urgency and location.

Scheduling

• Plan and coordinate vegetation clearance activities.
• Prioritizes work in accordance with the company and department strategy.
• Schedule contracting vegetation crews.
• Schedules work assignments and contract crews based on manager/supervisor priorities.
• Helps to organize and maintain tasks and the ability to track progress throughout multiple projects.

Vendor Management

• Ensures contract crew performance meets PGE standards and specifications.
• Continually analyzes and monitors crew productivity to ensure PGE is receiving benefits for vegetation clearance expenditures relative to statement of work.
• Reviews and corrects as needed tree pruning practices to ensure conformance to PGE’s vegetation clearance policy.
• Adapts tree pruning practices as needed to optimize resource use.

Consultation

• Advises region engineering with capital job vegetation clearance needs and problems.
• Represents PGE’s Forestry department to contractors impacted by/impacting company operations.
• Serves as subject matter expert on projects.
• Proactively analyzes issues and resolves complex problems in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Works with PGE transmission forester to coordinate herbicide applications in assigned area.

Coordination

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

Compliance

• Reviews new standards, regulations and agreements and analyzes work processes to ensure compliance.
• Adapts work direction as needed to meet changing standards.

Education/Experience/Certifications:

• Education- Requires a bachelor’s degree in earth science, horticulture, geology, forestry, natural resources or similar field or equivalent experience.
• Experience- Typically five or more years in utility tree trimming, private tree trimming, arborist work, nursery work or related field including vendor management and project management.
• Certifications, Licenses and Training- Valid driver’s license and ISA Arborist Certification required. ISA Utility Specialist credential and Valid Oregon State Pesticide Consultant license preferred and required within six months of obtaining position. ISA TRAQ preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of utility forestry processes and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of forestry best practices and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of proper arboriculture pruning practices and herbicide/pesticide applications.
• Intermediate Knowledge of Pacific Northwest vegetation species, growth rates, insects/disease problems, and failure risk potentials.
• Thorough knowledge of regulations impacting vegetation management.
• Thorough knowledge of vendor management principles
• Intermediate skills in critical thinking, including analysis and problem solving
• Working skills in using database and documentation tools
• Intermediate decision-making skills
• Working skills in critical thinking, including analysis, problem solving and prioritization
• Intermediate Interpersonal Skills
• Intermediate written and oral communication skills
• Intermediate presentation skills
• Intermediate organizational awareness

Physical and Cognitive Demands:

Cognitive Level Substantial:

Consistent use of logic or scientific thinking to define problems, collect information, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions (for example, engineer, HR director, plant manager, etc.).

Ability to adhere to set response times, deadlines, and time-sensitive tasks

Ability to follow accuracy standards

Ability to follow through on decision-making tasks

Ability to interact effectively and collaboratively within a team environment

Ability to communicate and problem solve when under stress

Ability to respond and adapt to frequent change

Ability to avoid future mistakes by applying reasonable skills to new but similar work situations or tasks

Self-awareness when provided constructive feedback

Discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement

Self-awareness must not be mandatory. Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Self-awareness must not be mandatory.

Effective self-awareness when provided constructive feedback

Discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement

Demonstrate sound memory

Process new information consistently applied to work tasks

Schedule/Attendance:

• Ability to work long hours
• Ability to report to work and perform work during periods of severe inclement weather
• Ability to consistently meet attendance standards for regular, reliable, predictable, full-time attendance
• Ability to work shift schedule
• Must be able to serve on call at all times

Physical Capabilities:

• This position requires a valid driver's license and a history of safe driving practices.
• Daily Driving/travel/commute within the service territory
• Occasional Overnight inside/outside the service territory
• Computer use (use computer regularly for entire work shift)
• Lifting/pushing/pulling/carrying up to 50 lb
• Walking on unstable surfaces requiring balance
• Elevated areas (i.e., catwalks, roofs and high buildings)
• Walking distances and surfaces (long distances and over rough, uneven or rocky surfaces)
• Stairs (over 10 steps)

Environment - Indoor/Outdoor:

• Office, Field

Actual total compensation, including a performance based incentive bonus, is commensurate with experience, skills, qualifications, education, training, and internal equity. PGE believes in rewarding dedicated performance. We provide a total rewards package that is designed to reward your contributions to the company, and, at the same time, support your well-being and professional development, both now and into the future.

Assisting with storms or other Company emergencies is a part of all positions at Portland General Electric.

PGE is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel connected, valued, and empowered to thrive. PGE will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. PGE does not discriminate on the basis of disability. We recognize individuals have a variety of abilities to offer and we believe there is much to value and celebrate by incorporating different abilities into the work we do. One very important way we live this out is in our application and interview process. We work hard to support individuals who may need an accommodation to fully participate in these processes. If you feel you may need an accommodation, or would like to request one, please notify the Recruiter associated with the job posting. The Recruiter will provide information and next steps for the accommodation process.

Posting closes at midnight (Pacific Time) on the closing date below. If no date is listed, job is open until filled.

At Portland General Electric, we’re innovators, builders, and achievers. We’re committed to powering our customers’ potential and making a difference for our community and the planet. Today, that commitment includes developing an intelligent and resilient electric grid, electrifying transportation and de-carbonizing the energy sector. We’re proud to deliver an exceptional experience to help our customers thrive. Our mission is to make clean, reliable and affordable energy services available to all. We obsess over serving customers and are committed to growing employee career paths with purpose. Equity and inclusion are core business values; we celebrate our differences and are committed to developing teams that reflect the communities we serve.