Forester 1 / Trainee 1 / 2 - NY HELPS

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday & Paid Time Off

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Pension from New York State Employees’

Shift & Geographic pay differentials

Affordable Health Care options

Family dental and vision benefits

NYS Deferred Compensation plan

Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College

U.S. Savings Bonds

Job summary

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking a Forester 1 to work in the State Forest Section, Central Office, Albany. This role supports forest certification, regional forestry staff, and statewide forest programs, including funding allocation and project implementation across New York State.

The successful candidate will have strong grounding in forest management, silviculture, and timber harvesting, and will engage in contracting, funding procurement, program

Qualifications

• Forester Trainee 1 requires a bachelor’s or higher degree in ecological forest management, forest biology, forest ecosystem science, forest health, forest resource management, forestry, natural resources planning, or urban forestry.
• Forester Trainee 2 requires a qualifying bachelor’s degree plus either one year of professional forestry experience or a master’s degree in a related field.
• Forester 1 requires a qualifying bachelor’s degree and either two years of forestry experience or a master’s degree plus one year of forestry experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist by evaluating projects on state forests for funding and developing new opportunities for funding
• Provide support to regions administering state forest programming including timber sales review, planning, recreation, and education
• Assist in the development of state forestry and program guidance
• Assist with processing Temporary Revocable Permits as needed
• Assist with planning and preparation for annual forest certification audits under Forester 2
• Assist with development of Unit Management Plans in consultation with regional staff
• Assist with development of the State Forest Management Strategic Plan in consultation with central office staff
• Communicate with industry groups, loggers, and mill owners
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Driver's license

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in ecological forest management or related field

Job description

Duties Description

DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests sustainably manages over 800,000 acres of State Forests across New York for forest products, wildlife, water and recreation. These forests are dually certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council Standards. This Forester 1 position will work as the State Forest Program Forester in the Division of Lands and Forests under the Supervising Forester (Forester 2) in the State Forest Section in Central Office in Albany to support forest certification, regional forestry staff, and all other state forest programs and initiatives as needed to enhance forest management on state forests throughout New York State. The selected candidate will assist with project implementation including securing and distributing funding to support regional staff with the implementation of forest management, biodiversity, forest restoration, access and recreation projects throughout the state. The selected candidate will assist with contracting services, securing additional funding for projects (such as through the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act), program reporting, gathering technical guidance and resources, timber sale review, and implementation planning in consultation with the regional forestry staff. The successful candidate needs to have a solid grounding in forest management, silviculture, and timber harvesting. In addition, this position is an office-based position with occasional travel throughout the year.

Description

DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests sustainably manages over 800,000 acres of State Forests across New York for forest products, wildlife, water and recreation. These forests are dually certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council Standards. This Forester 1 position will work as the State Forest Program Forester in the Division of Lands and Forests under the Supervising Forester (Forester 2) in the State Forest Section in Central Office in Albany to support forest certification, regional forestry staff, and all other state forest programs and initiatives as needed to enhance forest management on state forests throughout New York State. The selected candidate will assist with project implementation including securing and distributing funding to support regional staff with the implementation of forest management, biodiversity, forest restoration, access and recreation projects throughout the state. The selected candidate will assist with contracting services, securing additional funding for projects (such as through the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act), program reporting, gathering technical guidance and resources, timber sale review, and implementation planning in consultation with the regional forestry staff. The successful candidate needs to have a solid grounding in forest management, silviculture, and timber harvesting. In addition, this position is an office-based position with occasional travel throughout the year.

Specific Duties Will Include

• Assist by evaluating projects on state forests for funding and developing new opportunities for funding
• Provide support to regions administering state forest programming where needed and necessary including timber sales review, planning, recreation, and education
• Assist in the development of state forestry and program guidance
• Assist with processing Temporary Revocable Permits as needed
• Assist with planning and preparation for annual forest certification audits under the direction of Forester 2
• Assist with the development of Unit Management Plans in consultation with regional staff as time permits
• Assist with the development of the Strategic Plan for State Forest Management in consultation with central office staff as time permits
• Communicate with industry groups, loggers, and mill owners
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

To be eligible for appointment under NY HELPS, candidates must meet the minimum qualifications below:

Minimum Qualifications

Forester Trainee 1: A bachelor's or higher degree in ecological forest management, forest biology, forest ecosystem science, forest health, forest resource management, forestry, Natural Resources Planning, Natural Resources Management, Natural Resources Conservation, or urban forestry.

OR

A bachelor's or higher degree including or supplemented by 24 credits in any of the following; dendrology, entomology, environmental planning (as part of a forestry program), environmental policy (as part of a forestry program), environmental resource management (as part of a forestry program), forest ecology, forest ecosystem, forest entomology, forest inventories, forest pathology, forest management, forest measurement/inventory, forest recreation, forest recreation management, geographic information system (GIS), natural resources planning, natural resources policy, pathology, plant entomology, plant pathology, silviculture, soils, surveying, or wilderness management.

Forester Trainee 2: You must also have as qualifying bachelors degree as noted above and either 1: One year of professional experience in forestry; OR 2: A master's or higher degree in ecological forest management, forest biology, forest ecosystem science, forest health, forest resource management, forestry, Natural Resources Planning, Natural Resources Management, Natural Resources Conservation, or urban forestry.

Forester 1: You must also have as qualifying bachelors degree as noted above and either 1: Two years of professional experience in forestry; OR 2: A master's or higher degree in ecological forest management, forest biology, forest ecosystem science, forest health, forest resource management, forestry, Natural Resources Planning, Natural Resources Management, Natural Resources Conservation, or urban forestry AND One year of professional experience in forestry.

Candidates May Also Be Appointed Via The Following

Reassignment - Currently in the title and an employee of DEC

Reinstatement - Previously held the title on a permanent competitive basis or held a title as indicated under the transfer eligible section on a permanent competitive basis.

Transfer - Eligible for transfer under Section 70.1: One year of permanent competitive service as an Environmental Program Specialist 1 (Natural Resources), Forestry Technician 2, or Forestry Technician 3.

55-b/55-c Appointment- Must meet minimum qualifications above and include a copy of the letter from Civil Service which indicates approval for the 55-b/55-c program.

Additional Comments

Must have a valid driver’s license or demonstrate the ability to meet the transportation needs of the position.

Travel may be required.

Overnight travel may be required.

Telecommuting may be available up to 50% of work schedule, will be discussed at interview.

We offer a work-life balance and a generous benefits package, worth 65% of salary, including:

• Holiday & Paid Time Off
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Pension from New York State Employees’ Retirement System
• Shift & Geographic pay differentials
• Affordable Health Care options
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost
• NYS Deferred Compensation plan
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, and U.S. Savings Bonds
• And many more...

For new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Our work would not be possible without the diverse backgrounds, experiences, ideas, and abilities of our employees. DEC is committed to developing a workforce which represents the diverse population of New York State. DEC embraces a diverse and inclusive work environment by encouraging all individuals, including those with disabilities, to apply to open positions at the agency.

If you are a person with a disability and wish to request that a reasonable accommodation be provided for you to participate in a job interview, please email: [e-mail].

Please be advised, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation does not use E-Verify, and we are unable to provide sponsorship for employment visa statuses (i.e. H-1B, Self-Sponsorship, STEM OPT).