Forester 4 - Good Neighbor Authority (PCN 10-9907)

State of Alaska; Juneau (AK); On-site; USD 83,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, seeks a Forester 4 to lead the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) program from Alaska locations such as Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, or Fairbanks. The role focuses on timber sales, restoration projects, and cross-boundary forest management with federal partners.

You will develop cross-agency partnerships, manage multi-year work plans, and oversee federal funds to advance statewide forest objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field that includes at least 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours in forestry or related curricula.
• One year of professional advanced-level forestry experience or three years of journey-level forestry experience as described in the posting.
• Substitution options include additional post-secondary education with forestry focus and journey-level experience, or NWCG qualifications substituted for education per the posting.

Responsibilities

• Manage the statewide Good Neighbor Authority program and implement timber sales and restoration projects on federal lands.
• Develop multi-year work plans and manage federal funds to support shared stewardship priorities.
• Advise the State Forester on GNA policy issues and provide policy recommendations.
• Collaborate with federal colleagues and DFFP staff to coordinate projects on federal and state lands.

Skills

Forest management

Project management

Teamwork

Federal funds processing

Oral and written communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in forestry / natural resources

Tools

NWCG Red Card

Job description

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, is recruiting for a Forester 4 to be located in one of the following locations: Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, Fairbanks

What You Will Be Doing:

In this role, you will manage DFFP’s statewide Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) program and implement forest management such as timber sales and restoration projects on federal lands, including the Tongass and Chugach National Forests. You will develop and maintain partnerships to increase the pace and scale of cross-boundary forest management, working closely with federal colleagues as well as collaborating with DFFP coworkers to ensure coordinated implementation of complementary projects on federal and state lands. You will strategically develop multi-year work plans and manage federal funds to support federal land management and shared stewardship priorities. You will develop, prepare, and administer GNA timber sales from initial reconnaissance through contract closeout. You’ll play a key leadership role as the State Forester's advisor on GNA policy issues and provide policy recommendations that support statewide forest management objectives.

Mission and Values/Culture:

The mission of the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection’s forestry branch is to develop, conserve, and enhance Alaska’s forests to provide Alaskans with 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 leadership of all-risk incident management teams, management of federal timber resources under the Good Neighbor Authority and Shared Stewardship Agreements, and up-to-date best management practices that apply to all commercial forests.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:

You will join a dynamic team overseeing a wide range of forestry operations, with opportunities for advancement and professional development, as well as year-round full‑time employment. The work provides exposure to Alaska's unique physical and cultural environment. This position and environment will offer many opportunities to adapt lessons learned elsewhere and to develop new approaches in contemporary forest management. Demand for active management of all land by the forest industry is significant. Staffing in the organization is lean, offering broad exposure to our range of missions and multiple options for long‑term growth and advancement. Career‑long training and innovation are building blocks of our culture.

The Working Environment You Can Expect:

This position may be filled in Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, or Fairbanks. For the right fit, the position could potentially be relocated to another DFFP office. Regardless of duty station, this position requires significant multi‑day and extended travel to project locations, many of which are remote in Southern Southeast Alaska.

This role offers a blend of in‑office and field work across Alaska’s remote landscapes and may involve travel by ATV, snowmachine, small aircraft, helicopter, or boat. Fieldwork can include rugged terrain, wildlife encounters, hazardous materials, and year‑round work in challenging weather conditions. Candidates who enjoy dynamic, hands‑on work in both natural and active construction environments will thrive here.

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.
• Project Management: Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
• Federal Funds Processing: Knowledge of methods and procedures for processing direct and reimbursable program funds (for example, automatic and funded reimbursements, interagency agreements, transfer appropriations), grants, loans, and credit programs.
• 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.

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 year 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 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 include fields such as: geosciences, geography, natural resources, environmental sciences, soils, hydrology, wildlife habitat management, forest engineering, remote sensing, vegetation classification, natural resource biometrics, 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.

Fairbanks – $3213.00 biweekly

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or [phone] 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.

Contact Information

Division Operations Manager

Phone:[phone]

Employer State of Alaska

Address PO Box 110201
Juneau, Alaska, 99811

Phone [phone] (Statewide toll‑free number)
[phone] (Juneau and out‑of‑state callers)