FORESTRY ASSISTANT

Los Angeles County Department of Human Resources; California (MO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Los Angeles Fire Department is seeking a Forestry Technician. The role oversees field work, directs crews, conducts inspections, and supports forest management and public education at community events.

Requirements include a forestry degree, a California Class C license, and within one year a Class B license with water tank, air brake, and passenger endorsements; EMT-1 certification is required within one year of appointment.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college with specialization in forestry or a related field.
• A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.
• A valid California Class B Commercial Driver License with water tank, air brake and passenger endorsements is required within one year from the date of appointment and prior to completion of probationary period.
• Successful applicants will be required to obtain and present a copy of their driving record before being appointed; license must not be suspended, restricted, or revoked.
• No withhold will be allowed for this recruitment; you must fully meet the requirements at filing.
• To receive credit for your education or license, include copies of documents by emailing within fifteen (15) calendar days of filing.
• Related fields include Urban Forestry, Forestry Recreation, Recreation Administration, Landscape Architecture, Wildfire, Natural Resources Management, Botany, and Environmental Sciences.

Responsibilities

• Oversees and conducts field work by directing field crews and carrying out forestry tasks.
• Conducts enforcement inspections and communicates compliance findings to property owners.
• Represents the department at community events and educational demonstrations.
• Prepares forestry projects by evaluating conditions and selecting plant species.
• Evaluates regulatory compliance with state and county codes.
• Develops Geographic Information Systems maps and collects field data.
• Staffs the Henninger Flats facility, provides tours, and supports education programs.
• Responds to 24-hour emergency needs in logistics and support roles.

Education

Forestry degree or related field

Job description

FIRE DEPARTMENT

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

We welcome applications from anyone.

FILING DATES

The application filing period will begin on Monday, September 28, 2026, 8:00 a.m., (PT) – Continuous.

We will keep accepting applications until the positions is filled.

The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.

EXAM NUMBER

30328K

Essential Job Functions

• Oversees and conducts field work (e.g. Inspections, manual labor, landscaping) by directing field crews (Forestry Technicians, volunteers, and vendors), engaging in manual seed collecting, field reforestation (i.e. removing invasive plant species and planting native species), native plant propagation in nurseries, determining the type, number and placement of trees to be planted, managing tree nurseries, by using a chainsaw to thin forest, and applying herbicides, insecticides, and other chemicals for weed abatement, and by operating Class B commercial vehicles and towing chippers/trailers in order to complete forestry related projects.
• Conducts enforcement inspections under the supervision of Deputy Foresters by inspecting properties (e.g. brush clearance inspections, oak tree ordinance inspections), by communicating compliance findings with property owners, in order to monitor compliance of laws and regulations.
• Serves as departmental representative at community events (e.g. county fairs, job fairs, school presentations) by coordinating, scheduling, and giving presentations or informal talks regarding forestry activities; conducting field demonstrations in order to educate the public.
• Prepares forestry projects, by evaluating physical conditions (e.g. environmentally sensitive areas, defensible space requirements), conducting site preparation, and selecting appropriate plant species for planting and removal, in order to protect life, property, and the environment.
• Evaluates regulatory compliance by reviewing and analyzing inspection information in accordance with state and county codes and ordinance, and coordinates corrective measures in order to protect life, property, and the environment.
• Develops Geographic Information Systems mapsby collecting fire perimeter data, by hiking uneven terrain and collecting forest management data in order to utilize silvicultural techniques to accurately assess forest health.
• Staffs the 24 hour facility at Henninger Flats visitor center/museum by giving guided field tours, by participating in education and conservation programs, by patrolling campgrounds, rendering emergency medical services to the general public, and by covering night shifts in the absence of lower-level staff in order to provide a safe venue for outdoor recreational activities.
• Responds to 24 hour emergency incident needs by performing support roles in logistics (e.g. supply unit, ground support unit, facilities unit and resource unit) in order to support the needs of the incident.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY

Graduation from an accredited college with specialization in forestry or a related field.

LICENSE

A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.

A valid California Class B Commercial Driver License with water tank, air brake and passenger endorsements is required within one year from the date of appointment and prior to completion of probationary period.

Successful applicants for this position will be required to obtain and present a copy of their driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before being appointed. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant’s driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

WITHHOLD

No withhold will be allowed for this recruitment. You must fully meet the requirements at the time of filing your application.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION

• To receive credit for your education or license, include a legible copy of all relevant official documents, including your transcript from an accredited institution or driver license by emailing it to [email protected] within fifteen (15) calendar days of filing your application. The document should show the date the degree was conferred and be in English. If not in English, then translation is required. International degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards if not listed in the International Handbook of Universities or World Higher Education Database. Documents marked as unofficial will not be accepted. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/070812_PPG123.pdf

We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.

Related field includes but is not limited to Urban Forestry, Forestry Recreation, Recreation Administration, Landscape Architecture, Wildfire, Wildfire Management, Natural Resources Management, Botany, Environmental Sciences (Ecology), Agriculture, Horticulture, and Arboriculture. All related fields may be reviewed for content and curriculum emphasis.

PHYSICAL CLASS

4 – Arduous. Involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working on irregular surfaces; and occasionally require extraordinary physical activity.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

VISION

(1) Acuity – At least 20/70 in each eye without correction, correctable to 20/30 in each eye. (2) Color Perception – Anything other than minor hue impairment is disqualifying.

HEARING

Applicants cannot be medically qualified if the hearing in either ear shows greater than a 40 dB loss as averaged in the four test frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz; nor may there be greater than a 45 dB peak loss at any one of the test frequencies. Applicants whose test results fall between the acceptable and unacceptable ranges will be individually evaluated.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Persons appointed to this class shall obtain Emergency Medical Technician-1 (EMT-1) certification through successful completion of the departmentally provided EMT-1 training program, or from a school, or an EMT program accredited by the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and successfully pass the National Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) basic exam within one year from time of appointment.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT

This examination will consist of TWO (2) parts:

PART I

A multiple choice and/or simulation assessment(s), weighted at 50 %, assessing:

• Professional Potential
• Achievement
• Coping with Uncertainty
• Responsibility
• Working to High Quality Standards
• Willingness to Learn
• Working Relationships
• Analyzing Information
• Learning Quickly
• Generating New Ideas
• Using Time Efficiently
• Adapting to Change

MULTIPLE CHOICE AND/OR SIMULATION ASSESSMENT(S) ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

PART II

An evaluation of Training and Experience (T&E), weighted at 50 % assessing:

• Professional/Technical Knowledge of:
• Laws and Regulations, Professional Standards, Policies, and Procedures
• Forestry Management and Fire Science
• Emergency Operations
• Safety and Emergency Equipment Use
• Hand Tools and Power Equipment Use

Applicants must meet the requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the combined score of Parts I and II in order to be placed on the eligible register.

TRANSFER OF TEST COMPONENTS

If you have taken identical components recently for other exams, your responses may be automatically transferred to this examination. This exam contains test components that might be used on future exams, and your responses could be transferred to that exam.

TEST PREPARATION

We provide study guides and other test preparation resources to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides may help in preparing for the test, we recommend reviewing all related materials that seem necessary.

• Various information can be found on our website at https://hr.lacounty.gov/job-search-toolkit/. The section dedicated to test preparation is “Employment Test Assistance.”
• Online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en-us/practice-tests. You can also visit our Los Angeles County Online Assessment Preparation Series webpage at https://lacounty.attract.neogov.com/la-county-online-assessments-prep-series for information about common online assessment types, sample questions, and test-taking tips.

ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION

Applicants who passed the assessment(s) are placed on a list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months. Applications will be processed as they are received and added to the list accordingly. We will use this list to fill vacancies in the Fire Department as they occur.

PASSING THIS EXAMINATION AND BEING PLACED ON THE ELIGIBLE REGISTER DOES NOT GUARANTEE AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT

BACKGROUND CHECK AND MEDICAL EXAMINATION

This position/recruitment requires a background check and medical extermination. Qualified candidates must meet both requirements at the time of appointment. Conditional offer of employment may be rescinded if these criteria are not met.

AVAILABLE SHIFT

Any Shift-Appointees must be willing to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS

We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant’s responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to www.governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS INFORMATION

If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application. Please note, you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.

Department Contact Name

Fire Examination Section

Department Contact Phone

[phone]

Department Contact Email

[email protected]

California Relay Services Phone

[phone]

Teletype Phone

[phone]

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement

The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.

Testing Accommodations for Applicants

The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.

Fair Chance

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility

Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder

Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.

Veteran’s Credit

Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.

For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf

Revised September 2025