Associate Forester - Forest Restoration

Forest Carbon Works • Full-time • Remote (Arkansas, United States) • 10h ago

Forest Carbon Works, PBC, a subsidiary of Chestnut Carbon, is a nature-based solutions company committed to developing high-quality voluntary carbon offset projects as well as supporting the long-term conservation of American forests and empowering stewardship among family forest owners.

We seek to...

• Conserve standing forests in woodlands throughout America.

• Support the private forest owners who undertake these conservation efforts.

These goals are rooted in the understanding that intact forests offer a variety of benefits, magnifying in impact over time, and bear great value worth protecting.

Chestnut Carbon was founded and backed by Kimmeridge, a US-based private equity firm with offices in New York and Denver

The Forest Restoration Associate is responsible for supporting Chestnut's Forest Restoration program. This includes designing and implementing forest restoration projects to improve ecosystem health, biodiversity, resilience, and carbon sequestration, with a focus on restoring native forest ecosystems on marginal lands across the United States. This role involves strategic planning, project management, and stakeholder engagement to ensure successful implementation and sustainability of restoration efforts. The ideal candidate will possess strong forest management, leadership, and communication skills to drive program objectives and deliver impactful results.

This position will play a crucial role in providing technical and operational support for Chestnut Carbon's afforestation/reforestation projects as our team develops, implements, manages carbon projects at scale; ensuring compliance with carbon offset protocols and maximizing the potential of forests as natural climate solutions. This role requires a combination of regional forest management knowledge with special attention to site preparation and forest restoration techniques, project management assistance, and the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to climate change mitigation through nature-based solutions. The successful candidate will work at the intersection of forestry, climate science, and environmental markets, making a tangible impact on global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This position is remote and field-based with the ideal candidate based in Arkansas or within a few hours commute to Little Rock, AR.

Key Responsibilities

- Supporting the Forest Restoration program by designing and implementing comprehensive forest restoration plans based on ecological principles, site-specific needs and the Chestnut Restore project framework.
- Providing effective, consistent communication to the forest restoration program manager, regional and local project managers, and contractors to ensure effective execution of project plans.
- Conducting site assessments to monitor forest health, seedling survival, and reporting any property management related concerns.
- Frequent and sometimes extended, overnight travel to property sites.
- Developing and maintaining forest management plans that balance restoration and carbon sequestration goals with other objectives such as biodiversity, conservation and sustainable timber production and meet FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) forest certification standards.
- Assisting in regular site inspections and audits to ensure compliance and quality, inclusive of compliance with environmental regulations and best practices for project verifications.

Additional Responsibilities

- Representing Forest Carbon Works and Chestnut Carbon at regional events, workshops, and other outreach opportunities.
- Providing forest management expertise and support throughout the carbon project development process for Chestnut Conserve and Restore.
- Collecting forest inventory data using a smartphone device and traditional forest mensuration techniques.

Requirements

- Bachelor's degree in forestry, ecological restoration, or a related field.
- Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in forestry/forest ecology/forest conservation.
- Experience in southeastern forest management, forest ecology, and forest restoration approaches/practices.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage effectively with a diverse team and stakeholders.
- Experience with GIS software, remote sensing applications in forestry, and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Proficiency in forest inventory techniques and ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions and navigate diverse terrain.
- Time-management and self-management skills to work independently and collectively to reach identified goals on a set timeline.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Valid driver's license and the ability to work independently and remotely and make strategic decisions in a dynamic environment.

$55,000 - $65,000 a year

The base salary for this position is expected to be between $55,000 and $65,000, subject to the chosen candidate's experience and qualifications, determination of which is made in the sole discretion of Forest Carbon Works.

All employees are eligible to participate in health, insurance, and 401K plan benefits on their first day of employment. Forest Carbon Works pays 100% of the cost of the employees' health/dental/vision insurance. During each fiscal year of employment, employees will be eligible to earn a discretionary annual incentive bonus, based on company and individual performance targets.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to everything we do. Chestnut Carbon thrives on and celebrates different views, beliefs, and values. We are committed to our talented team and partners, regardless of background or affiliation, and to actively promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our business. We strive to be a place where you can be you and bring yourself to work.

Chestnut Carbon is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to affirmative action planning and encourages diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran, or marital status.

Thank you for applying to our recent job posting. The Recruitment Department has received your application and will be reviewing it shortly. We appreciate the time and effort you've taken to reach out to us, and we look forward to exploring the possibility of having you join our team.