Description:Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's mission is to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations.
The DNRC believes employees are their most important asset. The DNRC empowers employees to exercise professional judgment in carrying out their duties. Employees are provided with the training and tools necessary to achieve the mission. Both team effort and individual employee expertise are supported and sustained.
Core Values: The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's Forestry and Trust Land Division recognizes that building a collaborative, professional, and inclusive work environment is critical to fulfilling our mission of managing, protecting, and promoting stewardship of Montana's forests and lands for the benefit of current and future generations and our trust beneficiaries. We hold ourselves to these high standards as we are accountable to the people of Montana.
- We value and respect each other.
- We create collaborative work environments.
- We build and maintain strong relationships.
- We practice accountability.
- We celebrate our successes and take pride in our work.
Job Overview: These positions perform advanced professional forest management activities under the general supervision of a Unit or Area Manager and are solely responsible for the TLMD forest management program and FD service forestry programs on their respective units. The incumbent independently plans, coordinates, and implements projects necessary to sell timber or related products from trust lands to provide income to the various trusts. These projects are complex and must be designed on a case-by-case basis to conform to numerous constraints and respond to multiple issues. Each project must be analyzed under Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) rules and will require the preparation of document(s) disclosing the adequate level of analysis for each project and may require preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. These positions serve as the Project Leader for preparation of complex, large-volume forest product sales, timber permits, and other forest product sales. These positions are also responsible for independently providing service forestry leadership and consultation to communities, loggers, land managers, and landowners located within the Unit to build local capacity to sustain adaptive management of Montana forests. This includes assisting landowners in meeting their management objectives while improving and restoring the health of the land, protecting homes and property, retaining the value of the land, and ensuring compliance with state and federal laws. The positions provide support to the Unit/Area fire program by performing fire management duties, encouraging fire-adapted communities, and promoting fire resilient landscapes.
Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent.
- Forest Management, Planning and Development: Independently plan, coordinate and evaluate activities on state endowment trust lands and other state and federal lands to maximize net revenue, to provide for the sustainable use of the land and associated resources, and to ensure adherence to state and federal laws and regulations.
- Forestry Assistance: Ensure compliance with the Montana Forest Practices regulations and provide forestry assistance, leadership, education and consultation to private landowners, communities, industry and agencies.
- Wildland Fire Management: Provide direct wildland fire suppressions and assistance to county and rural fire department as needed to protect lives, property and natural resources in the unit/area.
- Supervision: The position supervises the Southern Land Office Forest Action Plan Forester.
APPLICATION MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION ARE: - Online State of Montana application
- Resume
- Cover Letter
HELPFUL HINT: You must check the "relevant document" box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.
Benefits: - Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays
- Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage
- Retirement Plans
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF. Look here, https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service to learn more and see if you may qualify!
*If you are interested in a complete job description please contact HR at Makayla.Mangold@mt.gov.
QualificationsRequired knowledge, skills, and abilities: The required knowledge, skills and abilities are acquired through a bachelor's degree in Forest Management or a related resource management field and 4 years of progressively responsible job-related professional experience in forest management.
The position requires extensive knowledge of forest management principles and practices; equipment and techniques used in forest management projects and operations; forest practices and hazard reduction laws, Administrative Rules, standards, guidelines, policies and procedures related to forest management operations and activities; and considerable knowledge of the Montana Environmental Policy Act and related laws and rules governing natural resource management. Knowledge of the terminology, principles, methods and approaches used in silviculture, ecology, hydrology, wildlife and fisheries biology. Specific knowledge of plant taxonomy, habitat typing, timber cruising, log scaling, harvesting systems, data collection and sampling techniques; road design and layout; fire behavior, fire suppression techniques, land surveying and timber appraisal procedures. The position also requires knowledge of DNRC and State Personnel policies, procedures, precedents, organizational structures, employment law conflict resolution and program requirements.
An essential function of the position is the ability to pass an arduous pack test as well as be capable of vigorous physical activity in all types of weather. The position requires working alone in the field, including winter conditions (using tire chains) and navigating with a map and compass.
The position requires skill in the use and operation of tools, equipment and vehicles used in wildland fire control, forest management activities and field office operations; operation of 4-wheel drive vehicles, ATVs/UTVs and skill in the use of computer hardware and software related to forest management business operations (word processing, spreadsheets, internet, e-mail and smart devices) and specialized resource management software.
The position requires the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing to individuals, groups and representatives from other organizations; the ability to coordinate and direct multiple resources to complete work objectives, work on multiple projects simultaneously; work well with others and maintain a positive working environment. The position often works independently and requires critical thinking skills as they work in remote work conditions and may encounter various hazards throughout a typical workday including wildlife, road conditions, hazardous terrain and encounters with the public in various high-tension settings that may require de-escalation and conflict resolution.
SPECIAL INFORMATION: Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States. A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months.
ELIGIBILITY TO WORK: In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver's license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a "green card"
