Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-5060
(970) 491-6303
FAX: (970) 491-7736
POSITION DESCRIPTION
File Reference: 2015-10
Position Title: Forester (2-year appointment)
Location: Boulder, Golden, and Gunnison, Colorado – 4 positions
Salary: $32,000 - $35,000, commensurate with experience
Employment Status: This full-time, initial termed appointment will be a Colorado State
University Administrative Professional employee, with a possible extension through June 30, 2018.
Closing Date: To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on December 7, 2015.
Position Summary:
Under supervision of the District Forester, the position will assist district staff with the following program areas: forest management, wildfire and hazardous fuels mitigation projects, and stewardship activities including forest inventory, forest management plans, timber sale layout and design, timber sale administration, urban and community forestry and Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) and Firewise Communities, Seedling Trees for Conservation Program, green house operation, insect and disease monitoring and response. Additionally, the position will assist staff in promoting and implementing state and federal grant programs including project design, administration, contractor selection, and completion. The position will provide conservation education and outreach to landowners and cooperators/partners through frequent public speaking, written, and verbal communication methods. The position will evaluate local forestry needs/opportunities and develop solutions for prioritizing and meeting the needs/opportunities.
Purpose of the Department/Work Unit: CSFS districts and field offices provide forestry services and outreach to private, state and local government forested landowners and communities.
Description of Work Unit: The Colorado State Forest Service is an agency of Colorado State University, and is housed organizationally, in the Warner College of Natural Resources. The CSFS also staffs the Division of Forestry for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The CSFS has 18 district and field offices throughout the state, with a State Office located in Fort Collins.
The Boulder District serves Boulder, Broomfield and Gilpin Counties in Colorado’s northern Front Range. The Boulder District office is located just east of the Town of Lyons and is within 20 minutes of the City of Boulder and 15 minutes from Longmont. The Golden District serves Clear Creek, Denver, Jefferson, and the northeast portion of Park counties west of Denver, Colorado. The Golden District office is located in the town of Golden, Colorado. The Gunnison Field Office is a part of the Salida District and serves Gunnison, Lake, Chaffee, and Hinsdale counties. The Gunnison Field Office is located in the town of Gunnison.
All Districts utilize a team approach to deliver CSFS programs and services. Individual staff members take the lead on one or more program areas and all staff members are expected to assist as needed for successful, efficient and effective delivery of services and programs.
Diversity Statement: Applicants are expected to possess demonstrated knowledge of and relevant ability with, culturally diverse communities among potential target and constituent populations.
Conditions of Employment:
Irregular work hours and periodic long days, evening and weekend service, periodic overnight travel.
Field work can require work in challenging terrain and under adverse weather conditions.
Required Job Qualifications:
A Society of American Foresters (SAF) accredited Baccalaureate or Master’s degree program option is required upon hire.
Six months professional forestry experience.
Ability to safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, forestry machinery and tools; perform strenuous outdoor work in a variety of weather conditions.
Successful applicants must have a valid Colorado driver’s license or the ability to acquire one upon employment.
Desired Job Qualifications:
2 years professional forestry experience.
Ability to perform GIS based data entry; capable of using GIS/GPS units to collect field data (Garmin/Trimble)
Ability to exhibit confidence and competence in public presentations, and in working directly with the public and landowners.
Basic knowledge of western United States forest management techniques in the following areas: silviculture; harvesting systems; forest management planning; wildfire hazard mitigation; forest insect and disease, prevention, and suppression; community forestry; windbreaks; and outreach.
Experience in and/or exposure to writing forest management plans and review/interpretation of those plans.
Comprehension of basic field forestry skills and equipment (cruising and timber marking).
Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
Proficient with the general Microsoft Suite office software products.
Committed to safety, quality, demonstrated excellent customer service ethic and professionalism.
Demonstrated experience participating on teams and ability to work independently.
Incident Qualifications Card, or have the ability to obtain one, at the National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualifications level of Firefighter Type 2 or above
Essential Responsibilities and Duties:
Forest Management (85%)
Community Wildfire Project Plans (CWPPs) and Firewise Communities – Typical activities include assisting in the development and revision of CWPPs. Additionally, the Forester will coordinate the implementation of local CWPP prioritized projects by working with local Fire Protection Districts, Counties, private landowners and homeowner groups. The Forester will assist communities throughout the district in participation in the FireWise Communities/USA® program.
Forest Agriculture and Stewardship Programs – Typical activities include assisting with Colorado’s forest agriculture tax program inspections; forest management (stewardship) plan development for private landowners; cruising; best management practices (BMPs) implementation to protect water quality; providing technical assistance to private landowners and local governments; promoting a seedling tree program and providing technical assistance on proper planning, planting and care of seedlings; providing technical assistance on forest insect and diseases; and other associated forest stewardship duties.
Forest Health– Typical activities include providing technical assistance on state and private lands to include insect and disease (I&D) monitoring that include site visits, aerial survey, and ground surveys; I&D diagnosis and recommendations. The Forester will be responsible for responding to evolving I&D issues involving native/non-native pests, and must have basic knowledge of the process of diagnosing tree disorders, including the ability to evaluate and communicate management options.
State Lands Management – Typical activities include providing technical assistance and service to state parks, state wildlife areas, state trust lands, and other state owned forested lands. Other activities include planning and implementing forest management and fuels treatment projects on state parks and state trust lands.
Urban & Community Forestry – Typical activities include providing technical assistance to urban and rural communities; providing workshops, trainings and other outreach; supporting tree boards; assisting communities with long-range forest management planning; designing and implementing street tree and park inventory; managing the Tree City USA program; Arbor Day support; promoting tree planting and reforestation; supporting non-profit community forestry organizations such as the Colorado Tree Coalition; provide technical assistance on insects and disease. The forester should be able to identify tree species grown in Colorado and be able to interpret inventory data into meaningful management plans that promote the increase of tree cover in various Colorado communities.
Wildfire Mitigation and Fuels Treatment – Typical activities include the identification, design and implementation of wildfire mitigation projects primarily with private landowners, which includes fuel breaks and individual and linked defensible space in the Home Ignition Zone. These projects are funded primarily through various state and federal cost-share grants. The Forester will assist staff in promoting and implementing fuels mitigation grant programs including project design, administration, contractor selection, and see the projects to completion. Additionally, geospatial (GIS) mapping of projects is required.
Administration (10%)
Administration – Professional development training; agency committee participation; grant administration; agency representation on internal and external teams; and program associated administration.
Facilities and Vehicles – Facilities maintenance including grounds keeping, snow removal; vehicle management.
Grant Program Administration – Typical activities to include supervision of existing grant projects, ensure completion, and provide review and certification for grants through accurate reporting and accountability for reimbursements for many programs within the agency, including but not limited to: Urban and Community Forestry, various Forest Management projects, etc. They must be able to manage multiple grant programs in accomplishing fuel mitigation projects by establishing a thorough understanding of various grants, grant application development and review, accuracy, timely reporting and accountability. Pursue new projects and provide technical support for landowners throughout the grant process as well as during implementation of the projects. Develop new grant applications for CSFS and cooperators.
Outreach (5%)
Landowner and cooperator technical assistance – Typical activities will consist of providing technical assistance to landowners and cooperators in identifying forest management issues and needs, including appropriate information and assistance from CSFS and other sources. Assist with development of forest management projects and service delivery to landowners, communities, and other agencies. Assist with the completion of current and future fee-for-service projects for landowners and cooperators.
Technology Transfer/Educational Events – Presentations, workshops, and outreach related to forest management, silviculture, insects and disease, forest health, forest ecology, wildfire mitigation, fire prevention, and other forestry topics.
Training – Provide training to landowners, communities, state agencies, elected officials, city foresters, tree boards, contractors and consultants.
Appointment and Benefit Information: This is an Administrative Professional position at Colorado State University. Insurance benefits are provided, and administrative professionals may select from several options for medical, dental, life, and personal disability insurance, as well as retirement plans. Full-time administrative professionals earn a full 24 days of vacation and another 15 days of sick leave annually, and have access to additional benefits, such as free employee study privileges of up to 9 credits per year at Colorado State University, and/or a 50% reduction of tuition costs for Spouse/Partner and children. CSU does offer Domestic Partner benefits.
Special Instructions to Applicants: Per the required job qualifications, the Society of American Forester (SAF) accredited natural resource/forestry programs and/or schools can be viewed at the following link: http://safnet.org/education/AccreditedForestryUrbanForestryDegreeProgramGuide.pdf
Application Information. When applying with the Colorado State Forest Service, applicants are requested to submit the materials listed below through an online process at http://csfs.colostate.edu/employment/.
Search Contact: For questions about this position or the application process, please contact Sarah Badding at csfs_jobs@mail.colostate.edu or 970-491-7293.
Required Application Materials:
1) Résumé should be a maximum of three pages (one sided). For communication purposes, please include your physical address and an email address.
2) Cover Letter should be no longer than four pages (one sided) and include statements describing skills that meet the required job qualifications; desired job qualifications; and essential job duties described in this announcement.
3) Professional References should include one page with names, addresses, affiliation, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses for five professional references, including your last three supervisors, if applicable. References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.
4) College transcripts that show cumulative GPA and the type of degree awarded must be included with application (photocopies or scanned copies submitted by the applicant will be accepted). Please note should you be invited, you will be required to submit official transcripts via fax, email, or mail before or at time of interview.
All of these materials must be received for applications to be considered complete by closing date.
Please allow at least two to three weeks after the full consideration date for us to review your application materials and determine those candidates we plan to invite to interview. If you are not selected for an interview, we will send you a notification when the process is complete. Should you be invited to an in-person interview, the Colorado State Forest Service will cover all reasonable travel expenses per candidate. At the time of on-campus interviews, application materials of finalist candidates will be made available to Colorado State Forest Service and other relevant constituents.
EEO Statement: Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and
Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
Background Check Policy Statement: Colorado State University (CSU) strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal (felony and misdemeanor) history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the university, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.
