Position Description and Application Information
These integrated entry-level Forestry Technician positions coupled with career ladders, provide a sequence of training steps that lead to progressively more advanced jobs and skillsets throughout a Forest Service employee's career. Recruitment Incentives may be offered to qualifying candidates.
For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact the Workforce Entry Team at sm.fs.weteam@usda.gov.
- This is a trainee position in the Forestry Technician profession that performs basic duties and receives training in support of:
- a unit's various forestry, recreation and natural resources management programs, such as timber and silviculture, recreation and trails, wildlife, fisheries, watershed improvement, range, special uses, and wildland fire.
- The responsibilities are listed at the full performance level and may include:
- Marks and measures specific tree species and observes defects under the guidance of a supervisor.
- Gathers, compiles, and recommends improvements for developed and dispersed recreation sites on the unit.
- Functions as Collection Officer for recreation sites. Collects fees, count, reconciles money collected, and ensures deposits are made appropriately.
- Assists with putting together project proposals and with conducting studies for providing input in National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) project analysis.
- Conducts a variety of field studies of sensitive wildlife and fish species to determine numbers, environmental conditions, and the condition of the species and its habitat, and factor affecting the health and welfare of the species and its habitat.
- Conducts water resource inventories, implements water resource improvement project plans, and evaluates impacts of Forest management on the aquatic resources.
- Participates in the development of plans and programs for range management by collecting data for grazing allotment plans and advising management as to what improvements are needed and what management practices can be affected.
- Identifies plants and noxious weeds in the field and applies the proper protection or noxious weed controls.
- Measures and lays out the boundary of areas designated for planting, site preparation, and timber stand improvement contracts.
- Engages with visitors and permitted users and patrols for compliance in various natural resources program areas.
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
- Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.
Qualifications
To qualify, you must meet the
eligibility and
qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the
Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.Basic Requirement: GS-04: Applicants must have 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience. General experience is defined as 1 or more of the following:- performing manual labor such as construction work, stocking shelves, working on farms, ranches, or other settings such as feeding and tending to livestock, maintaining farm facilities and equipment, and/or like facilities and equipment;- working in greenhouses, nurseries, or landscaping by tasks like planting, moving, watering, and caring for plants; and/or
- engaging in general maintenance duties like custodial work, mowing, or tending grounds; and/or
- providing mechanical, electrical, or plumbing services; and/or
- working as an animal caretaker in laboratories, zoos, or pet stores, tending to tribal livestock and/or hatchery resources; and/or
- working outdoors or in the recreation industry; and/or
- serving as a cashier and managing money; and/or
- conducting administrative tasks and/or managing correspondences or files; and/or
- working in customer service or the service industry; and/or
- being a delivery truck driver or working in transportation; and/or
- gaining other work experience, whether paid or unpaid, such as volunteering or interning for research or academic projects; tribal, cultural or art organizations; professional association or societies; at various organizations like parks, food banks, youth camps, caregiving, hospitals or nursing homes; participating in community and tribal engagement initiatives; and supporting sports leagues, local fire and police departments and/or other non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
AND Specialized experience is defined as 1 or more of the following:- assisted in preparing reports, visual aids, and maps which provided information, general conditions of the area; and/or assisted with inspections and reported findings on various natural resource projects (i.e., timber and silviculture, vegetation management, reforestation, recreation and trails, wildlife, fisheries, watershed improvement, range, special uses, plants, and noxious weeds identification and/or control, etc.); and/or
- assisted in maintenance of recreation areas or features within an area and a variety of types of trails in accordance with predetermined standards and reports on condition; and/or
- assisted in routine observations, measurement, surveys, inventorying, and recording of scientific data used to support natural resource management reports, projects, plans, or permitted uses; and/or
- assisted with inspections, patrols, or contracts/permits for parts of a project; and/or
- used databases, software, or apps in support of data collection, data management, or in preparation of visuals for forestry or natural resource projects; and/or
- assisted in the preparation, building, installing and/or maintenance of features or structures to support parts of restoration or protection for wildlife, fisheries, range, botany-related, and watershed improvement projects; and/or
- assisted customers with a variety questions or concerns related to natural resources, forests, and/or conservation using a variety of communication methods; and/or
- used chainsaws and other power equipment to implement thinning, planting, pruning, fire suppression and other silvicultural projects; and/or
- experiences related to Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) such as but not limited to gathering of wild plants and other materials, subsistence practice such as traditional hunting and fishing, cultural burning, traditional plant uses, resource management through traditional practices and conservation principles, environmental monitoring related to the health and dynamics of the ecosystem, cultural preservation, and sharing ITEK through advocating and educating.
OR Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable);
OR An appropriate combination of experience and education above high school as described above. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university and include courses that are related to the occupation of the position.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
See above for educational qualifications.
