About the position
The Forester position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is a critical role focused on forest management and inventory of forestlands in Florida. This position operates under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program. The Forester will be responsible for locating, relocating, and re-establishing permanent forest plots using specialized forestry tools and equipment. This includes gathering, encoding, summarizing, and downloading/uploading forest resource data in both digital and hard copy formats. The role requires specific coding of land uses, stand history, forest classification, vegetative type, ecosystems, and other relevant data to be determined and encoded accurately. In addition to data collection, the Forester will identify forest land ownership in each county through various methods, including map features, plats, aerial photography, and site visits. The position also involves operating motor vehicles to transport personnel to various forest and non-forest plot locations. The Forester will conduct Forest Inventory and Forest Health Monitoring, Forest Utilization studies, and Timber Product Output surveys as assigned. Regular reporting to the State FIA Coordinator and/or US Forest Service personnel is required to convey information on progress, problems, and changes affecting data collection. The Forester will also provide on-the-job training for field personnel temporarily assigned to forest resource data collection and will meet periodically with peers to resolve issues and share updated techniques critical to data collection. Continuous improvement is a key aspect of this role, as the Forester will conduct studies to enhance forest data collection, statistical modeling, and inventory processes. Attendance at periodic training sessions is expected to improve job productivity and data collection techniques. Other related duties may be assigned as necessary.
Responsibilities
- Locate and re-establish permanent forest plots using specialized forestry tools and equipment.
- Gather, encode, summarize, and download/upload forest resource data in digital and hard copy formats.
- Determine and encode specific coding of land uses, stand history, forest classification, vegetative type, and ecosystems.
- Identify forest land ownership through various methods including maps and aerial photography.
- Operate motor vehicles to transport personnel to forest and non-forest plot locations.
- Conduct Forest Inventory and Forest Health Monitoring, Forest Utilization studies, and Timber Product Output surveys as assigned.
- Produce and develop reports and correspondence for the State FIA Coordinator and US Forest Service personnel.
- Provide on-the-job training for field personnel in forest resource data collection.
- Meet with peers to resolve problems and share updated techniques for data collection.
- Conduct studies to improve forest data collection and inventory processes.
Requirements
- A bachelor's and/or master's degree in forestry or a related field from a Society of American Foresters accredited college or university.
- Possession of a valid driver's license is required.
- Must obtain Forest Inventory and Analysis certification from the US Forest Service with an 80% test score within 12 months of appointment.
- Maintain at least an 87% check score average as determined by the US Forest Service.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience with forest management and inventory processes.
- Familiarity with USDA Forest Service programs and procedures.
- Ability to work in various environmental conditions.
Benefits
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Paid holidays
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
