FORESTRY TECHNICIAN - 10142025- 72097

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY OPERATIONS DIVISION, CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Working Title: Forest Health Technician

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school and experience equivalent to three years of full-time work in one or a combination of the following areas: (1) fire suppression or fire prevention, (2) the conservation of trees, soil, water, or wildlife, (3) the farming or harvesting of forest products or orchards, (4) land surveying or mapping, (5) the operation of sawmills or tractors or bulldozers, or (6) maintenance and repair of heavy equipment or carpentry.

Substitution of Education for Experience: Additional college coursework in fire science, emergency management, homeland security, and natural resources from an accredited college or university may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis to a maximum of two years.

Substitution of Experience for Education: Experience in fire suppression or fire prevention; the conservation of trees, soil, water, or wildlife; the farming or harvesting of forest products or orchards; land surveying or mapping; the operation of sawmills or tractors or bulldozers; or maintenance and repair of heavy equipment or carpentry may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis to a maximum of four years.

Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:
1. Possess and maintain a valid vehicle operator's license during employment;
2. Be at least eighteen (18) years of age on the date of application;
3. Take and pass the job-related work capacity test for wildland firefighters (WCT) for positions that perform fire line activity as one of their primary duties. This test consists of walking 2 miles with a 25-pound backpack in 30 minutes or less;
4. Maintain a level of physical fitness and general health (both physically and mentally) which shall permit them to effectively perform their duties.

Examination Method: Education and Experience, 100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Overview

Under general supervision, performs fire prevention, fire suppression, and conservation work on state forests and private lands of considerable difficulty; and performs related work as required.

This is the supervisory class in the Forestry Aide sub-series. An employee in this class supervises incident operation resources in preparedness, planning, and implementation of a wide variety of wildland fire suppression and related work in fire management, forest management and reforestation on state forests and private lands. This class differs from a Forestry Aide 2 in that an incumbent of the latter operates heavy equipment, leads a crew in wildland fire suppression and conservation work and does not evaluate performance of employees.

Responsibilities

1. Supervises other wildland firefighters and external resources on wildland fire suppression, prevention, and prescribed fire activities and on other all-hazard situations by ensuring safety, coordinating job assignments and maintaining effective communication.

2. Serves as incident commander, assesses environmental conditions of active fires and available resources, and applies knowledge of fire behavior to determine course of action to control fires. Constructs a fire line using hand tools (e.g., fire rake, Pulaski, and leaf blower) for extended periods of time.

3. Manages and schedules daily activities of staff to set short-term priorities such as: fire prevention activities, facility maintenance needs, vehicle maintenance needs, State Forest activities, landowner assistance, and vendor services.

4. Oversees feedback received from landowners, fire departments, and other public agencies by gathering information from all parties. Gathers forest inventory data to assist Area Foresters in writing forest management plans.

5. May be responsible for documenting and reporting status of compliance with state outdoor burning laws within assigned area.

6. Develops and maintains positive and productive working relationships with the forest industry such as cooperators (e.g., fire departments, rescue squads, emergency management) and other state agencies regarding wildland fire prevention, training, public outreach, suppression, burn permits, and all-hazard situations.

7. Supervises direct reports both technically and administratively. Conducts performance evaluations. Develops appropriate training to ensure direct reports maintain working knowledge of and adhere to internal policies and procedures. Identifies opportunities appropriate for direct reports to promote development and performance.

8. May operate and maintain heavy equipment. Operates and performs minor repairs and maintenance on various equipment.

9. Supervises the monitoring, detection, and control of forest pests, invasive species, environmental, and other forest health issues.

10. Maintains various records such as: active projects, fire reports, water quality reports, vehicle/equipment maintenance, and facility/equipment safety inspections. Manages inventory on equipment and supplies.

11. Attends mandatory trainings required by the division.

12. Assists in the evaluation and review of timber harvest sites on private or public forest land for implementation of forestry Best Management Practices and/or contract compliance.

Competencies (KSA's)

1. Action Oriented
2. Optimizes Work Processes
3. Builds Effective Teams
4. Self-Development
5. Directs Work

1. Administration and Management
2. Public Safety and Security
3. Building and Construction
4. Customer and Personal Service
5. Mechanical

1. Active Learning and Listening
2. Complex Problem Solving
3. Coordination
4. Equipment Maintenance
5. Instructing

1. Auditory Attention
2. Deductive Reasoning
3. Inductive Reasoning
4. Spatial Orientation
5. Peripheral Vision

Tools & Equipment

1. Office Equipment
2. Safety and Heavy Equipment
3. Fire Line Hand Tools
4. GPS Unit
5. Mobile and Portable Radio

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include your Driver's License Information under the Licenses and Certifications section of your application.

**Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.