Natural Resource Specialist 2 - Monitoring Specialist

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Welcome to the Oregon Department of Forestry

Our Mission – To protect and promote resilient forests that benefit all Oregonians.

The Benefits of Joining Our Team

Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, competitive benefits packages and so much more. Great Benefits Package - watch this video here.  You’ll be part of the ODF team that serves our fellow Oregonians relying on regulation and protection of both public and private forest land in our great state of Oregon!​ Click here.

This position will be located at and report to the Salem office daily.  The position will require work in the office, or field, full-time during the first month of employment and may be eligible for a hybrid/remote work schedule with the ability to report to Salem when business or operational needs are dependent on onsite activities. Occasional travel may be required.

What we are looking for:

This position is part of the Water Quality and Monitoring Unit in the Forest Resources Division in Salem. The purpose of this division is to encourage economically efficient forest practices that ensure the continuous growing and harvesting of forest tree species, consistent with the sound management of soil, air, water, fish and wildlife resources and to assure the continued benefits of these resources for future generations; and to provide technical and financial assistance to non-federal forest landowners to improve  management on private forest lands. The benefits derived from this program affect all Oregonians.

The Compliance Monitoring Program within the Forest Resources Division is responsible for monitoring the implementation of forest practice rules and analyzing compliance rates.  The program collects information that allows for improvement in landowner compliance with the forest practices rules through training and education.  Therefore, the compliance monitoring program works closely with the ODF Training Program to deliver presentations and other forms of communication to targeted audiences including landowners, operators, and ODF field foresters.  Withing the compliance monitoring program, a team of Monitoring Specialists plan, implement, and report out on monitoring studies annually.

The Monitoring Specialist duties include: 

• Plan, conduct, analyze, and report on forest monitoring projects statewide.
• Perform extensive fieldwork, with some overnight travel, to collect environmental and forest practice data.
• Manage, organize, and analyze complex datasets and GIS data using using ArcGIS Pro.
• Train, lead, and oversee seasonal staff and/or work teams performing data collection.
• Develop, coordinate, and oversee work completed by contractors, as assigned.
• Interpret monitoring results and provide recommendations or, further study needs, to the Monitoring Coordinator and program managers.
• Apply technical knowledge of the Forest Practices Act, DEQ water quality standards, and state and federal regulatory requirements to support program objectives.
• Provide support to the Protection from Fire Program during wildfire or other emergency incidents.

Minimum Qualifications:

Two years of experience in Forestry or a closely related natural resource field, and a bachelor's degree in Forestry or a closely related natural resource field.

OR

Three additional years of related (pertinent) experience

OR
One year of experience in Forestry or a closely related natural resource field and a master's degree in Forestry or a closely related natural resource field.

Note: Driver’s License Check - This position requires the operation of a state vehicle for the purpose of conducting official State business. If your license is from outside Oregon, you must submit at least a three-year court/DMV printout.  If you have an Oregon driver’s license, a record check will be conducted on the top candidate to ensure a valid license and acceptable driving record.

Desired Skills:

• Proficiency with GIS tools and spatial data management
• Field data collection skills across diverse forest resource topics
• Ability to lead, train, and coordinate seasonal field crews
• Strong data management, quality control, and database skills
• Effective communication with landowners, stakeholders, and team members
• Technical knowledge of forest ecosystems, hydrology, and environmental processes
• Skill in operating, calibrating, and maintaining electronic field monitoring equipment
• Experience in scientific or technical writing and presenting technical information including study methodology, results, and conclusions. 

How to Apply:

• Cover letter and resume are both required - Failure to submit the required cover letter or resume will remove your application from consideration. Note: Your resume and cover letter may be uploaded in the Resume/CV field on the online application.
• Current State of Oregon employees – You must apply through your employee Workday account.
• Please ensure the work history in your applicant profile is up to date.
• The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process.
• Please contact the recruiter under the ‘Need Help” section if you have any questions about how to fill out the fields of experience or to attach a document. Your submitted experience fields or attached resume must include dates (MM/YYYY) for each employer.

Salary determination: 

Per the Pay Equity Law passed in 2017, a pay equity analysis for starting salary will be conducted to determine what pay step the successful candidate will be offered. The analysis will be based on the submitted materials and the time of application.  No other documents will be accepted after submission of application. Please include any relevant information and materials if you wish to be compensated accordingly.

Additional Details:

• This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies. This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
• If you have questions about this position, please contact Hiring Manager:  [email protected] 
• The Oregon Department of Forestry does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States. ODF will use E-Verify to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.
• Veterans - Eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former) who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded candidate preference. After you have applied you will be sent a task in your Workday account to provide your veteran documentation at that time. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources.
• If you have questions about the job announcement, or need an alternate format to apply, please contact recruiter:  [email protected] 

ODF is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or any other class protected by state or federal laws in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring, and employment practices.