Forest Officer

Role Responsibilities

Are you eager to kick-start your career in Wildfire and Forest Management? Perhaps you are a recent graduate, ready to learn the ropes and make a real impact or maybe you already have a forestry background with seasonal wildfire experience and are seeking an exciting adventure and a place to grow? If you are passionate about serving the Grande Prairie Forest Area with your pre-suppression and suppression knowledge, then look no further - this is the perfect opportunity to showcase your skills!

As a Forest Officer, you will play a crucial role within the Wildfire Management Program, reporting to a Wildfire Technologist. Your knowledge of wildfire behavior and prevention, firefighting techniques, and understanding of forest ecology will be invaluable in facilitating and participating in wildfire prevention, operations and forest management. You will actively contribute to wildfire detection, enforcement, education, engineering, pre-suppression, suppression activities, as well as supervise and coordinate seasonal wildland firefighting crews, ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of wildfire suppression activities.

In addition to your involvement in the Wildfire Management Program, you will have the opportunity to support wildfire detection and operation components. As a Forest Officer, your responsibilities will include supervising Helitack Crews, Lookout personnel, Air Tanker Base Personnel, Firebases and other facilities ensuring program consistency. You will also be enforcing various forms of legislation and supporting FireSmart initiatives. You will also be involved in monitoring forestry company operations for compliance and assisting with delivery of various forest health program initiatives.

This is your chance to consider making a difference and contribute to the protection and preservation of our forests as a Forest Officer and seize the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, expand your knowledge, and work in a dynamic environment where every day brings new challenges and rewards.

Please click on this link to view the job description.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Drive for Results: Strives to exceed objectives and maximize resources to achieve results aligned with the goals of the department, considerate to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop Networks: Maintains close relations with all stakeholders, actively incorporates the needs of the broader group, and ensures overall client satisfaction.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Takes a collaborative approach with your work to foster open communication and leverage team skills.
• Agility: Identifies alternative approaches in uncertain, complex situations, supporting others in determining and assessing strategy.
• Systems Thinking: Considers the changing environment, recognizing the work impacting a vast network of stakeholders.

Qualifications

The minimum requirements for Forest Officer role are a two-year diploma in Forestry or a related Natural Resource Management field plus three (3) years of directly related forestry or wildfire experience.

Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of: one year of experience for one year of education or one year of education for one year of experience.
 

Assets:

• Supervisory or leadership experience.
• Eligibility for registration with the Association of Alberta Forest Management Professionals.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

This position is a permanent, full-time role with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday. The incumbent will be required to work overtime, which may include evenings and weekends due to the emergency nature of wildfires.

Travel within the area and throughout the province will be required as part of your responsibilities to coordinate with Ministry staff and colleagues, other government departments, clients, and other external stakeholders. 

Application Information:

• In your application, please include a cover letter detailing your interest and role-related experience. 
• In your resume include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part time or full time. For example, January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Foreman (PT three 8-hour shifts/week).
• Three (3) work-related references are required for those selected for an interview.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

What the GoA has to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.