Area Forester

Role Responsibilities

Are you passionate about safeguarding our forest resources for future generations? We're seeking a dedicated individual to fill the role of Forest Sustainability Specialist, reporting directly to the Senior Forester. In this role, you'll be instrumental in ensuring the sustainability of our forest ecosystems by meticulously reviewing and auditing tenure-based forest management planning and operations within the Edson Forest Area.

Key Responsibilities:

•    Monitoring industry planning, silvicultural activities, and forest operations to maintain vital linkages to detailed Forest Management Plans (FMA), quota agreements, provincial legislation, and departmental directives.
•    Effective communication for conveying sustainable forest management principles to diverse stakeholders, including forest and other industries, the public, and First Nations communities.
•    Mediating conflicts between various interest groups will be part of your daily responsibilities, ensuring that local issues are effectively managed to promote harmony and sustainability.
•    Regulation and legislation concerning timber management companies in a specified sphere of influence, you'll collaborate closely with embedded quota holders and contribute to the development and implementation of Detailed Forest Management Plans and operational ground rules.
•    Conduct audits of timber harvesting operations through our Forest Operations Monitoring Program, ensuring compliance with established standards and best practices.
•    Acting as an area representative, you'll contribute your expertise to the development of regulations, policies, and procedures aimed at enhancing forest sustainability and management practices.

If you're a dedicated professional with a passion for forest conservation and possess the technical expertise required to drive impactful changes, we encourage you to apply! Join us in our mission to protect and preserve our precious forest resources for generations to come.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

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.

•    Creative Problem Solving: Anticipates, assess, and readily adapts to changing priorities, maintain resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment.
•    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. 
•    Develop Self and Others: Aims to learn from experiences, shift, and keep current with our skills and knowledge to remain competitive.

Qualifications

Education:

The minimum requirements for this role are a university degree in Forestry, Sciences, Natural Resources or a related field plus four (4) years of related experience. 

Directly related education or experience is considered on a one-for-one basis, such as:
•    A two-year diploma plus six (6) years of related experience

Additional requirements include:

•    Class 5 Driver’s License
•    Canada Safety Council endorsed Defensive Driving Course 
•    First Aid, Level "C" CPR, certificate
•    Eligible for registration with the Association of Alberta Forest Management Professionals.

Assets include:

•    Supervisory or leadership experience.
•    Forest management planning/operations and fireline certification.
•    Project management experience.
•    Crew leader or member experience. 
•    Experience operating equipment such as off-highway vehicles, 4x4 vehicles, and snowmobiles.
•    Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, ArcMap, or other GIS applications.
•    Strong mediation and negotiation skills and the ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships with various stakeholders.

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 standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday. The incumbent may be required to work overtime, evenings, and weekends due to the emergency nature of wildfire operations. The position is based out of either the Edson or Hinton office; however, the successful candidate may be required to work from both locations as operational needs dictate.

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. 

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. 

Candidates may be asked to complete a written assignment as a part of the interview process.

Application Information:

•    In your application, please include a cover page 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: Assistant (PT three 8 hrs. shifts/week).
•    Three (3) work-related references are required for those selected for an interview

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

•    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.