Mount Rainier National Park is recruiting for a Forestry Technician, GS-09, to manage the park hazard tree program. The position is an opportunity for management-critical work for those with experience and interest in forest management, forest ecology, plant pathology, and arboriculture. This is a permanent, career seasonal position in Longmire, WA.

Apply online by March 2!

Open to the Public: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/559830900

Government-wide and other hiring authorities: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/559831800

The incumbent is responsible for planning, carrying out, and supervising implementation of the hazard tree management program including: inventory and monitoring of forest trees, pests, and pathogens; hazard tree surveillance and evaluation; field data collection, including mapping (geographic information system tools); data management and reporting; administrative work; and supervisory duties.

Responsibilities include:

• Conducts surveys to evaluate hazard tree potential using current methodologies and techniques.
• Performs forest health assessments and studies using knowledge of tree and forest health issues, including tree species, tree pests and pathogens.
• Tracks hazard trees through coordinated, regular monitoring of status or mitigation using standardized data collection methods in a geodatabase.
• Proposes appropriate treatments and mitigations of hazard trees to ensure public and employee safety.
• Participates in tree treatment and follow-up evaluations.
• Coordinates complex work planning with other divisions and contractors, including overseeing tree mitigations.
• Prepares technical reports summarizing hazard tree program actions.
• Provides expert comments on compliance matters related to forest management.
• Develops annual work plans for the hazard tree management program in keeping with program goals and emergent needs.
• Manages project budgets.
• Inventories and maintains equipment needed for hazard tree assessment and mitigation.
• Acts as supervisor and provides leadership and training to seasonal field crews, including interns and staff from other divisions.

Work will be conducted independently and will require the appointee to be self-directed and motivated. The incumbent is under the direct supervision of the park Plant Ecologist and will supervise seasonal employees in technical assessments and hazard tree control. The employee will be expected to work in a team atmosphere, be responsible for creating a safe and inclusive environment, and to communicate professionally and respectfully with staff of this and other parks, agencies and partners. The position organizationally is located within the Division of Natural and Cultural Resources at Mount Rainier National Park.

Qualifications:
To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-08 level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector; measuring forest stands or individual trees, including diagnosing defects or health issues or identifying hazardous trees, to make recommendations in forest or urban tree management decisions. Examples of qualifying experience include, but are not limited to: inventorying, studying, or implementing studies of forest stands, including forest vegetation documentation and/or pests and pathogen presence and effects; recommending and/or implementing tree mitigations; using geodatabase or database software to document high quality field data; coordinating forest management efforts from field surveys to tree removal; providing leadership, training and supervision to forest field crews; summarizing forest management efforts, verbally and in writing.

-OR-

Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master’s or equivalent graduate degree related to the occupation, such as, but not limited to, forestry, forest stewardship, forest or plant pathology, forest or plant entomology, plant biology or ecology, fire sciences, conservation or environmental sciences, natural resource management.

-OR-

Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of completed graduate education beyond the first year by 18 (or 27 for quarter hours). Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.
Requirements:
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Preferred: Current or previous certification in chainsaw use for tree treatments and felling (e.g. NPS Chainsaw Safety Program for Non-Wildland Fire Operators (NCSP) at the level of a working faller)
• Ability to obtain qualifications in USFS Region 6 Hazard Tree Assessment within 1 year of EOD (training arranged by supervisor)
• Preferred: Current or previous Qualification in Hazard Tree Assessment using standard methodologies.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver’s license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator’s License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver’s licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 1-5 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.