Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-5060 (970) 491-6303
FAX: (970) 491-7736
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
File Reference: 2014-16
Position Title: Forester, 2-year appointment
Location: Franktown, Colorado
Salary: $32,000 – $35,000, Commensurate with experience
Employment Status: This full-time, 2-year appointment will be a Colorado State
University Administrative Professional employee.
Full Consideration
Date: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; however,
applicants should submit all application materials by February 17,
2015 for full consideration.
General Position Description and Duties: Under the supervision of the District Forester, this Forester will be responsible for specific tasks within the following areas: forest management, outreach and education to the public, and project administration. A successful candidate should possess the following: public speaking experience, strong written and verbal communication skills, ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners, problem solving and decision making abilities utilizing feedback to evaluate options and implement solutions.
This position serves the Franktown District of the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS). The successful candidate must have experience with forestry field equipment, including but not limited to: increment borers, clinometers, prisms/basal area gauges, compasses, diameter tapes, and GPS equipment. The Forester will support forest management and wildfire mitigation activities through: design, layout, and administration of forest management projects; forest stand inventory and developing forest management plans; providing technical assistance to cooperators and landowners; conducting site visits with landowners for insect and disease detection, wildfire mitigation, and general forest management; developing scopes of work, contracts, and conducting bid inspections for projects; conducting forestry outreach to landowners through public presentations. The Forester will also assist other district personnel with the following programs: urban and community forestry; insect and disease detection and control; the forest agriculture tax classification program; Denver Water forest management; wildfire fuels reduction; and various grant programs.
Applicants are expected to possess demonstrated knowledge of and ability to work with culturally diverse communities among potential target and constituent populations.
Unique Aspects of this Position:
Irregular work hours and periodic long days, evening and weekend service, and periodic
overnight travel.
Minimum Qualifications:
A Society of American Foresters (SAF) accredited Baccalaureate or Master’s degree
program option is required (please see accreditation link in the Application Information section of this announcement).
Six months professional forestry experience.
Ability to operate four-wheel-drive and all-terrain vehicles, use and maintain forestry equipment, and to perform strenuous outdoor work in a variety of terrain and weather conditions is required.
Successful applicants must have a valid Colorado driver’s license or the ability to acquire one upon employment.
Preferred Qualifications:
2 years professional forestry experience.
Ability to perform GIS based data entry; capable of using GIS/GPS units to collect field data (Garmin/Trimble)
Proficient with the general Microsoft Office software products.
Experience with ArcMap and ArcGIS software.
Ability to exhibit confidence and competence in public presentations.
Completion of ATV Operator safety training.
Completion of S-212 Power Saws certification.
Experience with contracts, agreements, and grant management.
Basic knowledge of western United States forest management techniques in the following areas: silviculture; harvesting systems; forest management planning; wildfire hazard mitigation, forest insect and disease detection, prevention, and suppression; community forestry; agroforestry; and outreach.
Ability to properly plant seedling trees.
Comprehension of basic field forestry skills (cruising, timber marking, topographic map and aerial photography interpretation).
Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
Committed to safety, quality, demonstrated excellent customer service ethic and professionalism.
National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Firefighter 2 qualification.
Demonstrated experience with participation on teams, committees and other special assignments.
Appointment and Benefit Information about Position: This is an Administrative Professional position at Colorado State University. Insurance benefits are provided, and administrative professionals may select from several options for medical, dental, life, and personal disability insurance, as well as retirement plans. Full-time administrative professionals earn a full 24 days
of vacation and another 15 days of sick leave annually, and have access to additional benefits, such as free employee study privileges of up to 9 credits per year at Colorado State University, and/or a 50% reduction of tuition costs for Spouse/Partner and children. CSU does offer Domestic Partner benefits.
Franktown District: The Franktown District serves Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln Counties in Colorado’s central Front Range. The District office is located just east of the Town of Castle Rock and is within 30 minutes of the Denver Metro area.
The District’s primary forest cover types including ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and Gambel oak in Douglas-Elbert Counties and then transitions into grasslands with scattered trees in Arapahoe, Lincoln, and eastern Elbert County. The western portion of the district contains the USFS South Platte Ranger District with private lands intermixed, including Denver Water properties.
The Franktown District provides a full complement of CSFS programs and services, including private and state land forest management assistance, wildfire hazard mitigation and community wildfire protection plans, grant programs for local communities, organizations, and landowners, and forestry education and outreach. The demand for CSFS services is steadily increasing and is the reason an additional Forester position is needed. The CSFS is well respected in the area, and has developed a good working relationship with our many landowners, cooperators, and partners. The District Forester has developed a team approach to deliver CSFS programs and services where each staff members takes the lead on one or more program areas and all staff members are expected to assist as needed for successful, efficient and effective delivery of services and programs.
General Information about the Colorado State Forest Service: The Colorado State Forest Service is an agency of Colorado State University, Colorado’s land grant institution of higher education, and is housed, organizationally, in the Warner College of Natural Resources. The CSFS also staffs the Division of Forestry for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The CSFS has 15 field offices throughout the state, with a State Office located in Fort Collins on one of the foothills campuses of CSU.
Colorado’s elevations range from 3,500 feet to over 14,000 feet. Colorado’s ecosystems vary from short-grass prairie to alpine tundra, with many forest ecosystems between these treeless extremes. State forestry in Colorado covers a wide diversity of natural environments and human communities. State forestry personnel work with landowners, community representatives, youth, cooperators, and other agencies and disciplines to establish, manage, protect, and restore tree and forest resources. The CSFS utilizes an educational, incentives- based, and customer-service oriented approach, rather than a regulatory approach in working with landowners, cooperators, and partners to implement CSFS programs.
Society of American Forester (SAF) accredited natural resource/forestry programs and/or schools can be viewed at the following
link: http://www.eforester.org/education/Accredited%20ForestryUrbanForestryDegreeProgra mGuide2015.pdf.
Application Information: When applying with the Colorado State Forest Service, applicants are requested to submit the materials listed below through an online process
at http://csfs.colostate.edu.
Required Application Materials: 1) The letter of application/statement of qualifications should be no longer than four pages (one sided) and include statements describing skills that meet the minimum qualifications; and experience with the unique aspects of this position; preferred qualifications; and roles and responsibilities described in this announcement.
2) The résumé should be a maximum of three pages (one sided). For communication purposes, please include your physical address and an email address.
3) Professional References should include one page with names, addresses, affiliation, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses for five professional references, including your last three supervisors, if applicable. References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.
4) Official college transcripts that show cumulative GPA and the type of degree awarded must be included (photocopies or scanned copies submitted by the applicant will be accepted). Please allow an appropriate amount of time to obtain transcripts if you do not have a copy stating a degree was awarded.
5) (Optional) A list of Continuing Education coursework and activities that describe certifications, continuing education classes and workshops, may be included.
All of these materials must be received for applications to be considered complete by the full consideration date.
Please allow at least two to three weeks after the full consideration date for us to review your application materials and determine those candidates we plan to invite to interview. If you
are not selected for an interview, we will send you a notification when the process is complete. Should you be invited to an in-person interview, the Colorado State Forest Service will cover all reasonable travel expenses per candidate. At the time of on-campus interviews, application materials of finalist candidates will be made available to Forest Service and other relevant constituents.
Additional Information: For questions about this position or the application process, please contact Sarah Badding at csfs_jobs@mail.colostate.edu or 970-491-7293.
Background Investigations: Colorado State University (CSU) strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is
not limited to, criminal (felony and misdemeanor) history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will be
conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the university, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.
Nondiscrimination Status: Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.