Forestry Technician

Created at: December 16, 2025 00:04

Company: Bureau of Land Management

Location: Missoula, MT, 59801

Job Description:

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource. We expect to fill few vacancies. Note: These are not firefighter positions. This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year.
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. GS-06: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level. Examples of specialized experience may include collecting and compiling forest and woodland management data regarding location, character, extent, volume, rate of growth and quality of timber; designating timber to be removed in timber sales or for use disposal; and preparing reports on forest and woodland trespass cases; OR one year of graduate level education directly related to the work of a Forestry Technician such as forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject matter field directed related to the position; OR a combination of experience and education to meet the total experience. GS-07: One (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS-6 level. Examples of specialized experience may include assisting professional foresters by gathering a variety of resource information for the forestry portion of resource analysis and management planning documents; researching and drafting assigned segments of documents; administering limited timber sales contracts; and preparing forest road layouts; OR one year of graduate level education directly related to the work of a Forestry Technician such as forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject matter field directed related to the position; OR A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Physical Demands/Work Environments: Work requires some physical exertion such as bending and walking/hiking in terrain that is rough, rocky, mountainous and densely vegetated that may also be steep, wet and muddy. Required to lift and carry equipment necessary to perform the work of the position, this includes tools, personal protective equipment, food and water for extended periods away from a vehicle. Work while in the office is performed in adequately lighted, ventilated, cooled and heated area. Fieldwork is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme and adverse weather conditions and injuries and discomforts from pests and animals.
Conducts timber cruises and stand surveys within varying stand conditions to locate and estimate the character and quantity of timber on a given area, according to species type and tree quality.
Assist professional foresters in the layout out of timber treatment areas including blazing/posting/painting unit boundaries, assist in identifying special treatment areas, and assist in identifying yarding methods within project units.
Measure and identify defects of timber on the ground using maps and follow written cruise plans provided by an advanced cruiser that explains sampling intensity, plot locations, type of cruise and any special instructions.
Under supervision of a professional forester, and using pre-established marking guide/rules, Forestry Technicians select and mark trees to be harvested or left uncut.
Marks trees using an approved marking guide/rules in areas complicated by variations in type, species composition, defect, site, age, class, etc. Prepares area maps, marks unit boundaries and uses GPS to record boundary locations.
Conduct stand examinations gathering stand metrics including tree species, diameter at breast height, tree height, crown height, age estimations, and an inventory of snags over a given area.
May lead small crews in routine tree marking and stand exams activities with oversight from higher grade Foresters or Forest Technicians.
Summarizes cruising, marking, and stand exam data and prepares reports and topographic maps indicating quantity of timber, condition of area, difficulties to be encountered, etc.
Cone collection, site preparation and planting, performing reforestation stocking surveys, determining the heath of planted trees, pre-commercial thinning.
Timber sale preparation tasks as needed including stream inception surveys, native and non-native botanical surveys, and other duties as assigned.


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