Position Description

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING
Position Number: 00122917	Description Activated On: 12/12/2024 8:51:50 AM

Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively.

The Forest Technician is primarily responsible for providing technical forestry assistance to the District’s staff of foresters. The employee’s primary focus will be in the following program areas: timber management, forest recreation program, invasive species management, forest regeneration, forest insect and disease control, and assisting with rural and community forestry programs in Centre and Huntingdon Counties. Employee in the forest technician position will also be charged to assist in wildland fire prevention, pre-suppression, suppression, and prescribed fire activities as assigned.

Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor.

This position is headquartered at the Rothrock Forest District Office and work assignments will occur throughout the Rothrock Forest District and Rothrock State Forest.

Timber Management –

*Marks and estimates timber stumpage on sale areas using dendrology and mensuration skills by following instructions and prescriptions provided by a forester.

*Assists in the vegetation analysis, layout, GPS survey, and boundary marking of regeneration project areas including tree planting, herbicide, deer fencing, royer, and prescribed fire projects.

*Assists, as directed by the administrating forester, with the marking and GPS survey of timber sale boundaries and cutting block boundaries.

*Operates GPS equipment for a variety of surveying projects and downloads data for use with the Bureau’s GIS software. Prepares maps utilizing GIS.

*Assists foresters with layout, surveying, engineering, and marking of timber sale haul roads, log landings, and skid trails.

*Collects a variety of field data on paper data sheets and utilizing electronic hand-held data recorders (ie. Silvah stand analysis, competing vegetation surveys, deer impact studies, vegetative analysis on permanent plots, variable plot cruises, 20-year stand exams, prescribed fire plots, and wildlife surveys).

*Downloads various data collection equipment's electronic data files, reviews files for errors, and prepares files for export.

Recreation -

*Under the lead of the recreation forester or the forest assistant manager, maintains and evaluates recreational infrastructure through activities including, but not limited to, conducting periodic trail assessments, blazing and signing trails to Departmental standards, brushing trail, clearing trail following weather events, collecting GPS data of new trails and proposed trail relocations, and leading or supporting conservation volunteers in accomplishing trail projects

Forest Health –

*Assists in identifying forest insect and disease problems encountered during routine work and reports the information to a supervisor or forester. Assists District with insect/disease pre-suppression and suppression activities, surveillance flights, ground checking, and insecticide applications.

*Assists in identification and locating populations of invasive plant species. Participates in appropriate control measures of populations (ie. Herbicide applications: systemic, foliar, and soil).

Rural and Community Forestry-

*Assists Service Foresters with their collection of preliminary field data for stand analysis and the development of forest management plans (i.e. NRCS projects, Riparian Forest Buffer Projects, Stewardship Plans, Tree Farm Plans, etc.). Assists in executing stewardship enhancement practices including but not exclusive to tree planting, timber stand improvement, deer fence exclosures, wildlife habitat management, etc.

Forest Fire Protection/Fire Use –

*Assists with wildland fire prevention, pre-suppression, suppression, and mop-up activities.

*Maintains current level of wildland fire training.

*Participates in prescribed fire activities as directed and as needed, including participation as an instructor in certified wildland fire training courses.

*As interest and availability permits, participates in the Bureau of Forestry’s “Wildland Fire Crew Program”.

General Duties–

*Repairs and maintains in good condition hand tools and power equipment used to perform day-to-day activities and performs routine inspections and maintenance on vehicles as needed and directed. Maintains daily and monthly logs as directed.

*Assists with presentations to advance the forest conservation message to the public.

*Assists with search and rescue activities.

*Implements herbicide application treatments and has or possesses the ability to obtain a PA Pesticide Applicators License. Once a PA Pesticide Applicators License is acquired maintains certification by attending need continuing education courses and trainings.

*May occasionally function as a lead worker for several classifications in situations where experience/training warrants. Examples include, but are not limited to, application of herbicides for regeneration projects and invasive species control projects, monthly inspections of deer exclosures, or conducting fire suppression activities commensurate to the individual’s level of training and experience and their position in the ICS structure.

Utilizes and operates district's equipment for resource management activities related to regeneration projects, wildlife habitat improvement projects, recreation program projects, forest fire suppression and Rx-fire projects, and general state forest management activities. The equipment includes primarily the use of the mini-skidsteer with buckets, forks, or dozer blades, the UTVs and ATVs, the off-road dump trailer, and the district forklift. Other equipment as needed and available for use on resource management projects.

*Operates ATV’s, UTV’s, snowmobiles, power saws, and power sprayers as part of accomplishing duties and conducts necessary maintenance and troubleshooting of such equipment.

*Conducts inspections and maintenance of deer fencing on State Forest Lands.

*Operates a variety of computer programs (ie. Outlook, Word, Excel, ArcGIS, etc.)

*This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying the position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.

Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature.

Work is assigned both orally and/or in writing to help accomplish specific program goals and objectives by a forest assistant manager on a daily or weekly basis. Work is reviewed in progress and upon completion for quality of work, completeness, technical accuracy, attainment of goals and objectives, and compliance with Departmental standards

Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License

Experience:

Licenses, registrations, or certifications:

1.   Class C Driver's License

2.   N/A

3.   N/A

4.

5.

6.

Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.

1.	Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle and maintain a valid drivers license.
2.	Ability to utilize basic forestry implements and conduct forest measurements.
3.	Knowledge of forestry terms and concepts.
4.	The ability to make accurate dendrological identifications of trees and shrubs.
5.	Ability to work in rugged terrain, traverse areas with treacherous footing, and work in all sorts of weather conditions.
6.	Ability to communicate clearly.
7.	Ability to implement defined safety procedures.
8.	Ability to maintain the level of physical fitness necessary to conduct wildland fire suppression activities.
9.	Ability to learn and apply administrative procedures.
10.	Ability to carry at least 50 lbs. in the field. Ex.) bladder bag for fire assignments, timber marking sprayer, herbicide sprayers, power saw etc...