Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?

The Northeast Region is currently seeking a highly motivated individual to fill a vacancy for a Permanent Forest Crew Supervisor- Corrections Facility position at Heights Camp located in Airway Heights, WA.  While being highly demanding this position is also highly rewarding to those that want to truly make a difference within a diverse and unique work group. The tangible rewards of this job comes from helping DNR meet its strategic obligations to the community and from working with offenders, who traditionally have minimal job skills and poor work ethics and transforming them into hard working individuals with employable skills.

Developing offenders is a critical function of this position. Successful applicants will need to develop incarcerated individuals with limited skills into a highly functional 10-person team. Heights crews have a commitment to hard work in arduous conditions on wildland fires and in various forest health operations.

The primary responsibilities of the position are in the training, productivity and safety of offenders who engage in wildland firefighting and forest crafts operations. During fire season, the position may require assignments to remote fire camps for extended periods. During fire season, applicants can expect workdays that routinely exceed the normally scheduled 10 hours per day and will require working weekends and holiday as needed for assignments.

The successful applicant will be trusted to primarily recruit, mentor and train offenders in forest craft skills while supervising a 10-person adult male offender crew. These skills will be used to help protect communities, manage DNR State Lands assets and help incarcerated offenders develop job skills that can be used when they release from incarceration. The successful applicant will be trusted to foster and maintain an interactive relationship with DOC in order that offenders are effectively managed across both state agencies according to WAC’s, RCW’s and Interagency Agreements. Additionally, the successful applicant will be trusted to have a productive professional relationship with the Assistant Camp Supervisor. The key to this relationship will be the applicants ability to communicate, problem solve, manage and lead cooperatively with peers and supervisor.

Responsibilities:

• Wildland Fire Suppression – lead, supervise, teach and evaluate offenders on how to safely and effectively participate as a member of a hand crew for the purpose of engaging in Initial Attack and Mop-up operations to suppress wildland fires.
• Silviculture – Train, instruct and supervise offender crews to safely do a variety of work in primrialy forested wildland work environments.
• Offender Supervision – Provide all essential supervisory functions while supervising offender crews including:
• • Training and evaluating offender performance, development and maintenance of supervisory files, documenting daily activities in a log as described in the IAA Master Agreement, conducting daily Tailgate Safety meetings, submitting offender payroll and providing progressive discipline when necessary. Supervision of offenders requires routine consultations with DOC staff to ensure compliance with DNR Procedure and DOC policy
• Complete forest craft, refuse management and construction type work projects.
• Trains and directly supervises offender work crews to safely work on public recreation projects for DNR and other approved agencies.

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of six (6) months experience in some or all of the following forest crafts which includes: forest seedling planting, forest plantation vegetation management, pre-commercial thinning, recreation trail and facilities construction and maintenance, chainsaw use and maintenance, hand tool use and maintenance, and wildland fire suppression. Or, technical/professional forestry knowledge and skills which are acquired through the completion of a 2 or 4 year degree in forest management or closely related programs of study.
• Teamwork and unfailing honesty are behavioral competencies that are crucial to being able to successfully perform the essential functions listed above. Specifically, working with offenders is challenging in that their behaviors are not always pro- social and are at times manipulative and divisive. In order to identify and address these behavioral traits it is imperative that the FCS work as a team with other FCS’s, DOC Staff, and their supervisory chain so that these behaviors can be effectively and promptly dealt with when they arise.
• Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of this position, a NCIC Background Investigation will be conducted on successful candidates.
• Applicants must live within a one-hour commute of Airway Heights Corrections Center.
• Successful candidates will be required to meet physical fitness standards for the arduous level of wildfire suppression work. This requires passing a work capacity test by completing within 45 minutes a 3-mile hike carrying a 45-pound pack. Supervised tests are administered by the DNR. Continued employment is contingent on annually passing the arduous level pack test.
• This position requires driving as an essential function. Employees who drive for state business, whether in a state or privately owned vehicle, are required to possess a valid license as defined in policy PO02-006 and abide by all other driver responsibility requirements.
• During the first year of employment, successful candidates must attain the level of FFTII by passing Guard School in which S-130, L-180, S-190 and S212 are taught.
• During the second year of employment employees must attend and pass S-131. Additionally, employees will be required to complete the FFT1/ICT5 Task Book prior to the end of the second fire season.
• Ability to work on uneven terrain in all weather.
• Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Six months supervisory experience either in an adult correctional environment or a professional production based business.
• Held a position in a production based work unit in which the employee was held accountable to safely demonstrate the ability to use work time and resources effectively.
• Possess the ability to communicate well both verbally and in writing using common technology.

The Location
One of the world’s most scenic places, Washington State offers breathtaking discoveries for people who love natural beauty and outdoor recreation, from the Pacific Coast shores to the rugged Cascade Mountains to the rolling hills of the Palouse. Your office will be located in Airway Heights.

Why work for DNR?
At DNR, we value public service, innovation and creative problem solving, safety and well-being, and leadership and teamwork. At DNR you’ll support the vision of a sustainable future by using your skills to protect and manage the state’s natural resources for both current and future generations. As a DNR employee, you’ll work with the public’s interest in mind as we manage more than 5 million acres of state-owned forest, range, commercial, agricultural and aquatic lands. But managing lands is only half of our story. We house the Washington Geological Survey, a dynamic program that is the primary source of geological products and services in support of decision making in Washington. We also protect other public resources such as fish, wildlife, water, and provide public access to outdoor recreation. Two of our largest and most important state-wide resource protection responsibilities are fire prevention and suppression, and overseeing forest practices.

We are nearly 1,500 employees strong and dedicated to making DNR a great place to work. Our mission is to serve Washington’s lands and communities; build strong and healthy rural communities; enhance forest health and wildfire management; strengthen the health and resilience of our lands and waters; and increase public engagement and commitment to our public lands and resources. In partnership with citizens and governments, we provide innovative leadership and expertise to ensure environmental protection, public safety, perpetual funding for schools and communities, and a rich quality of life.  At DNR we approach our work through the lens of making Washington a better place environmentally, economically and socially for current and future generations.

What makes DNR a great place to work?

• Commitment to organizational health and wellness
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council
• Leadership that empowers and supports employees
• Work/life balance
• Leadership development opportunities
• Educational aid and career development stipends
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
• Opportunities to participate in wildland fire suppression assignments
• Opportunities to stretch your professional skills
• A comprehensive benefit package that includes employer contributions toward health insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, sick leave and vacation days. Visit http://careers.wa.gov/benefits.html for more information.

Application Process
To be considered you must apply online at www.careers.wa.gov (Click on the APPLY button above). You must complete the entire online application to be considered for the position.

Required Attachments:

• A letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the position profile, required and desired position qualifications, and special position requirements.
• Attach your Resume – do not add it into the text of the application, it must be an attachment.
• The names of three to five professional references – you may attach a document, use the References text field in the online application, or include with resume.

Carefully review your application materials before submitting. If you fail to submit the required documents or complete the entire online application, you may no longer be considered for the position by the supervisor.

Application Status – once you submit your online application, you can check your status by logging into your account.  Finalists for the position will be contacted by the hiring manager directly. Recruitment may be extended depending on the quantity and quality of the application pool.

Questions?  Please contact Russell Bishop at (509) 675-5429, Russell.bishop@dnr.wa.gov or e-mail us at DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov.

Washington State Department of Natural Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind.  We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities in a fair and impartial manner for all persons without regard to age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, creed, color, national origin, religion, pregnancy/parental status, genetic information, military status, political affiliation, criminal history or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.  Persons with a disability who need assistance during the screening process or those needing this announcement in an alternative format may contact DNR Recruiting staff (360) 902-1350 or (360) 902-1139.  DNR may be contacted using the Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) by dialing 711.