Salary: $68,076.00 – $91,524.00 Annually
Location: Stevens County – Colville, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Job Number: 2023-5-7965-07133
Department: Dept. of Natural Resources
Opening Date: 05/31/2023
Closing Date: 6/7/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

The Washington Department of Natural Resources’  Forest Resilience Division is looking to add to our growing team of professionals working to assess, plan, coordinate, implement, and monitor forest health related activities across all-lands that work to restore and sustain ecological functions of Washington’s forested landscapes.

The Northeast Forest Health Planner and Monitoring Coordinator will serve as a senior level forest health planner responsible for guiding development and implementation of forest health monitoring plans implemented by multiple partners, at multiple scales statewide. These monitoring efforts are in support of the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan Monitoring Framework in eastern Washington and the Forest Action Plan. This position will work collaboratively with relevant DNR staff, federal, state, and tribal partners and external stakeholders to develop, coordinate, implement, and report findings from monitoring plans that assess forest health conditions and the effects of prescribed burning, mechanical treatment and wildfire, primarily in eastern Washington. This position also serves as the lead planner working with staff and partners to implement the 2020 Forest Action Plan, 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington, and the Forest Health Assessment and Treatment Framework across all-lands in priority landscapes in northeast Washington, including the Colville National Forest.

If you have experience in forest ecology, management and monitoring, and are looking to apply and expand your knowledge in a highly collaborative team of scientists and planners – we want to hear from you!

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. This position is based in northeast Washington, and while the current duty station is identified as DNR’s NE Regional Office in Colville, the position location is flexible and may be accommodated as far south as Spokane and as far west as the Methow Valley. WA DNR supports a flexible work environment, and this position is available for telework considerations.

Duties
Responsibilities:
The NE Forest Health Planner and Monitoring Coordinator is responsible for fulfilling two primary roles within the Forest Resiliency team.

  • Serving as the senior level planner for forest health monitoring, including coordinating the development and implementation of monitoring plans implemented by multiple parties, at multiple scales statewide; and
  • Serving as the Division’s lead Forest Health Planner for northeast Washington, including leading  coordinated all-lands planning with DNR staff, federal, state and tribal partners, forest collaboratives and external stakeholders to implement the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington and the Forest Health Assessment and Treatment Framework.

As the Division’s senior level planner for forest health monitoring, this position is responsible to:

  • Coordinate with DNR Forest Health Scientists, DNR Fire Ecologist, DNR Fire Scientists, US Forest Service staff, DNR Service Forestry Staff, DNR state lands staff, tribal staff, conservation districts, and university researchers to understand current stand and project level forest health monitoring efforts. Summarize current forest health monitoring efforts, data collection commitments under House Bill 1168, and highlight key monitoring gaps and identify short- and long-term strategies to fill those gaps.
  • Within priority landscapes, develop project level (i.e. watershed) monitoring plans with DNR staff and partners to collaboratively monitor implementation and effectiveness of landscape-scale forest resiliency projects, inform forest health treatment planning and adaptive management, and integrate into future landscape assessments. Plans include monitoring pre- and post-treatment conditions, and changes to those conditions during project implementation from effects such as wildfire.  This position will lead development of project level monitoring plans in northeast Washington, and provide expertise and support to DNR Planners in other geographies.
  • Coordinate training and data collection for DNR’s Treatment Unit/Stand Level monitoring within the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan Monitoring Framework for eastern Washington to gather a detailed view of on-the-ground forest conditions in treatments to evaluate where prescription objectives were met and how treatments have impacted forest health indicators at the stand level that are difficult to measure using remote sensing or modeling (e.g., fuels, density of small trees, snags, understory vegetation). This work requires significant engagement and outreach within DNR as well as with external partners. Treatment/Stand Level monitoring will utilize the Treatment Unit Monitoring Protocol and data collection system developed by DNR, including revision of the protocol over time as needed.
  • Create monitoring report templates and write monitoring reports.  Ensure monitoring data is analyzed and communicated in a coherent and standardized manner.  Work with partners to synthesize and communicate their monitoring results and findings through relevant DNR communication channels (legislative reports, annual reports, press releases, videos, presentations, website, etc.)
  • Act as the custodian of Forest Health Treatment Unit/Stand Level monitoring protocols and collected monitoring data. Ensure protocols are updated in line with current science and programmatic monitoring needs. Provide training on monitoring protocol to DNR staff and partners.

As the Division’s lead forest health planner for northeast Washington, this position is responsible to:

  • Utilize landscape evaluations and other analyses to understand forest health treatment needs and review proposed projects in priority landscapes, and provide recommendations on necessary actions and investments to move priority landscapes into a resilience condition in coordination with the US Forest Service, tribes, forest collaboratives, DNR programs working on forest resiliency, and other partners.
  • Coordinate with internal DNR staff and external partners to develop and implement landscape-scale work plans that address identified forest treatment needs for priority landscapes in northeast Washington.
  • Serve as the primary Forest Resiliency Division liaison to Colville National Forest. Coordinate with Forest Resiliency Division, State Trust Lands, and other DNR staff as needed. Develop official DNR comment letters on Colville National Forest projects in DNR forest health priority planning areas. Develop comment letters in time for adequate review by DNR management prior to comment deadlines.
  • Serve as the primary Forest Resiliency Division liaison to the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition (NEWFC). Attends NEWFC meetings, provides relevant content for meetings, and updates program staff on NEWFC activities.
  • Serve as the primary Forest Resiliency Division liaison to the Kalispell Tribe of Indians, Spoke Tribe of Indians and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to support cross-boundary forest restoration planning and treatment.
  • Inform utilization of state forest health resources and investments in northeast Washington to fulfill goals of the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington, and leverage additional resources.
  • Develop effective communication channels and processes to ensure increased understanding of tribal rights, values, projects, and interests in existing DNR priority landscapes and informing selection of new priority landscapes. Regularly coordinate and communicate with the Natural Resource Department staff of tribal organizations with tribally owned land and interests in northeast Washington.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications: 

  • A Bachelor’s degree with a major study in natural resources (e.g. natural resource planning, forestry, landscape ecology, fire science, wildlife biology), public policy and administration with an environmental emphasis, geography, or a closely related field.
    AND Five (5) years of professional work experience in natural resources planning, forest ecology, silviculture, fire science, landscape ecology, forest management, wildlife management, public policy and administration, geography, or a closely related field relying on the required position knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors.
  • Demonstrated experience and knowledge in all phases of forest health monitoring: field data collection, data analysis including statistical analysis, sampling methods, creating monitoring plans, and writing engaging monitoring reports that effectively communicate key monitoring results to diverse audiences.
  • Demonstrated experience with ArcGIS and related software to map and analyze natural resources.
  • Experience in working with indigenous tribes and First Nations on resource planning and management, and a basic working knowledge of tribal treaty rights with a willingness to continue learning.
  • Demonstrated strong organizational and project management skills.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey complex natural resource issues to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Ability to lead internal and external forest health working groups as needed to further agency projects and initiatives.
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team setting with internal staff and external stakeholders.
  • DNR Core Competencies: 
    • Personal Accountability 
    • Value Others 
    • Compassionate Communication 
    • Inspire Others 
    • Commitment to Excellence

Special Requirements and Conditions of Employment:

  • Work will primarily be in an office setting, with semi-frequent work in the field conducting forest health monitoring and trainings.
  • This position will be required to travel throughout Washington State. Candidate must be able to drive a state vehicle and travel independently to those locations.
  • A valid driver’s license and have two years of driving experience. This position requires driving as an essential function. Finalists and/or interview candidates will be asked to provide a driving record from all states in which they have held a license during the past three years.

Desired Qualifications:

  • Knowledge of major forest health issues in the Pacific Northwest and management strategies to address those issues.
  • Demonstrated ability to obtain grant funding by writing successful grant proposals.
  • Experience in forest management and/or silviculture.
  • A Master’s degree with a major study in natural resources (e.g. natural resource planning, forestry, landscape ecology, fire science, wildlife biology), public policy and administration with an environmental emphasis, geography, or a closely related field
    AND Three (3) years of professional work experience in natural resources planning, forest ecology, silviculture, fire science, landscape ecology, forest management, wildlife management, public policy and administration, geography, or a closely related field relying on the required position knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors.
  • Experience writing and managing grants and writing and managing contracts.
  • Experience participating and leading multi-stakeholder groups and understanding how to effectively communicate and represent both science and agency
    policy to external partners.
  • Experience participating in regional and local natural resource planning efforts.

Application Requirements:

  • To be considered you must apply online at www.careers.wa.gov. You must complete the entire online application to be considered for the position. 
  • Attach a letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the position profile and the position required, desired and special requirements. 
  • Attach a resume describing your experience and qualifications.
  • Provide three to five professional references – you may attach a document, use the References text field in the online application, or include with resume.
  • Attach a copy of your college degree certificate or an unofficial copy of your transcripts.
  • Important: Do not attach any documents that include photos or private information (social security number, year of birth, etc.).
  • Complete all supplemental questions. 

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4061218/ne-washington-forest-health-planner-and-monitoring-coordinator-environmental-pla

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