Forestry Service Specialist Lead job in Bremerton

Supports the Forestry Service Specialist Supervisor in maintaining 8,400 acres of Utility and Forest Land in accordance with the Utility Land and Forest Land Management Plans and in compliance with the Forest Practices Act and associated rules, Clean Water Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act. This includes biosolids application, tracking, and reporting in compliance with EPA, Department of Ecology and Kitsap Public Health District rules. With limited supervision, assigns and directs field operations to include timber harvest, reforestation and plantation maintenance, road maintenance, biosolids application, security, and wildfire prevention and response.

REPRESENTATIVE ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (Note – this list is intended only to illustrate the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements does not exclude them from the position.)

Supervisor Support
Supports Supervisor with technical forestry projects such as timber harvest field layout in compliance with approved forest practices permits; traversing section lines, property lines, and timber polygons; reforestation; plantation maintenance; timber inventory; road maintenance and construction; contract compliance; dangerous tree removal; and comprehensive plan updates such as Utility and Forest Land Management Plans and Wildfire Management Guidelines.

Assists Supervisor in managing biosolids application.

Assists Supervisor and Manager with the preparation of year-end reports and maintains records for potential audits and reviews by outside agencies.

Leadership
Responsible for operations in the absence of the Forestry Service Specialist Supervisor.

Assigns and directs the work of service specialists, seasonal employees, and contractors performing various forestry activities and field operations in compliance with regulations and approved permits.

Trains service specialists and seasonal employees in forest practices, forest practices rules and regulations, safe work policies, and the safe operation of vehicles and equipment. Conducts daily tailgate safety briefings for planned activities.

Timber Harvest
Assists Supervisor in preparing and submitting Forest Practices Permit Applications by conducting tree inventories; traversing section lines, property lines, and timber polygons; identifying leave trees, critical habitat and environmentally-sensitive areas; planning and designing units, roads, skid trails, and landings; and developing 10-year reforestation management plans.

Conducts harvest area layout to include marking work area boundaries; roads, trails, and landings; leave trees; and environmentally-sensitive areas such as streams, lakes, wetlands, and critical habitat.

Reforestation and Plantation Maintenance
Prepares sites for planting, installs browse guards around saplings, and conducts competitive vegetation surveys.

Operates and maintains power tools and small hand tools for plantation maintenance including brush control and pruning.

Applies herbicides/pesticides, as necessary, or applies mechanical means to control invasive and/or competing vegetation.

Oversees the animal control program to lessen damage to timber stands and plantations. This includes assigning and assisting with monitoring and reporting beaver activity and bear damage; monitoring bear activity to build, place, and prepare bear feeders in appropriate areas; coordinating annual bear food delivery, and placing food in feeders once to twice a week and documenting use.

Road Maintenance
Assigns and assists service specialists, seasonal employees, and/or contractors in road maintenance and construction projects for 60+ miles of forest roads and 7 bridges (layout, culvert installations, resurfacing, grading, erosion control, and brush control mechanical and chemical applications).

Monitors environmentally-sensitive areas for evidence of erosion from road and bridge surfaces, removes debris to maintain free flowing water through ditches and culverts, and ensures that Best Management Practices are in place and being followed.

Biosolids Application
Assists and directs service specialists with the maintenance of approximately 25 miles of biosolid trails, including cutting trails and spraying for invasive species. Operates equipment (grader, dump truck, brusher, excavator, backhoe, front loader, etc.) to maintain the application area roads by pulling ditches and grading road surfaces, applying rock where necessary, spraying sides of road, laying rock for the ramp and ponds, layout and constructing roads in new application areas.

Maintains and operates biosolid applicator truck - performs pre-check, greases fans and belts, tests for debris to prevent catastrophic failure, and troubleshoots malfunctions.

Completes monthly biosolid application record by area and assists Supervisor in tracking and reporting application statistics.

Security
Coordinates with the Bremerton Police Department to maintain security of Utility Lands.

Manages and monitors game cameras and investigates and reports suspicious activity to authorities.

Documents illegal trails and mitigates unauthorized entry points (installing gates and signage, placing rock or ecology blocks, and/or installing cameras).

Wildfire Prevention and Response
Monitors state and county burn bans and Industrial Fire Protection Levels (IFPLs) and ensures required wildfire prevention measures are implemented.

Supports wildfire response and suppression on Utility Lands under the direction of the Supervisor, Manager, Bremerton Fire and DNR. This may entail fire watch and reporting, cutting in roads for fire containment, and operating the water truck.

Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance
Troubleshoots and schedules repair of equipment breakdowns and transports equipment and vehicles to Equipment Services for maintenance.

 
Outreach and Interagency Collaboration
Conducts outreach to schools and other educational groups such as Leadership Kitsap. Works with the Suquamish Tribe on the fish rearing program and other seasonal programs such as the Annual Fishing Day with the Kitsap Poggie Club.

Other Duties
– Regular attendance is an essential requirement
– Performs related work as assigned and/or required

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES (Entry Requirements)

Knowledge of:

• City policies and procedures.
• Washington State Forest Practices Act and associated rules
• Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act (as it applies to utility land and watershed maintenance and protection)

• Biosolids – Federal, State, and Local regulations (when, where and how to apply).

• Industrial Fire Protection Levels (IFPLs)
• Forestry (plantation maintenance, traversing/GPS, timber sale layout, reforestation). 
• Operating heavy equipment (grader, excavator, roadside brusher, backhoe, dump trucks, biosolid application truck, loader, dozer, compactor, fire brush engine, fire suppression equipment) efficiently and safely.
• Fire suppression reporting, fire line construction and response.
• Herbicides and calibrating application rates.
• Drainage and erosion control.
• Stream crossing structures, road building materials and road maintenance and construction.
• Computer programs including Microsoft Word, Excel, TEAMS, ArcView GIS software, mapping software, data management, and specific programs related to forestry operations and maintenance.
• Safety standards, policies, methods, practices & procedures
• Personal safety equipment (PPE).

Ability to:

• Interpret and use maps and aerial photos including reading technical information and applying that information to complex problems.
• Create and use complex mathematical equations for forestry applications and biosolids data analysis.
• Use computer software to generate forms, particularly GIS and ESRI to develop and maintain maps and data records of all division activities.
• Operate complex equipment including backhoes, excavators, loaders, grader, brusher, biosolid application equipment, dump trucks, chipper, scat trax, and hand-operated power tools.
• Ability to lay out and cut in forestry roads and biosolids trails.
• Coordinate the flagging or marking of streams, timber harvest boundaries, roads and other forest practice activities and other tasks.
• The ability to foster positive, productive working relationships with both internal employees/customers and external customers.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

QUALIFYING EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE (Minimum Requirements)

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a High school diploma or G.E.D. and 3 years’ experience in forest environment or related field, which involves road construction and heavy equipment operation. An Associate or Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry or Environmental Studies strongly preferred.

Special Requirements

• Valid Washington State Driver’s License.
• Possession of or ability to obtain within 12 months a valid CDL Class A Combination with tanker endorsements.
• Possession of or ability to obtain within 12 months a valid DNR Blue Card Certificate for Fire Suppression.
• Possession of or ability to obtain within 6 months a valid Washington State Department of Agriculture Pesticide License.
• Flagger card, First Aid, Confined Space Entry & CPR certifications (training will be provided by the City).

For a complete description of this position, and to apply online, visit the City of Bremerton website at http://www.BremertonWA.gov/169/Current-Jobs.