Washington Dept. of Natural Resources Seeks Urban Forest Inventory Specialist
Posted on August 16, 2022
Position Title:
Urban Forest Inventory Specialist
Position Summary:
Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?
The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity in our Forest Resilience Division’s Community and Landowner Assistance Section, Urban and Community Forestry Program. The DNR Forest Resilience Division is seeking a motivated individual to join our Urban Forestry team to lead statewide urban forest inventory and analysis.
The Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program works to educate Washington State residents and decision-makers about the economic, environmental, psychological, and aesthetic benefits of trees and to assist local government, community groups, and volunteers in planting and sustaining healthy trees and vegetation wherever people live, work, and play in Washington State. The mission of UCF is to provide leadership to create self-sustaining urban and community forestry programs that preserve, plan, and manage forests and trees for public benefit and quality of life.
As part of this division and program, you will work along side a talented team of professional planners, scientists, and implementers providing service to local, state, private, and federal partners to increase the resiliency and health of Washington’s forests and landscapes. In this position, you will be part of a team focused on providing services to those managing urban forests throughout Washington. You will serve as the primary point of contact for Urban and Community Forestry Program inventory and assessment efforts. This position works with the program team under the supervision and guidance of the Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager.
Our Urban Forest Inventory Specialist is the technical expert on urban forest inventory and analysis and urban tree canopy assessment. The position implements and leads statewide Urban Forest Inventory and Analysis (UFIA) project requiring ingenuity in the application of techniques where precedents are limited, works with the Washington State Department of Agriculture and other partners to compile disparate datasets into a statewide database of street and park tree inventory data, oversees contract work such as collection and analysis of tree inventory data and urban tree canopy data, provides technical assistance to assist cities with understanding and using inventory or canopy data, and works with the Forest Resilience GIS Analyst as a subject matter expert to guide data analysis decision-making as well as to determine gaps or opportunities for improved delivery of services. Work is done by incorporating existing methods, protocols, processes, and standards to ensure accuracy and integrity of data which support story-telling and decision-making by the DNR Urban & Community Forestry Program and program constituents. This position also supervises the Urban Forest Inventory Technician.
Recruitment #2022-8-7990
Full-time, Permanent, Represented position
Location: Natural Resources Building- Olympia, WA
Telework and location flexibility may be considered
Responsibilities:
- Implementation and lead a statewide urban forest inventory and analysis project through tasks such as:
- Coordinate with USDA Forest Service and Forest Resilience IT and Data Management staff to implement a statewide UFIA project plan and data collection protocol.
- Conduct contract management to ensure term compliance, resolve questions, ensure quality assurance/quality control, and spot checking data to verify accuracy of contracted data collection and analysis work.
- Direct and facilitate collection and analysis of tree inventory and urban tree canopy data.
- Work with DNR staff, contractors, and partners to analyze urban forestry data, create
queries, and draft reports. - Communicate results, observations, trends, and other relevant information through various methods.
Ensure data stewardship and coordination through tasks such as:
- Work with the Forest Resilience Division IT and Data Management team to maintain clean and accurate data.
- Maintain awareness of all of our urban forest inventory and urban tree canopy data.
Request updated data periodically from partners. - Help to identify geographic or other gaps in data and devise then implement plans to fill those gaps to improve data representation.
- Seek to corroborate disparate datasets to identify overlap or resolve conflicts between them.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required Qualifications:- Bachelor’s degree in GIS, forestry, natural resources, urban forestry, horticulture, urban landscape planning, or similar field AND 3 years professional experience in a natural resource program area.
- OR An equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
Two years of urban forestry experience resulting in highly developed urban forestry technical knowledge and skills in tree identification, diagnostics, tree inventory, natural area management, and industry-accepted best practices. - Highly developed understanding of ecosystem services and how ecosystem services are measured, analyzed, and reported.
- Proficiency using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including ArcGIS On-line, ArcMap and other applications such as Survey 123 and Collector.
- Direct experience performing data analyses using statistical and GIS-based methods.
- Experience with remote sensing and advanced technologies such as LiDAR, etc.
- Experience of effective oral and written communications and can convey messages clearly
and persuasively, including public speaking skills. - Experience responding to and interacting in a positive, responsive, cooperative,
collaborative manner with the public and other professionals (both inter-organizational and interdisciplinary. - Proficient with computers and Microsoft Office applications including SharePoint.
- Works well independently and effectively manages multiple tasks at different stages.
- Organizational management - has a strong understanding and ability to organize efficiently and the ability to develop or use systems for tracking implementation and accomplishments of several complex projects.
- Good understanding of urban forestry policy issues.
DNR Core Competencies:
- Personal Accountability
- Value Others
- Compassionate Communication
- Inspire Others
- Commitment to Excellence
Conditions of Employment:
- Valid International Society of Arboricultural Arborist certification or ability to obtain within 6 months of employment.
- 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.
- Most work is performed indoors in office environments but includes regular onsite, outdoor settings.
- Travel is required and may include site visits statewide, may be multiple days in length, and will require overnight stays.
- Employees of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are required to be fully
vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. This position is based in an office/fieldwork setting and requires in-person attendance/interactions with no option for fulltime telework. Please note that any offer of employment is contingent upon you providing verification of your vaccine status. No start date will be approved until you verify your status.
Desired Qualifications:
- Two years of direct experience working with Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) or Urban Forest
- Inventory Analysis (UFIA) data collection protocols.
Experience successfully managing and administering grants, contracts, or other partnership agreements. - Professional experience working with or for a municipal urban forestry program, including direct experience with tree inventory and municipal work order software systems.
- Two years of professional experience administering an urban and community forestry program.
- Skills and experience with general forest health issues such as insects, diseases, invasive species, drought, wildland fire, etc.
- Experience working with underserved or historically marginalized residents, neighborhoods or communities; firm understanding of social and environmental justice issues.
- Advanced skills with Excel or programming experience.
- Valid Tree Risk Assessment Qualification from the International Society of Arboriculture or ability to obtain within 6 months of employment.
Questions?
Please contact Ben Thompson at ben.thompson@dnr.wa.gov or e-mail us at DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov