FORESTER - 42003375

Requisition No: 875621 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: FORESTER - 42003375

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42003375 

Salary:  $51,000.30 - $62,000.12 

Posting Closing Date: 05/19/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

FORESTER

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE

***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY***

CONTACT:

Kristin Bennett, 863-940-6710 or Nathan Bartosek, 863-589-0528

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A bachelor’s (4 years) and/or master’s (6 years) degree in Forestry or a related field from a Society of American Foresters accredited college or university; or

Anticipated receipt of a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in Forestry or a related field from a Society of American Foresters accredited college or university within six (6) months of the closing date of this advertisement.

NOTE: Applicants in this category will not be appointed until they have acquired and provide final proof of receiving the required degree. 

A bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees in Forestry or a related field obtained outside the United States must either: 1) be obtained from a Society of American Foresters accredited college or university; or 2) curriculum must include at least two (2) of the following four (4) courses: Silviculture, Dendrology, Forest Mensuration or Forest Management. 

NOTE: Applicants will provide an academic equivalency evaluation obtained in the United States showing the required courses.

NOTE: ALL POSITIONS WITHIN THIS CLASS REQUIRE POSSESSION OF A VALID DRIVER LICENSE.

***ATTENTION CANDIDATES***

To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values
and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified
individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Occasional to moderate travel required.

Position may respond to emergencies, including natural disasters or other type incidents requiring travel, as needed.

NOTE:

To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Successful applicant must pass a Background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment. 

JOB DUTIES:

This is a professional position responsible for the development and coordination of resource management activities on the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest.

Responsible for assisting in the coordination and implementation of the management plan on the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest. This includes such activities as timber sales and inventory, tree plantings, prescribed burning, ecosystem restoration, exotic species control, managing recreational activities, tracking research studies, road maintenance and repairs, and managing wildlife species.

Provides wildfire and emergency response support as directed.  Assists in the development of smoke management, wildfire prevention, prescribed fire, pre-suppression burning plans and hazardous fuels mitigation.  Assists in the enforcement of Florida’s open burning laws and regulation. 

This individual will be responsible for assisting the Forestry Resource Administrator in writing quarterly and annual accomplishment reports, writing various management related plans, and submitting monthly vehicle records on equipment as needed.

Maintains contact with cooperating agencies, and private environmental and recreational groups, to ensure cooperative efforts and input into the management of the forest.

Responsible for fiscal procedures which may include assisting in annual budget preparation, purchasing, service contract preparation and recreational and timber sales receipts.

Maintains proficiency of new and innovative forestry and biological topics, research, endangered species regulations, prescribed fire management and total ecosystem management techniques.

Performs other related duties as assigned, which may include the handling of revenue.

The Following Special Benefits for this Position Include

• Annual Uniform Allotment
• Annual Boot Allotment

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck.  The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com;)
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

For an estimate of the total compensation package for this position, please visit the “Total Compensation Estimator Tool” located above under the “Posting Closing Date.”

SPECIAL NOTES:

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.