Dept. of Natural Resources Washington State Seeks Forest Health & Environmental Justice Planner

1. The Western Washington Forest Health and Environmental Justice Planner will serve as a senior level forest health planner responsible for guiding how implementation of the Washington State Forest Action Plan, the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington, and the Forest Health Assessment and Treatment Framework (RCW 76.06.200) can help achieve environmental justice outcomes in alignment with forest health goals. Environmental justice is defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. This includes addressing disproportionate environmental and health impacts by prioritizing vulnerable populations and overburdened communities, equitably distributing resources and benefits, and eliminating harm. This position will work collaboratively with relevant DNR staff, federal, state, and tribal partners and external stakeholders to develop and implement forest health actions that can achieve both environmental justice and forest health goals.
    
   SALARY: $5,494.00 - $7,387.00 Monthly
   $65,928.00 - $88,644.00 Annually
   OPENING DATE: 11/23/21
   CLOSING DATE: 01/02/22 11:59 PM
    
   This position is based in Olympia, Washington, and while the current duty station is identified as DNR’s headquarters office, the position location is flexible and may be accommodated anywhere along the I-5 corridor, with exception in King County.

Responsibilities:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. - Lead implementation of Senate Bill 5141, Healthy Environment for All (HEAL Act), requirements for Forest Resiliency Division’s landscape resiliency work within the Forest Action Plan.
               - Lead and coordinate the development of an environmental justice implementation plan to incorporate environmental justice into the 2020 Forest Action Plan. This position will lead development of implementation plan components for the Landscape Resiliency work in the 2020 Forest Action Plan (which includes the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern Washington), while coordinating with other Forest Resiliency Division programs to integrate their environmental justice implementation direction into a cohesive implementation plan.
            2. - Coordinate with relevant DNR staff, external partners and stakeholders to develop the implementation plan. The plan will include goals and strategies to achieve environmental justice in a manner that supports the existing goals of these strategic plans, and development of metrics and reports for tracking progress toward environmental justice goals.
            3. - In coordination with Forest Resiliency Division IT and GIS staff, scientists, and planners, lead the integration of environmental justice factors into spatial prioritization efforts for forest health statewide to inform programmatic and financial investments.
            4. - Develop environmental justice principles to inform Forest Resiliency Division programs, and train Division management and staff to facilitate understanding and application of these principles.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. - Serve as the primary Forest Resiliency Division liaison to the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest and Olympic National Forest. Develop official DNR public comment letters on National Forest projects in Forest Action Plan priority landscapes in time for adequate review by DNR management prior to comment deadlines.
               - Coordinate with Forest Resiliency Division, DNR Region (Northwest, South Puget Sound, and Olympic regions), State Trust Lands, other DNR staff, USFS and other relevant partners to assist in developing a shared vision and strategy for forest health and resiliency work in western Washington and individual projects as needed.
               - Develop, manage, and monitor contracts and agreements to invest resources and facilitate implementation of DNR forest resilience strategic plans in coordination with DNR Procurement, Contracts, and Business staff including: develop l scopes of work, and budgets, track expenditures and review invoices for payment, ensure terms of contracts and intended deliverables are being met, and conduct compliance monitoring for contract closure.
                

                

            2. 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

            3. - 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, environmental justice, or a closely related field relying on the required position knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors

            4. - Strong working knowledge of environmental justice principles and experience applying environmental justice principles in a natural resources field to achieve meaningful environmental justice outcomes.

               - 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.
               - 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.
               - Work will primarily be in an office setting, with semi-frequent work in the field conducting forest health monitoring and trainings.

            5. - DNR Core Competencies: Personal Accountability, Value Others, Compassionate Communication, Inspire Others, Commitment to Excellence

            6. 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.

               All employees of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Vaccination status will be verified at the time an offer of employment is made. An accommodation may be available for individuals who have a sincerely held religious belief or a medical reason for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, based on the essential functions of this position.
            7.  
            8. Our ideal candidate will also have the qualifications listed below:
               - Knowledge of major forest health issues in the Pacific Northwest and management strategies to address those issues.
            9. - 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.