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Forest Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Forestry Technician

Quincy, CA ยท On-site

$38K - $51K/yr

Forestry Technician Mountain Engineering is actively seeking dedicated individuals to join our team as Forestry Technicians. As a Forestry Technician, you will be responsible for various forestry ...

Forestry Technician

Quincy, CA ยท On-site

$23 - $30/hr

Forestry Technician Mountain Engineering is actively seeking dedicated individuals to join our team as Forestry Technicians. As a Forestry Technician, you will be responsible for various forestry ...

Urban Forester

San Marino, CA ยท On-site

$6.5K - $7.9K/mo

... Director/City Engineer, the Urban Forester classification is distinguished from other ... Urban forest management plans and contract specifications. Cal/OSHA regulations and safe work ...

URBAN FORESTER

Burbank, CA ยท On-site

$89K - $117K/yr

... Forest Master Plan; utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping software and other ... engineering principles in grading, drainage, erosion control, and paving design; principles and ...

Showing results 21-40

Forest Engineer information

See California salary details

$35.5K

$83.5K

$113.5K

How much do forest engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for forest engineer in California is $83,515.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $59,200.00 and $112,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a forest engineer?

Forest engineers are professionals who apply engineering principles to the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of forest roads, infrastructure, and equipment. They work to ensure that forest operations are efficient, environmentally sustainable, and safe. Their responsibilities may include designing road systems for logging, developing erosion control measures, and implementing technologies for forest management. Forest engineers often collaborate with foresters, environmental scientists, and government agencies to balance resource extraction with conservation goals.

What does a forest engineer do?

As a forest engineer, your job is to support forestry and land management efforts. In this role, you may support sustainability plans, help determine the best routes for roads or rail systems, and oversee engineering projects that take place in or near forests. Many details of this job depend on the type of engineering work you perform. Forest engineers may work in areas like hydrology, survey crews, regional planners, or even as construction managers. These jobs often require different skills, so where you choose to focus your education and early career can affect your later job choices. Forest engineers usually work near larger forests, which limits this job to areas of the country with a lot of trees.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a forest engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Forest Engineer, you need a solid background in forestry, environmental science, and civil engineering, usually supported by a relevant bachelor's degree. Familiarity with GIS software, forest management systems, and sometimes professional certification like SAF (Society of American Foresters) accreditation is important. Strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating with diverse stakeholders and addressing complex environmental challenges. These competencies ensure sustainable forest management, regulatory compliance, and the successful execution of forestry projects.

What are some common challenges faced by forest engineers when balancing environmental sustainability with commercial objectives?

Forest Engineers often navigate the challenge of implementing sustainable forestry practices while meeting commercial production goals. This requires careful planning to ensure that harvesting methods protect ecosystems, maintain biodiversity, and comply with environmental regulations, all while optimizing timber yield and minimizing costs. Collaboration with ecologists, government agencies, and logging crews is essential to develop management plans that address both conservation and economic interests. Adapting to evolving environmental standards and new technologies is also a key part of the role.

What is the difference between Forest Engineer vs Forest Technician?

AspectForest EngineerForest Technician
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in Forest Engineering or related fieldAssociate's degree or technical certification in forestry
Work EnvironmentDesigning and managing forest projects, fieldwork, planningAssisting with data collection, field surveys, supporting forest management
Employer & Industry UsageGovernment agencies, consulting firms, forestry companiesForestry departments, environmental agencies, research institutions

Forest Engineers focus on planning, designing, and managing forest projects, requiring a bachelor's degree. Forest Technicians support fieldwork and data collection, typically with technical certifications. Both roles work in similar environments and industries but differ in education level and responsibilities.

What are the most commonly searched types of Forest Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Forest Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Forest Engineer jobs in California?

For Forest Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities in California are hiring for Forest Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Forest Engineer job openings:

What are popular job titles related to Forest Engineer jobs in CA?

For Forest Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Forest Engineer job openings in California as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 74% Full Time, 22% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $83,515 per year, or $40.2 per hour.

Wildland Firefighter (Fire Dispatcher)

Recruitment and Hiring | US Forest Service

Porterville, CA โ€ข On-site

$48K/yr

Full-time

Posted 15 days ago


Job description

This position is located USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region, Region 5.
This may be a single agency dispatch office or interagency dispatch center located in a fire management organization.
The area involved may encompass federal, state, tribal and private lands within the dispatch center's area of influence.
For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact - Brian Grabowski - brian.grabowski@usda.govQualifications:In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
Basic Requirement:
For the GW-04 level: Applicants must have six months of general experience (any type of work that demonstrated the ability to perform the work of the position, or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation).
Examples of General Experience includes: Performed farm/ranch labor, such as feeding/tending livestock or general maintenance of farm/ranch facilities and/or worked in a greenhouse, nursery or landscaping e.g., planting, moving, watering, and tending plants and/or animal caretaker in a laboratory, zoo or pet store and/or volunteer work at a park, hospital, community sports league, local fire department, etc.
AND-
Six months of specialized experience that is directly related to the work of the position. Examples of specialized experience include: Assisted in filing and retrieving documents and/or Assisted in receiving and processing requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies in conjunction with emergency incidents.
-OR-
Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable).
-OR-
An appropriate combination of experience and education above high school as described above. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university and include courses that are related to the occupation of the position
For the GW-05 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GW-4 grade level.
Examples of specialized experience include:
Serving as a dispatcher and/or radio operator performing the full range of standardized support duties commonly found in the work area, such as receiving, filling, and tracking resource requests for fire and other emergency incidents and/or Maintains resource status and tracking systems and operates telecommunications systems and/or Serving as a dispatcher and/or radio operator for fire and other emergency incidents and/or Processes weather information and/or Inputs data into a number of fire-related computer applications.
OR-
A bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school (120 semester/180 quarter hours) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources, outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable)
-OR-
Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
This is an administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission and is clearly in an established firefighting field. Prior firefighting experience, as gained through rigorous wildland firefighting or equivalent experience outside the federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary position covered under the special retirement provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) for the Civil Service Retirement System and of 5 USC 8412(d) for the Federal Employees Retirement System. Prior wildland firefighting experience is required. There is no age limit for entry into secondary positions. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent depends upon his or her individual work history.Education:See Qualifications Section for educational requirements.Employment Type: OTHER