Forest Investigator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Requisition No: 882449 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: SENIOR FOREST RANGER - 42003250 (FOR INTERNAL AGENCY EMPLOYEES ONLY)

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42003250 

Salary:  $51,689.82 - $69,945.72 

Posting Closing Date: 09/09/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

SENIOR FOREST RANGER

 FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE

 ***INTERNAL AGENCY OPPORTUNITY --
ONLY CURRENT EMPLOYEES OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES WILL BE CONSIDERED***

CONTACT:

Tammy Fitchett, (904) 266-8360

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Three (3) years of experience as a Forest Ranger with the Florida Forest Service; or

Three (3) years of similar work experience, with comparable training, with another public wildland firefighting forestry organization; or

An associate’s degree in Forest Technology or Fire Science from an accredited college or university and (1) year of experience as referenced above.

In addition to the above, Florida Statute 633 requires that any person employed in this job class obtain a firefighter certificate of compliance (Certified Florida Wildland Firefighter) that includes satisfactory completion of a firefighter training program approved by the Division of State Fire Marshal of the Department of Financial Services.  Any person applying to obtain this certification must:

• Be a high school graduate or the equivalent, as the term may be determined by the Division of State Fire Marshal of the Department of Financial Services, and at least 18 years of age.
• Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor relating to the certification or to perjury or false statements, or a felony or a crime punishable by imprisonment of 1 year or more under the law of the United States or any state thereof or under the law of any other country, or dishonorably discharged from any of the Armed Forces of the United States.  “Convicted” means a finding of guilt or the acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, in any federal or state court or a court in any other country, without regard to whether a judgment of conviction has been entered by the court having jurisdiction of the case.
• Submit a fingerprint card to the division with a current processing fee.  The fingerprint card will be forwarded to the Department of Law Enforcement and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• Have a good moral character as determined by investigation under procedure established by the division.
• Be in good physical condition as determined by a medical examination as prescribed by the division.  Such examination may include, but need not be limited to, provisions of the National Fire Protection Association Pamphlet 1582.

No employee shall obtain permanent status unless the firefighter certificate of compliance (Certified Florida Wildland Firefighter) is received.

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:

The incumbent must obtain a Class A Commercial Driver License (CDL) within six (6) months of appointment. The Florida Forest Service will cover the majority of the cost associated with attaining the required CDL training and the initial CDL test when administered at an agency authorized CDL training center.

Occasional to moderate travel required. 

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

Certificate of Compliance as Firefighter.

The incumbent must live within thirty (30) miles of the assigned headquarters located at 6840 US Hwy 1, South, Saint Augustine, Florida, throughout employment in this position.

Florida Statute 633 requires that any person employed in this class obtain a Certificate of Compliance which includes, in addition to the above requirements, satisfactory completion of a fire fighter training program approved by the Division.  No employee shall obtain permanent status unless the Certificate is received. 

Applicants who receive a job offer must pass:

1. Pre-employment drug test in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S.
2. Pre-employment comprehensive medical examination
3. Pre-employment physical fitness test 

Post employment – incumbents must pass:

1. Reasonable suspicion, post-accident, and random drug and alcohol testing provisions and the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse query requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulation, Title 49 CFR Part 382
2. Annual medical examination (pulmonary function and blood pressure)
3. Annual physical fitness test

NOTES:

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

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

Successful applicant with a current Commercial Driver’s License must pass a query of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

Days off on Rotation basis.

On-Call.

JOB DUTIES:

This work is in forest fire prevention, detection, suppression and presuppression, providing technical forestry services and information to landowners and wood-using industry representatives, assisting with state lands management, and presenting forestry educational programs.

This individual performs and coordinates the following activities:  The operation and maintenance of various kinds of equipment in the suppression of wildfires, including operating truck-tractor/semi-trailer or truck and trailer combinations, engines, bulldozers, transports, and other wildfire suppression equipment.  The investigation of wildfire causes, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, making recommendations to supervisors, and issuing Notification of Violations where appropriate.  The performance of wildfire detection through ground patrol or tower staffing. Investigates smoke complaints, conducts on site inspections of burn authorizations. Intensifies public awareness of wildfires and wildfire damage through wildfire prevention programs presented in a variety of public forums.  Performs wildfire hazard mitigation work.  Performs in various capacities, as qualified, within the Incident Command System.  Completes appropriate reports associated with fire management.   Responds to All-Risk Emergency Incidents, as required. 

Performs and coordinates the following activities:  Providing presuppression plowing and burning assistance to private landowners.   Coordinating and providing technical forestry assistance under the supervision of a Forest Area Supervisor or professional Forester which may include: timber inventory assistance on private nonindustrial land; participation in tree seed collection, lifting and planting tree seedlings; forestry education and environmental education program information for the public and private forest landowners.  Assisting in public lands management activities such as tree planting, timber marking and inventory, prescribed burning, boundary maintenance, protecting threatened and endangered species, and wildfire protection.  Monitoring public use and assisting the public in utilizing various services and recreation opportunities on state lands.  Maintaining public facilities such as trails, roads, campgrounds, boat ramps, restrooms and other facilities for user groups on state lands.  Operating and maintaining other equipment for state lands management purposes such as road graders, dump trucks, loaders, etc.

Coordinates and performs maintenance and construction activities on fixed facilities and equipment. Makes purchases of materials needed to complete projects.

Performs other related work as assigned.

The Following Special Benefits for this Position Include

• State of Florida Special Risk Retirement package
• Annual Uniform Allotment
• Annual Boot Allotment

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida