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Forestry Technician Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Forestry Technician Apply now Job No: 539070 Work Type: Full-time Location: CHINO VALLEY Categories: Forestry/Wildland Fire/Natural Resources DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE MANAGEMENT In partnership ...

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Forestry Technician information

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$29K

$41.5K

$53.5K

How much do forestry technician jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for forestry technician in the United States is $41,544.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $34,500.00 and $46,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Forestry Technician vs Forest Ranger?

AspectForestry TechnicianForest Ranger
Required CredentialsAssociate's degree or relevant certificationHigh school diploma; some roles may require additional certifications
Work EnvironmentFieldwork, forests, conservation areasFieldwork, enforcement, visitor centers
Employer & IndustryGovernment agencies, conservation organizationsGovernment agencies, national parks
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

Forestry Technicians primarily focus on fieldwork such as data collection, planting, and forest management, often working under the supervision of forest rangers. Forest Rangers have broader responsibilities including enforcement, public education, and visitor assistance. Both roles are vital in forest conservation but differ in scope and duties.

What are some common challenges forestry technicians face when working in the field?

Forestry Technicians often encounter challenges such as working in remote or rugged environments, which can involve navigating difficult terrain and adapting to changing weather conditions. Additionally, they may need to operate specialized equipment safely and efficiently, sometimes under tight deadlines. Collaborating with diverse teams, including scientists, landowners, and other technicians, is also a key aspect of the role that requires strong communication and problem-solving skills. Staying up to date with evolving forestry practices and regulations is essential to succeed in this dynamic field.

What is a forestry technician?

A forestry technician works outdoors to ensure that the environment of a forest remains the way it is so that wildlife species and natural ecosystems can flourish. Natural conservation is a job that takes many people to succeed. As a forestry technician, you work under a land manager who helps develop your environmental awareness and build your skills. Daily duties include assessing land for re-growth, gathering information on wildlife, surveying roads, controlling weed growth, and identifying the areas that sustain damage from weather or insects. Basic qualifications focus on physical abilities rather than formal education or experience, which you pick up throughout your career. Long-lasting careers as a forestry technician hold leadership opportunity.

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

To thrive as a Forestry Technician, you need a solid understanding of forestry principles, environmental science, and data collection, typically supported by an associate degree or relevant certification. Familiarity with GIS software, GPS devices, and forestry measurement tools is commonly required. Strong observational skills, teamwork, and effective communication help you excel in both fieldwork and collaborative projects. These competencies are crucial for ensuring accurate resource assessments, maintaining forest health, and supporting sustainable land management.
What cities are hiring for Forestry Technician jobs? Cities with the most Forestry Technician job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Forestry Technician jobs? The most popular types of Forestry Technician jobs are:
Who are the top companies hiring for Forestry Technician jobs? The top employers for Forestry Technician jobs are:
What states have the most Forestry Technician jobs? States with the most job openings for Forestry Technician jobs include:
Infographic showing various Forestry Technician job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 96% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $41,544 per year, or $20 per hour.

$50K/yr

Other

Posted 20 days ago


Job description

Explore a new career with the Bureau Land Management - as a Forestry Technician.
Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Qualifications:

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-07/29/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying.
GS-07:
A. Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sector) performing 3 or more of the following: 1) assisting professional foresters to gather resource information used to prepare routine planning or environmental clearance documents such as categorical exclusions or environmental assessments; 2) assisting professional foresters or senior forestry technicians to conduct segments of forest inventories such as common stand exams; 3) assisting professional foresters or senior forestry technicians to perform conventional forestry duties such as forest road layout, timber sale layout, planting layout, pre-commercial thinning layout, and tree marking; 4) occasionally serving as crew lead for routine projects or assisting with the supervision or inspection of work crews carrying out routine projects; 5) performing timber sale reconnaissance to assist unit design for proposed timber sale tracts.
OR
B. Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate education which included courses directly related to the work of the position 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. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.
OR
C. Successful completion of a combination of education and experience. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed in A above. Then determine the amount of your education as a percentage of the requirement listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.
GS-08:
A. Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sector) performing 3 or more of the following: 1) making limited recommendations to professional foresters or senior resource specialists relative to forest management practices (i.e., forest conditions, riparian buffers, wildlife habitat considerations, etc.); 2) applying variable-radius plot sampling techniques to conduct common stand exams, timber cruises or implement tree marking prescriptions; 3) planning and conducting field layout of forest roads and timber harvest units, including GPS traverse and mapping procedures; 4) advising or training junior foresters or forestry technicians on established methods or procedures required to perform technical forestry field work; 5) performing timber sale reconnaissance to locate property lines, identify preferred logging systems and determine preliminary road grades.
OR
B. Successful completion of at least two full years of graduate education or a master's degree which included courses directly related to the work of the position 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. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.
OR
C. Successful completion of a combination of education and experience. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed in A above. Then determine the amount of your education as a percentage of the requirement listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.
GS-09:
A. Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-08 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sector) performing 3 or more of the following: 1) participating in interdisciplinary efforts to design timber harvest units and resolve associated resource concerns; 2) evaluating field data for accuracy or applicability to make informed forestry-related decisions; 3) planning and implementing the field layout of timber sale projects; 4) leading a crew of junior foresters or forestry technicians in accomplishing project objectives; 5) investigating and initiating reports of unauthorized use or timber trespass including preliminary determination of timber value and other resource damage.
OR
B. Successful completion of at least two full years of graduate education or a master's degree which included courses directly related to the work of the position 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. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.
OR
C. Successful completion of a combination of education and experience. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed in A above. Then determine the amount of your education as a percentage of the requirement listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.
Status merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-6 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-7 level. One year at the GS-7 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-8 level. One year at the GS-8 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-9 level. (Must submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No award SF-50 will be accepted).
Volunteer Experience: 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.Education:QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED:
You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".
A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made
and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification
EDUCATION:
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.Employment Type: OTHER