National Forestry Jobs (NOW HIRING)

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Announcement #

2026-114

Issue Date:

06-16-26

Closing Date:

06-23-26

Ceded Territory Forest Coordinator

Tribal Forestry

Department of Natural Resources

Hourly Wage: $36.11-$40.64/Regular/Full-Time

Position functions under the Yakama Nation Division of Natural Resources Tribal Forestry Forest Operations Program. Work includes coordinating and collaborating with Tribal Forestry and other Yakama Nation natural resource programs, contractors, outside public and government agencies, academia, and others on a wide variety of projects associated with forest management, forest policy, and land management. Responsible to be familiar with applicable Federal laws including the National Environmental Policy Act, National Indian Forest Resources Management Act, Farm Bill, Good Neighbor Authority, Tribal Forest Protection Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Endangered Species Act, and Forest specific policies and procedures. Be familiar with Tribal policy, laws, and plans related to land management issues within the Yakama Reservation

Serves as a point of contact between either the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (OWNF) or Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF) and oversee the Ceded Territory branch of the program. Responsible for monitoring current and proposed policies and projects to determine potential impacts on YN management goals and objectives, staying abreast of national and state policies to determine impacts to the YN.

Coordinates and supports a wide range of forest management and policy-related activities within and beyond the Yakama Reservation boundary, including promoting working forest lands, forest infrastructure, and Yakama Forest Products. Provides oversight to the Ceded Territory branch during the development and implementation of workplans, coordinates grants and agreements, ensuring compliance with applicable policies, and providing technical oversight for forest management, fuels treatments, and restoration activities.

Examples of Work Performed:

Provides oversight and direction to the Central Washington Initiative Forester, Stewardship Foresters, and Forest Resource Specialists on forest and natural resource management.

Participates and represents Yakama Nation in collaborative forest management efforts, including interagency and tribal partnerships, to support project planning and analysis that advance forest health, wildfire risk reduction, and restoration objectives within the Ceded Territory.

Plans, coordinates, and facilitates meetings related to forestry and natural resource management, including leadership committee meetings, interagency coordination, and stakeholder engagement to support project development and decision-making processes to keep Tribal Forestry leadership informed.

Attends planning meetings and coordinating projects related to management plans. Actively participates in forestry and other Natural resource staff meetings as well as public meetings related to resource issues and may assist with preparing Environmental Assessment documents.

As assigned, represents Yakama Nation in the Tapash Sustainable Forestry Collaborative, Central Washington Initiative, South Gifford Pinchot Collaborative, North Central Wahington Forest Health Collaboration, and other collaborative processes in a leadership role to support active management that will result in additional timber supply for protection and enhancement of forested lands within ceded area.

Primary contributor and reviews Environmental Assessments, Biological Assessments, and other NEPA-related documentation, including development of purpose and need, proposed actions, alternatives, design criteria, and effects analysis in coordination with interdisciplinary teams.

Coordinates and advances projects under Good Neighbor Authority, and other cooperative agreements through pre-decisional planning, environmental compliance, and documentation development.

Participate in forestry and natural resource staff meetings and contribute to program planning, prioritization, and reporting efforts associated with project development and NEPA processes.

Identifies and evaluates funding opportunities, including grants and other funding mechanisms, and supports proposal development to advance forest management planning and environmental review activities.

Oversees project development across both reservation and off-reservation lands, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, tribal priorities, and applicable federal and tribal policies prior to implementation.

Technical authority of fire behavior, wildfire preparedness and operation activities, and Yakama Reservation Forest and Range Fire Control Plan to perform within the fire organization in an overhead capacity.

Proficient in identifying trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses that characterize eastern Cascade Forest habitat types.

Participates in fire suppression, pre-suppression, and fire-based site preparation activities on reservation and within

ceded territory and may serve as a liaison on large fires off Reservation.

Provide presentations to Tribal and General Council on status reports of the projects and management planning.

Operate a U.S. Government and/or Tribal vehicles.

Complete monthly narrative to document daily activities.

Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Comprehensive understanding of silvicultural systems and forest conditions applicable to the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains, including forest health, insects and disease, and general treatment concepts sufficient to support planning and environmental analysis.

Knowledge of Federal and Tribal laws, regulations, and policies relating to forest management, including but not limited to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Indian Forest Resources Management Act (NIFRMA), Tribal Forest Protection Act (TFPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), and applicable U.S. Forest Service policies and planning frameworks.

Knowledge of interagency authorities and agreements including Good Neighbor Authority, stewardship contracting, and Grants and Agreements, as well as familiarity with Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs), and other mechanisms used to support cross-boundary forest management activities.

Knowledge of NEPA processes, environmental compliance requirements, and interdisciplinary planning, including development of Environmental Assessments, Biological Assessments, purpose and need statements, alternatives, design criteria, and effects analysis.

Knowledge of the Yakama Nation resource management including forest, range, water, wildlife and policy, and resource plans.

Knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Office computer software, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) including ArcGIS Pro, and Global Positioning Systems (GPS, Avenza).

Knowledge of general specialized forestry equipment and the ability to operate to implement forest restoration activities.

Ability to interpret and apply policies, regulations, and technical information to support project planning and decision-making.

Ability to identify funding opportunities and prepare, write, and support grant proposals, including coordination of required documentation, budgets, and reporting requirements associated with grant-funded projects.

Ability to coordinate and manage multiple projects simultaneously, including planning schedules, priorities, and deliverables across interdisciplinary teams and partner agencies independently with minimal supervision.

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, including preparation of technical documents, grant proposals, reports, and coordination materials for a variety of audiences.

Ability to facilitate meetings, build consensus, and maintain effective working relationships with Tribal, Federal, and external partners.

Ability to interpret and apply policies, regulations, and technical information to support project planning and decision-making.

Minimum Requirements:

A Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry or closely related forestry or natural resource field is required. Must provide a copy of college diploma and college transcripts when submitting application for this position.

Three to five years of progressively responsible forestry work.

Three to five years of supervisory experience.

Must be able to pass the National Wildland Coordination Group Standard fitness test for arduous duty and maintain wildland fire certification annually.

Must be physically and mentally willing and able to endure extended periods of work under a wide variety of environmental conditions, e.g., ability to ascend and descend steep topography; work under hot summer temperatures to below zero temperatures during winter.

Required to pass a pre-employment background check.

Required to pass a pre-employment drug test.

Must possess a valid Washington State Driver's License with the ability to obtain a Tribal Driver Permit with Defensive Driving Course certificate (to be updated every 2 years).

Preferred Requirements:

Yakama enrolled preference, but all qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.