Forester

Forester

Manage vegetation in proximity to electrical facilities to promote resiliency of transmission services.

Key Job Information

Grade/Exemption: Grade 7/EX

Career Level: P3

Individuals at this level requires in-depth knowledge and experience. They use best practices and knowledge of internal or external business issues to improve products or services. They solve complex problems taking a new perspective using existing solutions. They work independently receiving minimal guidance. They act as a resource for colleagues with less experience.

Key Responsibilities:

Scoping:

• Performs safety and contractor performance audits (Quality Assurance/Quality Control)
• Conducts scoping
• Work layout(s)
• Notifies customers and all stakeholders of impending work and helps to manage and review work processes.
• Analyzes risks and prioritizes jobs according to urgency and location.

Scheduling:

• Plan and coordinate vegetation clearance activities.
• Prioritizes work in accordance with the company and department strategy.
• Schedule contracting vegetation crews.
• Schedules work assignments and contract crews based on manager/supervisor priorities.
• Helps to organize and maintain tasks and the ability to track progress throughout multiple projects.

Vendor Management:

• Ensures contract crew performance meets PGE standards and specifications.
• Continually analyzes and monitors crew productivity to ensure PGE is receiving benefits for vegetation clearance expenditures relative to statement of work.
• Reviews and corrects as needed tree pruning practices to ensure conformance to PGEs vegetation clearance policy.
• Adapts tree pruning practices as needed to optimize resource use.

Consultation:

• Advises region engineering with capital job vegetation clearance needs and problems.
• Represents PGEs Forestry department to contractors impacted by/impacting company operations.
• Serves as subject matter expert on projects.
• Proactively analyzes issues and resolves complex problems in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Works with PGE transmission forester to coordinate herbicide applications in assigned area.

Coordination:

• Coordinates vegetation clearance with line restoration crews during emergency periods.
• Collaborates with regional line operations to determine and schedule maintenance and construction vegetation clearance needs.
• Coordinates vegetation clearance and selective herbicide applications with city county and state agencies.

Compliance:

• Reviews new standards regulations and agreements and analyzes work processes to ensure compliance.
• Adapts work direction as needed to meet changing standards.

Education/Experience/Certifications:

Education: Requires a bachelors degree in earth science horticulture geology forestry natural resources or similar field or equivalent experience.

Experience: Typically five or more years in utility tree trimming private tree trimming arborist work nursery work or related field including vendor management and project management.

Preferred Experience: A background in UVM focused on wildfire risk reduction and mitigation.

Experience in implementing fire prevention strategies hazardous tree removal and maintaining vegetation clearance around power lines in high fire risk areas is highly valued.

Knowledge of wildfire risk assessment protocols and collaboration with local agencies for fire safety compliance will be considered a plus.

Certifications Licenses and Training: Valid drivers license and ISA Arborist Certification required. ISA Utility Specialist credential and Valid Oregon State Pesticide Consultant license preferred and required within six months of obtaining position. ISA TRAQ preferred.

Knowledge Skills Abilities

• Expert knowledge of utility forestry processes and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of forestry best practices and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of proper arboriculture pruning practices and herbicide/pesticide applications.
• Intermediate Knowledge of Pacific Northwest vegetation species growth rates insects/disease problems and failure risk potentials.
• Thorough knowledge of regulations impacting vegetation management
• Thorough knowledge of vendor management principles
• Intermediate skills in critical thinking including analysis and problem solving
• Working skills in using database and documentation tools
• Intermediate decision-making skills
• Working skills in critical thinking including analysis problem solving and prioritization
• Intermediate Interpersonal Skills
• Intermediate written and oral communication skills
• Intermediate presentation skills
• Intermediate organizational awareness
  

Physical and Cognitive Demands:

• Cognitive Level Substantial: Consistent use of logic or scientific thinking to define problems collect information establish facts and draw valid conclusions (for example engineer HR director plant manager etc.).
• Ability to adhere to set response times deadlines and time-sensitive tasks
• Ability to follow accuracy standards
• Ability to follow through on decision-making tasks
• Ability to interact effectively and collaboratively within a team environment
• Ability to communicate and problem solve when under stress
• Ability to respond and adapt to frequent change
• Ability to accept and demonstrate self-awareness when provided constructive feedback
• Ability to discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement
• Ability to avoid future mistakes by applying reasonable skills to new but similar work situations or tasks
• Ability to successfully collaborate with peers supervisors managers and others within the organization
• Demonstrates sound memory
• Ability to process new information to be applied consistently to work tasks
  

Schedule/Attendance:

• Ability to work long hours
• Ability to report to work and perform work during periods of severe inclement weather Ability to consistently meet attendance standards for regular reliable predictable full-time attendance
• Ability to work shift schedule
• Must be able to serve on call at all times

Physical Capabilities:

• This position requires a valid drivers license and a history of safe driving practices.
• Daily Driving/travel/commute within the service territory
• Occasional Overnight inside/outside the service territory
• Computer use (use computer regularly for entire work shift)
• Lifting/pushing/pulling/carrying up to 50lb
• Walking on unstable surfaces requiring balance
• Elevated areas (i.e. catwalks roofs and high buildings)
• Walking distances and surfaces (long distances and over rough uneven or rocky surfaces)
• Stairs (over 10steps)

Environment- Indoor/Outdoor:

Office Field