Service Forester
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Job Location:
Custer, SD - USA
Monthly Salary:
Not Disclosed
Posted on:
3 days ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
PLEASE ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Job ID: 35038
Agency: Game Fish & Parks
Location: Custer SDSalary: $24.13 Hourly
Pay Grade: H
Closing Date: 03/19/2026
South Dakota Department of Game Fish & Parks is hiring a Service Forester as a member of an integrated resource management team of forestry wildlife bison range and wildland fire natural resource professionals. Custer State Park has over 71000 ac of managed lands and maintains active natural resource management programs. This is a unique opportunity to gain a valuable and diverse set of skills such as implementation coordinate and administration of forestry activities and programs within Custer State Park. As a Timber Management Forester you would provide educational information to ensure effective conservation practices related to trees and forests and the protection of the states resources. Duties include timber sale preparation and administration log scaling non-commercial thinning setup and administration forest inventory pile burning activities hazard tree ID and removal timber sale cleanup and assisting with writing stand level forestry prescriptions. The incumbent will also be encouraged to participate in wildland fire fighting and prescribed burning.
This position requires the employee to work independently traverse distances over one mile on uneven terrain and work in outdoor forested areas for extended periods of time through a variety of environmental conditions. This employee is encouraged to join Custer State Park Fire Guard which is a group of park staff providing initial wildland fire response and provides assistance for prescribed fires within the park. Joining CSP fire guard is voluntary and would require you to pass a physical fitness test.
This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Game Fish & Parks. For more information on the Game Fish & Parks please visit .
Licenses and Certifications:
Incumbents must have a valid driver license and must have or obtain a valid Class A commercial driver license (CDL) within 90 days of hire date to retain employment. Employee will be subject to pre-employment random reasonable-suspicion post-accident follow up and return-to-duty drug and alcohol testing.
Wildland fire training and experience would be an asset.
Questionnaire: Applicants will be required to answer a series of job related questions when submitting an application for this job.
The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
Additional Requirements: To be considered please attach your resume.
This position is eligible for Veterans Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.
Successful applicant(s) will be required to undergo a background investigation. An arrest/conviction record will not necessarily bar employment. Offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of a drug screening.
The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.
The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays generous vacation and sick leave accrual dental vision and other insurance options and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.
Must apply online:
You must apply online emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email:
An Equal Opportunity Employer
#LI-Onsite
Job ID: 35038
Agency: Game Fish & Parks
Location: Custer SDSalary: $24.13 Hourly
Pay Grade: H
Closing Date: 03/19/2026
South Dakota Department of Game Fish & Parks is hiring a Service Forester as a member of an integrated resource management team of forestry wildlife bison range and wildland fire natural resource professionals. Custer State Park has over 71000 ac of managed lands and maintains active natural resource management programs. This is a unique opportunity to gain a valuable and diverse set of skills such as implementation coordinate and administration of forestry activities and programs within Custer State Park. As a Timber Management Forester you would provide educational information to ensure effective conservation practices related to trees and forests and the protection of the states resources. Duties include timber sale preparation and administration log scaling non-commercial thinning setup and administration forest inventory pile burning activities hazard tree ID and removal timber sale cleanup and assisting with writing stand level forestry prescriptions. The incumbent will also be encouraged to participate in wildland fire fighting and prescribed burning.
This position requires the employee to work independently traverse distances over one mile on uneven terrain and work in outdoor forested areas for extended periods of time through a variety of environmental conditions. This employee is encouraged to join Custer State Park Fire Guard which is a group of park staff providing initial wildland fire response and provides assistance for prescribed fires within the park. Joining CSP fire guard is voluntary and would require you to pass a physical fitness test.
This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Game Fish & Parks. For more information on the Game Fish & Parks please visit .
Licenses and Certifications:
Incumbents must have a valid driver license and must have or obtain a valid Class A commercial driver license (CDL) within 90 days of hire date to retain employment. Employee will be subject to pre-employment random reasonable-suspicion post-accident follow up and return-to-duty drug and alcohol testing.
Wildland fire training and experience would be an asset.
Questionnaire: Applicants will be required to answer a series of job related questions when submitting an application for this job.
The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
- Formal education in Forestry Natural Resource Management or a closely related field or an equivalent combination of education and field experience
- A demonstrated understanding of how forest management decisions influence landscape health wildfire risk watershed integrity recreation and long-term sustainability
- Field experience in forest management such as conducting forest inventory cruises timber marking and stand improvement treatments
- Practical experience operating and maintaining equipment including chainsaws skid steers ATVs/UTVs with strong adherence to safety standards
- Experience collecting managing and interpreting spatial data using ArcGIS Pro and/or handheld GPS units
- Experience in and/or willingness to participate in wildland firefighting as a member of Custer State Park Fire Guard; includes fire suppression prevention and fuels mitigation activities
Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
- Principles and practices of forestry and natural resource management including silviculture forest mensuration and harvesting systems dendrology forest ecology entomology pathology hydrology plant physiology and range management
- Wildland fire management concepts and practices including prevention suppression and fuels mitigation
- Forestry measurement tools field data collection methods and safe operation of forestry equipment
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) GPS technology mapping software and interpretation of topographic maps along with proficiency in Microsoft Office and related data management tools
- South Dakota Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) and the ability to implement and enforce them appropriately
- Technical analysis and problem-solving skills including compiling and interpreting data conducting literature and technical research and drawing sound defensible conclusions
- Professional communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to write clear technical reports for both professional and public audiences communicate effectively both orally and in writing work independently in field settings and participate in collaborative conversations and projects within the natural resource team
Additional Requirements: To be considered please attach your resume.
This position is eligible for Veterans Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.
Successful applicant(s) will be required to undergo a background investigation. An arrest/conviction record will not necessarily bar employment. Offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of a drug screening.
The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.
The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays generous vacation and sick leave accrual dental vision and other insurance options and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.
Must apply online:
You must apply online emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email:
An Equal Opportunity Employer
#LI-Onsite
Required Experience:
IC
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