POSITION INFORMATION: Position: Seasonal Forestry Assistant - ALB Eradication Program Ground Survey Location: 184 West Boylston St., West Boylston, MA 01583 Start Date: 11/16/2025 End Date: 3/21/2026 Work Hours: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Mon-Fri, 40 hours/week # of positions: 3 Please note, if you are selected for this position and will be working less than 90 days, the position will automatically revert to a short-term position. Our short-term positions are not part of the salary scale that is advertised within this job posting. Should this position revert to a short-term seasonal position (less than 90 days), your salary rate will be discussed with you during the interview phase of the process. Who We Are: The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance Massachusetts' environmental resources and create a clean energy future for all residents. Through the stewardship of open spaces, the protection of environmental resources, and the advancement of clean energy, EEA works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. ??Our commitment to environmental justice ensures that every resident, regardless of background or location, can live in a safe, clean environment and shares equally in the benefits of the clean energy transition. Who We Are as an Employer: At EEA, we create meaningful, inclusive opportunities that empower our employees to make a real difference in shaping the environmental future of Massachusetts. We foster a workplace culture where diversity is valued, innovation is encouraged, and collaboration thrives. Our employees play a vital role in advancing sustainability, environmental justice, and clean energy solutions, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on Massachusetts and its residents. The Department of Conservation and Recreation's mission is to protect, promote and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural and recreational resources for the well-being of all. The DCR is steward to one of the largest and most diverse state parks systems in the nation which includes more than 450,000 acres of parks, forests, water supply protection lands, beaches, lakes, ponds, playgrounds, swimming pools, skating rinks, trails, golf courses and parkways.?DCR strives to be an exemplary leader in conservation and recreation. DCR's staff is passionate, dedicated, and continuously employs best practices that are informed by expertise, and creates a sense of place through carrying out the mission. The Department of Conservation and Recreation seeks applicants for the position of Forestry Assistant within the Massachusetts Cooperative Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program. About Conservation and Resource Stewardship: DCR places are special. It starts with the conservation and stewardship of our Commonwealth's unique and significant landscapes. Outdoor recreation invites all to experience these resources and see what makes Massachusetts special. It is the purpose of the Conservation and Resource Stewardship team to ensure these lands are available for future generations. It is our passion to create a sense of place at DCR that will foster a culture of stewardship. About the Bureau of Forest Fire Control & Forestry: The Bureau of Forest Fire Control & Forestry offers programs to promote, protect and enhance healthy and diverse wooded and urban forests throughout our Commonwealth including grant opportunities for urban forestry and volunteer fire assistance, staff assistance to municipalities for fire control, consulting forestry and forest stewardship for private lands, oversight of forest health issues including insect and disease control and storm related response, regulatory guidance on timber harvests as well as forest management and timber sales on state lands. About the Forest Health Program: The Forest Health Program is responsible for monitoring and assessing factors that influence the health of Massachusetts' state forests. Forest Health staff utilize multiple survey and trapping protocols to research insects and diseases impacting forest conditions and work in cooperation with state, federal, and municipal agencies to detect, manage, and treat biotic and abiotic factors that negatively impact Massachusetts' state forests. About the Massachusetts Cooperative Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program: The Massachusetts Cooperative Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program (Program) is a cross collaborative cooperative program where DCR Forest Health staff work directly alongside United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA) Animal Plant and Health Inspection Services (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) staff to eradicate Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) from Massachusetts. All Program staff report to the same operational headquarters and work together in mixed agency teams to eradicate ALB from the Massachusetts ALB Regulated Area (i.e. Worcester, Boylston, West Boylston, Shrewsbury, and parts of Auburn). About the position: Working in teams of USDA and DCR staff, Forestry Assistants perform on the ground survey of host trees and host material for signs and symptoms of ALB infestation. Teams survey in all @types of terrain; in wooded areas, swamps, and residential, commercial, and landscaped areas. Over the course of the season, Forestry Assistant's will; hone their tree ID skills, become experienced in identifying damage to trees caused by a wide variety of biotic and abiotic factors, build upon their ability to read New England forests and landscapes, gain invaluable interpersonal experience working in mixed agency teams, become proficient in collecting and entering data using Esri ArcGIS Field Maps, and strengthen their communication skills through interacting with the public and stakeholders to carry out ALB host tree surveys. DETAILED STATEMENT OF SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES: - Identify ALB host trees to species, measure DBH", collect and enter data using Esri ArcGIS Field Maps - Inspect host trees for signs and symptoms of ALB infestation - Work outdoors over all terrain @types - Interact with the public and stakeholders to conduct host tree inspections - Cooperate with federal, state, and municipal authorities during emergencies and natural disasters such as forest fires, wind or ice storms, and insect infestations - Other duties as assigned PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: · Critical thinking skills · Strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written) · Prior field work experience · Knowledge of ALB lifecycle · Familiarity with New England landscape and forest @types · Ability to identify all genera of ALB host trees · Knowledge of regional invasive forest insects/pests/pathogens, their threats and associated damage · Experience using field data collection systems; such as, Esri applications (i.e. Collector, Field Maps, Survey123), GPS devices (i.e. Garmin, Trimble) · Ability to use a map and compass BENEFITS OF JOINING THE ALB TEAM: · Learn to identify regional native and landscaped trees in all seasons · Gain invaluable communication skills engaging with the public and stakeholders · Union representation, Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers & Scientists (MOSES) Unit 9 · Eligible for union recalls rights to position next season · Paid personal time off; as well as, accrued sick time and vacation time · Paid holidays · Health insurance available, effective 1st of next month of the hire date · Experience working in a state agency with diverse career opportunities · Pension and optional enrollment in Massachusetts Deferred Compensation 457 SMART Plan A cover letter and resume must be submitted as part of the application process. This requisition will remain open until filled; however, first consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days. Minimum Entrance Requirements: Applicants must have at least (A) one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time experience in forestry or natural resource management, or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below. Substitutions: I. An Associate's or higher degree with a major in forestry or forestry management may be substituted for the required experience. Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed. Special Requirements: Possession of a current and valid Massachusetts Class D Motor Vehicle Operator's License. Comprehensive Benefits When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future. Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards! An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role. Job: AgricultureOrganization: Department of Conservation & Recreation Title: Seasonal Forestry Assistant - West Boylston Winter 25/26 Location: Massachusetts-West Boylston-180 Beaman St Requisition ID: 250007N7
