Natural Resource Specialist 4 - Statewide Interpretation Coordinator

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Opportunity Awaits, Apply Today!

Our Mission – To protect and promote resilient forests that benefit all Oregonians.

This position requires working at the Tillamook Forest Center with a Wednesday – Sunday schedule from March – November from 8 am – 4:30 pm in the spring and fall and 9 am – 5:30 pm during the summer. An alternate schedule is available December – February.

The Benefits of Joining Our Team:

Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, competitive benefits packages and so much more. Great Benefits Package - watch this video here

You’ll be part of the ODF team that serves our fellow Oregonians relying on regulation and protection of both public and private forest land in our great state of Oregon!​ Click here.

What we are looking for:

ODF is looking for a Natural Resources Specialist 4 – Statewide Interpretation Coordinator to lead Interpretation and Education (IE) for State Forests. This will consist of guiding a team of full-time IE staff in developing and delivering programs that build public awareness of ODF’s mission and the laws and policies that govern its work, particularly within the State Forest division. This position works closely with the Tillamook Forest Center Director to determine the program goals and priorities.

These goals and associated duties include:

• Guides a team of full-time interpretive staff in developing and delivering both formal (person-to-person) and informal (signs/exhibits/brochures) interpretive services that increase public awareness of the Agency’s broader mission and the laws and policies governing its work.

• Serve as the State Forests subject matter expert on interpretation and environmental education, across topics such as agency-wide natural resource management issues (e.g. the history of catastrophic wildfires on State forests), forest ecology, and active forest management.

• Plans and administers all aspects of the Tillamook Forest Center’s volunteer program including day volunteers, site hosts, and episodic volunteers. 

• Partner with an interdisciplinary team (wildlife biologists, riparian specialists, roads specialists, and marketing foresters) to ensure interpretive and education opportunities are considered within the larger planning arena for current and future forest management.

• Provide consultative feedback and technical guidance to supervisors, peers, and staff on relevant IE subjects.

• Help ensure State Forest policy work, such as the Habitat Conservation Plan and Forest Management Plan, reflects the broad set of social, economic, and environmental values embodied in the Greatest Permanent Value mandate that guides all State Forest work.

Minimum Qualifications:

Three years of experience in Natural Resource Communication/Interpretation. At least one year of the experience must be at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program such as researching and analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying pertinent laws and regulations, or coordinating and monitoring project activities

AND

A bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Communication/Interpretation or a closely related degree such as Tourism.

OR

Three additional years of related (pertinent) experience.

A master's degree in Natural Resource Communication/Interpretation will substitute for up to one year of the required experience.

Note: This position requires a criminal history background check

Note: Driver’s License Check – This position requires the operation of a state vehicle for official State business. As part of the hiring process, the agency uses Advanced Reporting LLC to conduct all required DMV and CDL driving‑record checks. Advanced Reporting LLC will obtain and review the driving record for the top candidate to verify possession of a valid license and an acceptable driving record.

Desired Skills:

If you have these skills and attributes, let us know in your application materials! You do not need to have all these qualities to be eligible for this position. We may also use transferable skills, experience, and education to help us decide who will move forward for an interview. Please be specific.

• Extensive knowledge and practice of interpretive principles, concepts, and techniques; Knowledge of PNW forest flora and fauna preferred.

• Ability to plan, lead, and administer established and new interpretive and educational programming for the Tillamook Forest Center and State Forests across the landscape. Exercises sound judgment and independent decision-making around all aspects of program planning and execution.

• Experience writing and researching education program curricula, interpretive program outlines, planning and coordinating events, developing and maintaining exhibits, and other interpretive media materials related to natural and cultural history for the general public, youth, and school groups with diverse audiences following Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, and National Association for Interpretation standards.

• Experienced and skilled at guiding staff to deliver thematic in-person and virtual natural and/or cultural programs, dialogic interpretation, and environmental education programs for diverse audiences ranging in ages from toddlers to the elderly that are both captive and non-captive audiences while modeling NAI Certified Interpretive Guide standards and techniques to explain complex scientific, technical, and educational concepts in an enjoyable, purposeful, organized, and relevant, and thematic manner.

• Experience evaluating effectiveness of interpretive services and content to improve offerings and generate revenue in summaries and analyses. Evaluating findings and writing summary reports with recommendations.

• Exceptional ability to lead people while managing own work. Proven ability to lead and build the capabilities of a driven and diverse team; ability to work independently and as part of a team to further the goals of the organization.

• Cultivate and maintain positive and cooperative relationships with interested parties and community members including local Native American Tribes. Provide technical assistance on IE projects and activities, assist with National Association for Interpretative (NAI) certification programs, and facilitate other IE workshops for teachers, fellow IE professionals, and specialized trainings focused on interpretive media, dialogic interpretation, and interpretation. 

• Coordinate IE program and project development activities with other agency units and other state agencies (i.e.: Oregon Parks & Recreation Department, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon State Archives, Keep Oregon Green, Oregon, Forest Resources Institute, Oregon Natural Resources Education Program etc.) to foster a shared understanding about forest stewardship, to keep current on trends and challenges, to share technical information, and to cultivate intra and interagency collaboration.

• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and accuracy are essential.

• Strong verbal communication skills, the ability to work collaboratively and professionally with a small team; strong written skills, the ability to write about forests in an accessible and engaging way for multiple platforms and diverse audiences while also using interpretive writing principles.

• Able to track multiple projects and tasks, work under pressure, manage time to meet deadlines and priorities, and follow through; comfortable in a fast-paced environment that requires quick turnaround and flexibility.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite with an emphasis on Outlook, Word, Excel, and Publisher. Adobe Suite or other graphic/media software preferred.

• Experience managing a social media platform and archive collections using Past Perfect preferred.

• National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide Trainer is strongly preferred.

How to Apply:

• Cover letter and resume are both required - Failure to submit the required cover letter or resume will remove your application from consideration. Your resume and cover letter may be uploaded in the Resume/CV field on the online application.

• Current State of Oregon employees – You must apply through your employee Workday account.

• Please ensure the work history in your applicant profile is up to date.

• The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process.

• After you submit your application, please respond to the public records request authorization and gender identity questionnaire. This screen will come after you submit and will complete the process. If you are a current State of Oregon employee, the tasks will come to your Workday inbox.

• Please contact the recruiter under the ‘Additional Details’ section if you have any questions about how to fill out the fields of experience or to attach a document. Your submitted experience fields or attached resume must include dates (MM/YYYY) for each employer.

Salary Determination:

Per the Pay Equity Law passed in 2017, a pay equity analysis for starting salary will be conducted to determine what pay step the successful candidate will be offered. The analysis will be based on the submitted materials and the time of application.  No other documents will be accepted after submission of application. Please include any relevant information and materials if you wish to be compensated accordingly.

Additional Details:

• This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies. This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

• If you have questions about this position, please contact Hiring Manager: Denise Berkshire, [email protected]

• The Oregon Department of Forestry does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States. ODF will use E-Verify to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.

• Veterans - Eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former) who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded candidate preference. After you have applied you will be sent a task in your Workday account to provide your veteran documentation at that time. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources.

• If you have questions about the job announcement, or need an alternate format to apply, please contact: [email protected]   

ODF is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or any other class protected by state or federal laws in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring, and employment practices.