Explore fire, forestry & natural resource careers

Within forestry and timber jobs you will primarily work almost entirely outdoors in physically demanding conditions in different types of weather, evaluating forest conditions and preparing timber to be cut and sold. Your tasks include data collection, inventory, tree planting, pruning, thinning, and cutting trees. You will also perform inspections of areas where trees were cut or planted and prepare written reports of the final inspection. This commonly includes specialties such as timber sale reparation, timber stand improvement, and timber sale administration. From planting seedlings to inspecting a contractor's work, a forestry career provides the technical and professional expertise for evaluating the health of our forests.

Within range management jobs you will assist with a wide range consisting of livestock grazing, recreational opportunities, healthy watersheds, fire management, and wildlife habitat. You should be passionate for the outdoors and have an interest in scientific management, protection, and development of grasslands and other range resources. You may expand to analyzing and protecting natural resources, developing programs and standards for rangeland use and preservation, and advising officials and landowners on rangeland management practices.

Within Geology jobs you will interpret and forecast volcanic eruptions to better understand and predict the timing and impact of volcanic hazards. Carry out geologic field work on earthquakes to inform active fault studies and use geologic knowledge to evaluate applications to conduct drilling, resource leasing, and minerals exploration on public lands. You may expand to learn, understand, explain and use in depth knowledge of geology and related specialized areas such as minerals management or seismology to identify and analyze problems, and make logical decisions and develop solutions within the field of geology.

Within archeology and curation jobs you will study the tangible remains of people and events, including architectural remains, features, and artifacts found in surveys, during excavation, or underwater. Perform technical and specialized work necessary to care for cultural artifacts, natural history specimens, and archives so they can be seen, researched, and appreciated by current and future generations. You may expand to leveraging a deep understanding of historical events and human society and apply preservation and archival techniques to manage, preserve and protect important artifacts and sites.

Within Mapping and GIS jobs you will use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and geospatial technology to analyze and identify the geographic location of features and boundaries for use in management of National Forest lands. You will make sure maps are accurate for public use, research, natural resources management and responding to emergency incidents such as wildfires. You may expand to becoming a skilled problem solver who identifies relationships and linkages and applies in-depth knowledge of geographical science to a multitude of complex issues. Contributing to scientific studies, surveying remote areas, and providing critical information for studies, land surveys, or land development planning.

Within recreation management jobs you will perform a variety of outdoor assignments, which allow the public to safely access and enjoy special places, such as trails, campgrounds, rivers, and lakes. Common duties include clearing downed trees from hiking trails, cleaning campground facilities and providing information about recreational opportunities. This commonly includes specialties in general recreation, trails, and wilderness. You may expand to applying innovative solutions to solve outdoor recreation problems or implementing complex projects.

Within landscape restoration and management jobs you will be responsible for monitoring and reducing the impacts caused by forest visitors and other influences. Duties can include developing, overseeing, and maintaining popular recreation facilities such as trails, campgrounds, and picnic areas; reducing the spread of invasive species; and issuing special use permits. You will also study interactions among plants, animals, and their environment for scientific investigations. You will need to read maps and interpret photographs to locate research sites, use different tools to measure various types of data and coordinate with research scientists on projects.

Within research and development jobs you will spend time collecting samples to determine physical, chemical, and morphological characteristics of different things. You will describe and classify properties according to guiding standards and determine how suitable a wide range of items are for management. You will write restoration plans, control plans, resource specific improvement plans, management reports, survey reports, and special project reports for management. You may also be involved with generating ideas and developing new materials or technology. You may expand to leading creative teams, supervising large groups, and developing your own novel ideas and approaches to help solve problems and answer questions.

Within fire and aviation jobs you will serve in a wide variety of roles, including understanding and monitoring fire conditions and behavior; pre-attack planning; preventing and suppressing damaging fires; controlling smoke; loading helicopters; and managing movement of people, equipment, and resources to support firefighting. Eventually you may expand to determining risk and develop or deploy programs designed to help combat wildfires with the best objectives. Includes specialty sub-groups of: Aviation, Fire Engine Operation, Fire Management Officer, Fire Management Planning, Fuels Management, Helitack, Hotshot Crews, Prevention, Smokejumper, Handcrews, and Paramedic.

Within biology and wildlife jobs you will work outdoors conducting research by identifying, preserving, and collecting data on the different types and sizes of trees, plants, insects, and animals. Data is then analyzed and used to help make policy decisions. You will use maps, compasses, data recorders and other tools to conduct research and complete tasks. You may expand to being able to effectively direct work involving complex biological issues, recreation and public use management, organizational policies, rules, and regulations, construction, and law enforcement in a highly visible and closely scrutinized environment.

Within urban forestry jobs you will primarily work outdoors operating heavy machinery and climbing trees to perform standard maintenance. These are positions where you often work as a tree trimmer and pruner in the public or private sector. Your tasks may include data collection, inventory, tree planting, pruning, thinning, and cutting trees. You will also perform inspections of areas where trees were cut or planted and prepare written reports of the final inspection. Duties include verifying landscaping and tree mitigation requirements are met, working with commercial property owners, developers, and design professionals to identify existing tree species onsite and maximize preservation of the urban forest.

Within information technology jobs you will keep the businesses and agencies operating in the advanced digital age. From cyber security to managing wireless internet connection, you will provide support through technology that allows all employees to do their jobs in an office and out in the field. You may expand to enabling and enhancing the productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the thousands of people who conserve, protect, and manage public and private lands and resources. Your expertise will provide the full range of IT services to large and widely dispersed workforces, from cybersecurity to enterprise architecture to network administration to customer support.

Within teaching, training, and education jobs you will work in many settings and with a variety of audiences, applying technology and instructional principles to facilitate and support engaging, interactive educational programs. You should have excellent organizational and public speaking skills, and can work effectively with a variety of people, sometimes in changing situations that call for creativity and adaptability. You may expand to applying principles and techniques of education and training to facilitate, develop, and support engaging and interactive training programs or courses for a wide variety of audiences.

Within project management jobs you will develop detailed plans, tasks, milestone dates and schedules to track and manage processes and costs throughout a project's life cycle. Coordinate and collaborate with others to monitor, maintain and report on status and progress of work; establishing program objectives and metrics. Make recommendations and act when necessary to address problems or adjust to changing external factors or forces. Draft guidance and direction regarding program management and reporting. Plan and initiate a comprehensive evaluation system for the review and analysis of proposed costs, program development, and performance.

Within law and law enforcement jobs you will protect cultural, natural, and historical resources. You will conduct security evaluations, formulate security policy for DOI structures and procedures, and analyze the effectiveness of security practices. You will also maintain, test, and evaluate Physical Security components such as Access Control, CCTV, and Intrusion Detection systems. You may expand to preventing crime and maintaining law and order on public lands. Your presence can be a deterrent to wrongdoing, and help detect, investigate and respond to crimes ranging from misdemeanors to traffic, fish and game or tribal law violations, to felonies.

Within Engineering jobs you will gain valuable applied experience to pair with studies if still a student. You will also work hand-in-hand with Engineers and other technical specialists to support important work within natural resource agencies, companies, or in fields such as National parks, historic sites and other buildings, drilling operations, waterways, dams, and roads. You may expand to ensuring assessing the environmental impact of activities such as construction or natural resource development. You may also use your technical expertise to work on or oversee a wide variety of engineering or multidisciplinary projects.

Within human resources jobs you will help to make sure that personnel action processing, recruitment, new employee onboarding, benefits, training and other employment-related functions and processes go smoothly. You will need to do thorough research, carefully follow procedures and processes, and remain open and interested in learning new things. You may expand to developing and implementing creative, results-driven solutions for recruitment, retention, career development, compensation, benefits, and employee and labor-management relations.

Within Watersheds and hydrology jobs you will obtain measurements in the field, analyze samples in the laboratory, and conduct analyses in the office in order to assist in solving water-related problems. You will also be the basis for solving water-related problems and making water-resources decisions that can have a significant impact on life, property, regional economics, and the environment. You will analyze and interpret information on water resources to ensure the quality of our water supply and the safety of people, homes and businesses close to rivers, lakes and streams.

Within Communications jobs you will prepare issue papers on topics for awareness, research and summarize news reports or social media trends. You will also draft news releases, assist with preparations for public meetings or special events, answer questions from media representatives on agency initiatives, draft a variety of communication products and materials such as speeches, correspondence or web/social media content, and assist agency staff preparing for media interviews. You may expand to analyzing complex, sensitive issues and developing effective communication strategies to positively address them.

Within Policy jobs you will analyze, evaluate, and improve critical operations, procedures, and processes that support a multitude of missions. You will also develop, evaluate, and revise programs to meet goals. You may expand to providing a variety of management services that are essential to the direction and operation of offices and units across multiple fields, agencies, or businesses.

Within Funding jobs you will play a critical role in a variety of financial partnerships, such as with nonprofits and public-private collaborations, serving as the vital connection between organizations doing work that benefits citizens. You will award funds to organizations, answer questions, and make sure agreements are met. You may expand to soliciting, evaluating, negotiating, and awarding contracts with commercial sources and other organizations so that high quality products and services are provided at the best possible prices and terms.