FORESTRY ASSISTANT

The Los Angeles County Department of Human Resources is hiring a Forestry Assistant to oversee reforestation work and supervise work crews. Responsibilities include conducting field inspections, managing tree nurseries, and ensuring compliance with forestry regulations. The position involves manual labor and community engagement. Applicants must meet specific requirements and apply during the open recruitment period starting January 29, 2024. This is not a remote job.
FILING DATES:

Applications will be accepted starting Monday, January 29, 2024, 8:00 a.m., PT - This exam will remain open until the needs of the Department are met and is subject to close without prior notice.

EXAM NUMBER:

30328J

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:

OPEN COMPETITIVE JOB OPPORTUNITY

APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AT THE TIME OF FILING

WITHHOLD:
No withhold will be accepted for this examination.

OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE:

Out-of-Class experience will not be accepted for this examination.

DEFINITION:
Performs nursery or field reforestation work and supervises juvenile and adult work crews in forestry projects.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:
Positions allocable to this class typically report to a Deputy Forester and are responsible for performing forestry duties at a County reforestation nursery or are assigned to one of the major forestry programs such as: Vegetation Management, Conservation Education, Fuel Modification, Brush Clearance, Fire Plan, Environmental Review, Pesticide Coordination, Soil Stabilization or Landscape Design. Incumbents must apply supervisory skills and knowledge of forestry and natural resources management principles to plan and coordinate field projects, forest tree nursery operations, or specialized tasks in support of vegetation management, fuel modification, brush clearance, environmental impact reports, and the County's Oak Tree Ordinance. Incumbents supervise and participate in the work of unskilled crews performing forestry related duties.

Essential Job Functions
• Oversees and conducts field work (e.g. Inspections, manual labor, landscaping) by directing field crews (Forestry Technicians, volunteers, and vendors), engaging in manual seed collecting, field reforestation (i.e. removing invasive plant species and planting native species), native plant propagation in nurseries, determining the type, number and placement of trees to be planted, managing tree nurseries, by using a chainsaw to thin forest, and applying herbicides, insecticides, and other chemicals for weed abatement, and by operating Class B commercial vehicles and towing chippers/trailers in order to complete forestry related projects.
• Conducts enforcement inspections under the supervision of Deputy Foresters by inspecting properties (e.g. brush clearance inspections, oak tree ordinance inspections), by communicating compliance findings with property owners, in order to monitor compliance of laws and regulations.
• Serves as departmental representative at community events (e.g. county fairs, job fairs, school presentations) by coordinating, scheduling, and giving presentations or informal talks regarding forestry activities; conducting field demonstrations in order to educate the public.
• Prepares forestry projects, by evaluating physical conditions (e.g. environmentally sensitive areas, defensible space requirements), conducting site preparation, and selecting appropriate plant species for planting and removal, in order to protect life, property, and the environment.
• Evaluates regulatory compliance by reviewing and analyzing inspection information in accordance with state and county codes and ordinance, and coordinates corrective measures in order to protect life, property, and the environment.
• Develops Geographic Information Systems maps by collecting fire perimeter data, by hiking uneven terrain and collecting forest management data in order to utilize silvicultural techniques to accurately assess forest health.
• Staffs the 24 hour facility at Henninger Flats visitor center/museum by giving guided field tours, by participating in education and conservation programs, by patrolling campgrounds, rendering emergency medical services to the general public, and by covering night shifts in the absence of lower-level staff in order to provide a safe venue for outdoor recreational activities.
• Responds to 24 hour emergency incident needs by performing support roles in logistics (e.g. supply unit, ground support unit, facilities unit and resource unit) in order to support the needs of the incident.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
Graduation from an accredited college with specialization in forestry or a related field.

LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.

A valid California Class B Commercial Driver License with water tank, air brake and passenger endorsements is required within one year from the date of appointment and prior to completion of probationary period.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
• Accredited institutions are those listed in the publications of regional, national or international accrediting agencies, which are accepted by the Department of Human Resources. Publications such as American Universities and Colleges and International Handbook of Universities are acceptable references. Also Acceptable, if appropriate, are degrees that have been evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).

Related field such as: Urban Forestry, Forestry Recreation, Recreation Administration, Landscape Architecture, Wildfire, Wildfire Management, Natural Resources Management, Botany, Environmental Sciences (Ecology), Agriculture, Horticulture, and Arboriculture. All related fields may be reviewed for content and curriculum emphasis.
In order to received credit for any college course work, or any type of college degree, such as Associate's or higher, or for completion of a certificate program, you must include a legible copy of the official diploma, official transcripts, or official letter from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization; or official certificates with your application. Applicants must either upload required documents as attachments, e-mail documents as attachments to Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov or fax the documents to (323) 264-7159 at the time of filing or within fifteen (15) calendar days of submitting online application. A printout of the transcript from the school’s website Is NOT considered official and will not be accepted which may result in your application being rejected. An evaluation report of a transcript is defined as a report issued by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by the NACES or the AICE of the United States. A transcript submitted that is expressed in a language other than English will NOT be accepted and may result in your application being rejected.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Persons appointed to this class shall obtain Emergency Medical Technician-1 (EMT-1) certification through successful completion of the departmentally provided EMT-1 training program, or from a school, or an EMT program accredited by the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency, and successfully pass the National Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) basic exam within one year from time of appointment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
VISION:

(1) Acuity - At least 20/70 in each eye without correction, correctable to 20/30 in each eye. (2) Color Perception - Anything other than minor hue impairment is disqualifying.
HEARING:

Applicants cannot be medically qualified if the hearing in either ear shows greater than a 40 dB loss as averaged in the four test frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz; nor may there be greater than a 45 dB peak loss at any one of the test frequencies. Applicants whose test results fall between the acceptable and unacceptable ranges will be individually evaluate.
PHYSICAL CLASS:

4 - Arduous. Involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working on irregular surfaces; and occasionally requires extraordinary physical activity.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT

PART I: A multiple choice and/or simulation assessment(s), weighted at 50%, assessing:
• Deductive Reasoning
• Deciding and Initiating Action
• Working with People
• Persuading and Influencing
• Planning and Organizing
• Delivering Results and Meeting Customer Expectations.

MULTIPLE CHOICE AND/OR SIMULATION ASSESSMENT(S) ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

PART II: An Evaluation of Training and Experience (T&E), weighted at 50%, assessing:
• Professional/Technical Knowledge of:
• Laws and Regulations, Professional Standards, Policies, and Procedures
• Forestry Management and Fire Science
• Emergency Operations
• Safety and Emergency Equipment Use
• Hand Tools and Power Equipment Use

Applicants must meet the Minimum Requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the combined scores for Part I and II in order to be placed on the eligible register.

Many important notifications including invitation letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov, Aoganesyan@hr.lacounty.gov, pui.yau@fire.lacounty.gov, info@governmentjobs.com, Noreply@governmentjobs.com, Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov, talentcentral@shl.com, noreply@proctoru.com, donotreply@amcatmail.com and the domains fire.lacounty.gov and hr.lacounty.gov to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

It is also important that you provide a valid email address. DO NOT select “off” under Email Preferences within your profile or click “unsubscribe” on our notices if you would like the County of Los Angeles to notify you regarding your application status, test schedules, and other important information pertaining to your candidacy for this position.

It is your responsibility to take the above steps to view correspondence. Los Angeles County will not consider claims of not viewing or receiving notification to be a valid reason for late test administration or re-scheduling of a test component.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

Notice of Non-acceptance and Final Result letters will be sent via email. Test scores cannot be given over the phone.

TRANSFER OF TEST COMPONENTS:

Applicants who have taken identical components recently for other exams may have their scores automatically transferred to this examination.

This examination contains test components that may be used in the future for new examinations and your test scores may be transferred.

TEST PREPARATION:

Study guides and other test preparation resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help in preparing for the test, we advise you to review all related materials that you deem necessary.

An interactive, Online Test Preparation System for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at http://hr.lacounty.gov/. Please click on "Find a Job" and then "Job Search Toolkit." Test preparation information is located under the "Employment Test Assistance" section.

Additional practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en/practice-tests.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:

The names of candidates receiving a passing grade in the examination will be placed on the register list in order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation. No person may compete in this exam more than once in a 12-month period.

Applications will be processed on an as-received basis and promulgated to the register of eligible candidates accordingly.

SPECIAL INFORMATION:

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSTION (ARDI)

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

BACKGROUND CHECK:

Candidates who are extended a conditional offer of employment will be required to complete a background check, including a review of any criminal convictions, which requires a finger print scan. A candidate with a conviction history which has a direct and adverse relationship with the duties of the Forestry Assistant, Fire position may undergo the process for their conditional offer of employment to be rescinded. If rescinded, a candidate’s name will be removed from the certification list pursuant to Civil Service Rule 6.04.

VACANCY INFORMATION:

The resulting register list for this examination will be used to fill Forestry Assistant, vacancies within the Los Angeles County Fire Department as they occur.

AVAILABLE SHIFT:

Any Shift-Appointees must be willing to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

PASSING THIS EXAMINATION AND BEING PLACED ON THE REGISTER LIST DOES NOT GUARANTEE AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

Applications must be filed online only. We must receive your application before 5:00 p.m., PT, on the last day of filing. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person will not be accepted. Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using the website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty.

Applicants must submit all applicable documents (diplomas, official transcripts, certificates, etc.) during application submission. All documents must be clear and legible. Although resumes can be uploaded as attachments to the application, resumes cannot be accepted in lieu of completing the online application.

Documents not submitted with the application may be emailed to

Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov or fax to (323) 264-7159 within fifteen (15) calendar days of filing. All emails must clearly identify the applicant's name and the subject line must include the exam name Forestry Assistant and exam number 30328J.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE:

Acceptance of your application depends on whether you clearly show that you meet the Minimum Requirements. Fill out the online application completely and correctly in order to receive full credit for any related education, training, and job experience. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, and description of work performed. All information supplied is subject to verification. APPLICATIONS MAY BE REJECTED AT ANY STAGE OF THE SELECTION PROCESS.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
Please note that information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION. Utilizing VERBIAGE from the Class Specification and/or Minimum Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED.

PLEASE REVIEW YOUR APPLICATION CAREFULLY AND COMPLETELY PRIOR TO CLICKING THE "SUBMIT" BUTTON

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Refer to their website for updated information at https://lacountylibrary.org/library-locator.

NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD:

All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record and is subject to disqualification from this examination.

Questions regarding this posting may be emailed, with the exam name Forestry Assistant and exam number 30328J in the subject line, to Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov.

Testing Accommodations Information and Coordinator Contact Information:

If you need an accommodation to take an assessment, let us know by contacting the ADA/Testing Coordinator at Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov or (213) 466-5500. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can respond to your request and keep you moving through the process.

California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922

Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077

Department Contact Name: Fire Examination Section

Department Contact Phone: (213) 466-5500

Department Contact Email: Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov

Department Fax: (323) 264-7159

For more information on Employment Information, click on the link below:

http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/247636_EmploymentInformation.pdf (Download PDF reader)

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement:
The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.

Testing Accommodations for Applicants:
The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.

Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility:
Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder:
Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.

Revised January 2025