DEPUTY FORESTER - FIRE EMERGENCY

Position/Program Information

FIRE DEPARTMENT

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

OPEN COMPETITIVE - FIRE EMERGENCY

EXAM NUMBER :
30331A-FR

APPLICATION FILING PERIOD:

Applications will be accepted from April 11, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. (PT) until April 24, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. (PT)

The LA County Board of Supervisors has unanimously ratified a Proclamation of Local Emergency in response to the windstorms and wildfires , including the Palisades and Eaton Fires, that have devastated communities across the County. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to assist the County in mobilizing resources and support needed to help our residents recover and rebuild. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The County of Los Angeles Fire Department is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Deputy Forester vacancies related to this unprecedented natural disaster.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Deputy Forester position.

DEFINITION:
Has administrative and supervisory responsibility for the operation and maintenance of a large reforestation nursery or is in charge of major forestry programs.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:
Positions allocable to this class report to the Assistant Chief, Forestry and are either responsible for the operation of one of the County's five reforestation nurseries or have primary responsibility for one of the major forestry programs such as Vegetation Management, Conservation Education, Fuel Modification, Defensible Space, Fire Plan, Environmental Review, Pesticide Coordination, Soil Stabilization, or Landscape Design. Incumbents in this class serve as logistics chiefs or in unit leader support positions during emergency activities. Incumbents must apply supervisory and management skills with forestry and natural resource management principles to plan and coordinate field projects, forest tree nursery operations, or specialized tasks in support of vegetation management, fuel modification, defensible space, environmental impact reports, and the County's Oak Tree Ordinance.

Essential Job Functions

• Supervises and conducts field work (e.g. Inspections, manual labor, landscaping) by directing field crews (Forestry Technicians, Forestry Assistants, 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.
  
• Supervises and conducts enforcement of the most complex inspections under the direction of the Assistant Forestry Section Chief by inspecting properties (e.g. defensible space 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), departmental committees, task force meetings, and city council meetings by communicating policy, coordinating, scheduling, and giving presentations or informal talks regarding forestry activities; conducting field demonstrations in order to educate the community and stakeholders.
  
• Develops and oversees implementation of projects, by evaluating resource needs, prioritizing goals and objectives, coordinating with public and private stakeholders, conducting site preparation, managing department resources, by reporting to Forestry Division management on the project's status, and overseeing the collection of data for the development of Geographic Information Systems maps 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, coordinates corrective measures, and generates status reports to management in order to protect life, property, and the environment.
  
• Responds to 24 hours emergency incident needs by performing support roles in logistics (e.g. supply unit, ground support unit, and facilities unit) in order to support the needs of the incident.
  
• Supervises subordinate staff (e.g., Forestry Assistants, Forestry Technicians, and clerical staff, etc.) by performing a full range of supervisory tasks, which includes advising, motivating, training, supporting, coaching, and mentoring employees; addressing employee concerns; delegating assignments to subordinate staff; monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating employees' work products and work ethic; identifying staff's strengths and opportunities for growth/improvement; conducting staff meetings; and ensuring appropriate staffing levels in their unit in order to maintain quality service is delivered in a timely and productive manner in accordance with department policies and procedures.
  

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience at the level of Forestry Assistant* with the County of Los Angeles.

*Experience at the level of Forestry Assistant is defined as p erforming nursery or field reforestation work and supervising juvenile and adult work crews in forestry projects.

LICENSE:
A California Class B Commercial Driver License with water tank and air brake endorsements is required. Some positions may require a passenger endorsement in addition to other required endorsements.

You MUST meet the above requirement(s) in order to be appointed to fill any vacancies related to this recruitment.

LICENSE INFORMATION:
Applicants for this examination must attach a copy of their California Class B Driver's License with water tank and air brake endorsements at the time of filing or email the attachment to Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov within 15 calendar days from application submission.

Successful applicants for this position will be required to obtain and present a copy of their driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before being appointed. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant's driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
IV - Arduous: This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT :
Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointments.

APPLICATION & FILING INFORMATION :
Applications must be filed online only and will be reviewed for interview consideration on an ongoing basis. If you have not been contacted within 60 days and the recruitment remains open or reopens for filing, we encourage you to submit a new application. This will allow you to reaffirm your interest and update any relevant information.

Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add Norbert.Lung@fire.lacounty.gov , Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com , and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

You have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance before the posting closes 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.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE :
The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly show that you meet the Minimum Requirements. Please fill out your application and supplemental questionnaire completely and correctly 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 actual job title, beginning and ending dates, description of work performed, total number of hours worked (full or part time). Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for this job. Your application will be rejected if it is incomplete. We may reject your application at any time during the selection process.

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

BACKGROUND CHECK :
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. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance 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).

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 applicants 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 more information : http://lacountylibrary.org .

NO SHARING OF USER ID, EMAIL AND PASSWORD :
All applicants must file their application using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (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 County of Los Angeles Fire Department is committed to promoting Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst various groups of people. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices .

Department Contact Name: Fire Examination Section
Department Contact Phone: (213) 466-5500
Department Contact Email: Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov
Analyst Contact Phone: (213) 466-5500
Analyst Contact Email: Norbert.Lung@fire.lacounty.gov
T eletype Phone: (800) 735-2929
California Relay Services Phone : (800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: 4/24/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

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• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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