Terrestrial Invasive Species Prevention Specialist

Job Summary:

The MN Department of Natural Resources—Division of Forestry seeks to fill a Terrestrial Invasive Species Prevention Specialist position, which will be located in either St. Paul, MN, or Grand Rapids, MN. This position leads the Terrestrial Invasive Species (TIS) prevention and forest health outreach activities including the development, implementation, and evaluation of TIS prevention and public awareness programs.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement comprehensive terrestrial invasive species (TIS) prevention plans for state forests, promoting collaboration with division staff, agency partners, recreationists, land users, and the public to identify practical strategies for reducing the spread of invasive species.
• Develop presentations, printed and digital materials, to educate targeted audiences on prevention of terrestrial invasive plants threatening Minnesota’s forests.
• Lead the creation, execution and assessment of TIS prevention and public awareness workshops and trainings.
• Coordinate the implementation of the state forest terrestrial invasive species plans with TIS Area Leads, Area Forest Supervisors, forestry program staff, and other department staff.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry, Natural Resources, Planning, Public Administration, Business Administration, or closely related field.
• Two years professional experience in forestry, natural resources or a closely related field. *Master’s degree in the above fields may substitute for one year of experience.
• One year professional experience editing, writing and producing technical documents to successfully develop and implement outreach and communication efforts, campaigns, and programs.
• Knowledge of invasive species identification, invasive species spread pathways, forest management principles and methods, and forest health threats sufficient to discuss forestry issues, produce informational materials and answer questions from general audiences.
• Knowledge of planning principles, processes, techniques, laws, and regulations sufficient to develop natural resource plans of a broad landscape or statewide scope.
• Knowledge of applying forest science in a forest management or policy context, sufficient to lead forest planning efforts independently.
• Knowledge of emerging/new natural resource management concepts and practices sufficient to assess and communicate responses to critical natural resource management issues (e.g., insect and disease, forest certification, climate change adaptation).
• Technological skills sufficient to prepare documents using word processing, spreadsheets, graphic design, geographic information systems, and electronic presentation software that meet accessibility standards.
• Stakeholder relations experience sufficient to establish ongoing effective, positive, trusting, and professional relationships with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Time management skills sufficient to motivate and guide partners to work effectively through the application of interpersonal skills and ability to operate independently as well as in a team environment to prioritize work and achieve agreed upon milestones and deliverables.
• Meeting facilitation skills, group processes, conflict resolution, effective listening and negotiating sufficient to work with diverse groups.

 Preferred Qualification:

• Knowledge of DNR organizational structure and working knowledge of other state and federal resource management agencies, local governmental units and their respective authorities, programs, and responsibilities that pertain to forestry or natural resource management.
• Project management experience that includes managing many concurrent activities sufficient to coordinate and organize the work of others, identify critical paths, perform project risk assessments, and identify, define, sequence, prioritize, schedule, and assign resources.