Job Description

General Description  
The successful candidate will be a member of the Southern Timberlands Technology (STT) Team that develops and implements new technology for growing southern yellow pine plantations. The STT conducts cutting edge research in plantation management and is responsible for improving the knowledge and science used to manage stand in a sustainable way. The candidate will work with a team of researchers and area foresters to manage studies and developing operating guidelines for the business. This position is responsible for implementing all facets of the Production Forestry field research program across Southern Timberlands. It requires a strong communication with scientists and the entire STT Team to ensure field test sites are properly selected, site prepared, established, maintained, measured, and documented.  

The Research Forester will be able to conduct research on various aspects of silviculture, forest soils, tree genetics, tree physiology, remote sensing, plant pathology and plant nutrition.  Additionally, the position will be responsible for transferring technological information in a practical manner to managers, silvicultural foresters, harvesting foresters, planners, and other relevant parties.  This transfer of information may be in the form of group presentations, field tours, and written reports.  Assist in all aspects of the Production Forestry Field Research Program, as well as other related areas of research (Environmental and Tree Improvement) as needed. The job scope for this role is South wide but with a focus on the Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana areas.
 

Qualifications

BS in forest management, silviculture, soils, or a closely related field with 2 or more years relevant experience or MSc
Basic understanding of a broad range of core competencies including plantation nutrition, tree physiology, tree genetics, soils, growth and yield, and silvicultural systems
Field forestry experience with focus on research.
Contract administration (both preparing contracts and managing the contractor)
Ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines
Excellent working knowledge of MS Office applications
Excellent computer and GIS skills
Knowledge of statistical software: e.g., SAS and R
Good knowledge of experimental design and the importance of data quality
Excellent team working skills 
The ability to work alone safely, often in remote areas and during periods of change
Proactive problem-solving skills
Ability to travel the region as needs require, sometimes 1-2 weeks at a time. 

In addition to formal research activities, the successful candidate is expected to stay abreast of current science, to understand operational practices, and to recognize research needs and challenges as they arise.  Experience with UAVs (drones) is a plus.  The successful applicant will be expected to earn a UAV pilots license within 6 months of starting.

Desired Attributes:

Strong math, analytical and financial analysis skills including but not limited to interpreting research data, generating discounted cash flows to compare alternative regimes, understanding forest inventory data and interpreting growth and yield model outputs
Familiarity with spatial and tabular data in GIS and databases
Herbicide, pesticide and fertilizer application management
Demonstrated ability to work safely in forestry or related operations