Forestry Commission
PAWS Woodland Surveyor
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Job Summary
Forestry England is seeking a Woodland Surveyor in East England Forest District to carry out inventory surveys across PAWS (Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites) in the Sussex and Kent woodlands. You will need to assist in updating the sub-compartment database with data collected from the field. You will work with colleagues and contractors across the district and information derived from the surveys will be used to inform both Forest plans and Forestry England operations where appropriate.
The Forest Surveyor will be based at the Bedgebury National Pinetum office as part of the Planning and Environment team and will be responsible to the Forest Planner (East Anglia), who will be the reporting officer. While the post will be based at the Bedgebury office the post holder may be required to travel around the district on occasion. The post holder can also benefit from blended working enabling home working where appropriate, in agreement with your line manager.
The successful candidate will work as part of a team to provide superb survey support to colleagues within the land management team.
Job Description
Key responsibilities & accountabilities
Responsibilities
- Carry out and manage a range of forest surveys in all weathers - identifying woodland components, standing timber measurement, planting density assessments and tree disease monitoring.
- Enter and edit data in GIS, including the core dataset and local datasheets ensuring that information is accurate, up to date and at the appropriate level of detail. Ensure that survey data is completed timeously and is of a high standard.
- Work closely with the beat foresters and planning team to deliver the district's aims and objectives. We require all our staff to be welcoming, enthusiastic and approachable, with a willingness to engage with team discussion and with visitors to the forest in a polite and appropriate manner.
- This post involves physically demanding work in a forest environment; applicants need to be able to perform under these conditions.
Key work areas
- Collate data from the compartment database and prepare maps for areas to survey
- Survey agreed areas, making sure that relevant mensuration variables such as basal area and other crop changes are collected
- Summarise data in a format ready for input in the compartment database
- Input mensuration data and other crop / component changes into the compartment database
- Carry out plant assessments
- Monitor the progress of surveys in place and constructively advise contractors as necessary
- Audit the quality of contracts and share findings with the planning team
Person specification
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential professional and technical experience
- Experience of working in UK forestry, including different crop types, site types and silvicultural systems.
- Ability to identify stand types and tree species in the field.
- Navigation by map and OS features.
- Use of Microsoft Office products
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Desirable Professional And Technical Experience
- Experience of survey work in forests and using GIS, electronic callipers and GPS.
- Able to identify non-tree species
Essential
Qualifications
- Driving licence - The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. However, Forestry England is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by other means.
Desirable
- Qualification in forestry or related subject.
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £30,105, Forestry Commission contributes £8,721 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Selection process details
How To Apply
We cannot accept applications via email. Please follow the steps outlined below. Any CVs and/or personal statements sent outside the system will not be considered for shortlisting.
You will be asked to write a 200-word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.
The Behaviours being assessed at interview are:
- Seeing the bigger picture
- Working together
- Delivering at pace
- Making effective decisions
You may also be assessed on Experience, Strength-based questions at the interview.
Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.
If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk.
If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.
Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website.
If candidates pass the interview but are not the leading candidate they can be placed on a reserve list. We may offer candidates on the reserve list for this role the opportunity to be considered for other roles at the same or lower pay bands.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
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- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact:
Name: fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk Email: fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk
Recruitment team
Email: fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact FCE by email: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
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