Salary: $34.90 - $44.21 Hourly
Location : Administration Bldg 701 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji, MN
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number:
Department: Natural Resource Management
Opening Date: 09/25/2026
Closing Date: 10/8/2026 4:30 PM Central

The Position
OPEN UNTIL FILLED; APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED EVERY TWO WEEKS

Beltrami County is creating an eligibility list for a full-time, benefited Forester to work in our Natural Resource Management Department. Responsibilities include timber sale design, timber sale preparation, and contract administration; directing forest development projects including but not limited to site preparation and reforestation; forest inventory; multiple use resource management projects that may include forest recreation, aesthetics, wildlife habitat, and water quality.

Performs difficult skilled technical work managing the natural resources of tax-forfeited lands, sustainable harvests of forests, long-term forest health, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Natural Resources Management Director.
Preferred hiring salary range is $34.90 to $38.13 per hour with a full range of $34.90 to $44.21 per hour. Placement depends on factors such as qualifications, internal equity, market conditions, and applicable policy guidelines.
Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience
Minimum requirements are:

• Bachelor's degree in Forestry Management, Natural Resources, or a related Natural Resource field.

OR

• A substitution of education and work experience may qualify: Eight years of related work experience may be substituted for a Bachelor's degree; Four years of related work experience and an Associate's degree in a related field may be substituted for a Bachelor's degree.

AND

• Three years or more of progressively related work experience in Forestry.
• Valid MN Driver's License.

Essential Functions & Requirements

Qualification Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

• Develops plans for harvest, reforestation, chemical use, roads, and trails; provides technical support, training, and education of silvicultural practices to contractors of forest harvesting and forest development projects; administers contracts to ensure compliance; recommends penalties for non-compliance with contracts.
• Designs timber sale areas to incorporate principles of sustainable forestry and stand level management; establishes sale locations and boundaries; develops sale contract specifications.
• Develops resource management plans consistent with sustainable forestry standards; prescribes and implements forest treatments needed to regenerate forests, improves wildlife habitat, preserves and protects cultural resources, and protects the forest from natural concerns.
• Communicates with landowners, citizens, and special interest groups related to forest management activities.
• Maintains inventory and mapping programs for county-managed lands; completes inventory and GIS alterations to forest stands review access trails and off-road use designations.
• Compiles wildlife census data for study projects; submit to state agencies; recommends wildlife projects to state on county-managed land.
• Assists in the development of departmental budget and operations plans; provides budget needs related to forest development areas, trail construction, and road system maintenance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of forest land management and administration; thorough knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations related to forest stewardship; thorough knowledge of tree and plant identification, and tree insect and disease identification; general knowledge of the use of standard forestry and GPS equipment; general knowledge of standard office software and mapping programs; ability to express ideas effectively both orally and in writing; ability to analyze facts and prepare detailed recommendations and reports; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, contractors, and the general public.

Physical Requirements
This work requires the regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires walking, speaking or hearing, using hands and fingers, climbing or balancing, frequently requires stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms and occasionally requires standing, sitting, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions; work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception and peripheral vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work regularly requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, frequently requires working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles and insects and occasionally requires exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to vibration and wearing a self contained breathing apparatus; work is generally in a loud noise location (e.g. grounds maintenance, heavy traffic).
Supplemental Information

Special Requirements

• Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) drone license, Certified Forester, Pesticide Applicator, chainsaw certification, and First Aid/CPR may be required within two years of hire.
• Employment offer contingent upon successfully passing drug screening, background check, and physical.

There are a wide variety of benefits available to Beltrami county employees. Visit the Employee Benefits Summary under our website's for more information.
01

I understand that my answers with regard to experience must be supported by the information I have included in my online application. I affirm that the information provided is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any falsification may disqualify me for consideration for this and subsequent recruitments with Beltrami County.

• Yes
• No

02

As a minimum requirement, do you have either (1) a Bachelor's Degree in Forest Management, Natural Resources, or a related Natural Resource field OR (2) Eight years of related work experience as substitution for a Bachelor's degree OR (3) Four years of related work experience and an Associate's degree in a related field as substitution for a Bachelor's degree?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have three years or more of progressively related work experience in Forestry? Convert any part-time experience to full-time equivalent (i.e. 20 hours per week for 2 years equals 1 year full-time).

• Yes
• No

04

In response to your answer above, with which employer(s) listed on your application did you earn this work experience? If no, type N/A.
05

Do you have a valid MN driver's license?

• Yes
• No

06

What is your highest level of education completed?

• Bachelor's Degree in Forest Management
• Bachelor's Degree in Natural Resources
• Bachelor's Degree in other related field
• Master's Degree in Forest Management
• Master's Degree in Natural Resources
• Master's Degree in other related field
• None of the above

07

If you selected Bachelors or Master's Degree in other related field, please indicate what the area of study is? If none, type N/A.
08

Forest Management: Please indicate if you have experience with any of the following. Check all that apply.

• Reforestation
• Timber sale design, preparation and contract administration
• Forest Inventory
• None of the above

09

Please use this space to explain your experience as it relates to items you checked in the previous question, including with which employer(s) listed on your application you earned this work experience. If none, type N/A.
10

Indicate your highest level of proficiency using Microsoft Word to create, modify and edit a document, using tables, graphics and forms.

• None
• Familiar with these skills
• Advanced user of these skills

11

Indicate your highest level of proficiency using Microsoft Excel to create and edit spreadsheet formulas, formatting and charts.

• None
• Familiar with these skills
• Advanced user of these skills

12

Indicate your highest level of proficiency using MS PowerPoint to create a presentation containing photos/clip art, theme design and slide transitions.

• None
• Familiar with these skills
• Advanced user of these skills

13

Indicate your highest level of proficiency using Microsoft Outlook to manage contacts, e-mails & attachments, share calendars and schedule appointments.

• None
• Familiar with these skills
• Advanced user of these skills

14

Indicate your highest level of proficiency using ARC GIS to produce maps, edit data tables, and querying themes to get desired information.

• None
• Familiar with these skills
• Advanced user of these skills

15

Indicate your highest level of proficiency using GPS to collect points, perimeters, and run lines.

• None
• Familiar with these skills
• Advanced user of these skills

Required Question