Silviculture Section Chief (Forest Program Manager)

Salary: $78,925.00 - $119,844.00 Annually
Location : Dauphin County, PA
Job Type: Civil Service Permanent Full-Time
Job Number:
Department: Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
Division: CN Silviculture
Opening Date: 10/28/2026
Closing Date: 11/10/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Job Code: 54417
Position Number: 00236081
Union: Non Union
Bargaining Unit: B3
Pay Group: ST09
Bureau / Division Code: 00388190
Bureau / Division: Bureau of Forestry, Silviculture Section
Worksite Address: 400 Market Street
City: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Zip Code: 17105
Contact Name: Christine Adkins
Contact Phone: 717.772.5921
Contact Email: chadkins@pa.gov

THE POSITION
Would you enjoy a career where you could lead statewide efforts that sustain healthy and productive forest ecosystems? The Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) is seeking an innovative Silviculture Section Chief to lead our team overseeing critical forest management programs with the Bureau of Forestry. Your leadership will represent the sustainable stewardship legacy and accomplishment of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, coordinate the application of forest regeneration projects, direct the Bureau's $20 million dollar plus annual timber sale program, foster positive relationships with our state's forest product industry, guide and work towards continuously improving our silvicultural practices and timber program administration, seek and build collaborative networks among other state agencies and non-governmental partners to accomplish landscape-level conservation work on state forests and support silvicultural and forest products utilization-related research partnerships. Apply today to step into an influential role where your expertise directly shapes the future of Pennsylvania's forests.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
This position directs statewide silviculture operations, timber program administration, and research coordination to support long-term forest sustainability. As the Silviculture Section Chief, you will perform the following duties:

• Silvicultural Management: Review timber proposals, support and perform quality control of sale administration and regeneration fund project work, and review and improve silvicultural guidance utilized by the Bureau's field staff
• Program Oversight: Manage the business enterprise of bidding and contracting state forest timber sales, ensuring practices align with Commonwealth policies and management objectives
• Technical Leadership: Provide expertise on applied silviculture techniques and coordinate research needs to advance sustainable forest management
• Training Support: Develop and lead training for foresters, technicians, and program staff on silvicultural practices and timber sale procedures
• Stakeholder Engagement: Represent the bureau at meetings and events to communicate forest management strategies and strengthen conservation partnerships
• Program Collaboration: Coordinate Good Neighbor Authority activities with federal partners including planning, agreements, and reporting requirements

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.
Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment
• Standard 37.5 hour/week work schedule, starting between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, with a half-hour lunch.
• This position may be eligible for alternate work schedule (AWS).
• Headquarters is the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, up to 5 days per pay period. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY
QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Two years of experience as a Forest Program Specialist (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• Two years of experience as a Forest Assistant Manager (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• Two years of experience as a Forest Nursery Manager (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training which affords the applicant the required knowledges, skills, and abilities.

Other Requirements:

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant's own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.

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We offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.*

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*Eligibility rules apply.
01

Have you been employed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Forest Program Specialist, or as a Forest Assistant Manager, or as a Forest Nursery Manager for two or more years full-time?

• A. Yes
• B. No

02

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.
03

How many years of full-time professional forest management experience do you possess?

• A. 2 years or more
• B. 1 but less than 2 years
• C. Less than 1 year
• D. None

04

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.
05

How much graduate coursework have you completed in forest management?
If you are claiming credits/degree, you must upload a copy of your college transcript(s) for this education to be considered in the eligibility decision. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You must attach your transcript(s) prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a transcript(s) to the application after it has been submitted.
If you answer this question based on education acquired outside of the United States, you must upload a copy of your foreign credential evaluation report. We can only accept foreign credential evaluations from organizations that are members of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES). A list of current NACES members can be found by visiting and clicking the Evaluation Services link.

• A. 30 credits or more
• B. Less than 30 credits
• C. None

06

INSTRUCTIONS: You must complete the supplemental questions below. These supplemental questions are the exam and will be scored. They are designed to give you the opportunity to relate your experience and training background to the major activities (Work Behaviors) performed in this position. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. You must complete the application and answer the supplemental questions. Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.
All information you provide on your application and supplemental questions is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty. If requested, you must provide documentation, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals who can verify the validity of the information you provide in the application and supplemental questions.

Read each question carefully. Determine and select which "Level of Performance" most closely represents your highest level of experience/training. List the employer(s)/training source(s) from your Work or Education sections of the application where you gained this experience/training. The "Level of Performance" you choose