FOREST RANGER II

The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Maine Forest Service, has multiple Forest Ranger II vacancies. These are full-time 52-week positions.

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION : This is investigative and protective services work in the detection, prevention, pre-suppression, and suppression of wildfires and the enforcement of forestry, environmental and conservation laws.

TYPICAL DUTIES :

• Patrols and inspects assigned areas observing activities, checking recreational areas, and wood operations; noting road conditions; posting signs; conducting fire investigations; and issuing fire permits.
• Contacts and advises town fire wardens, landowners, mill owners, social organizations, industry, government groups, and others.
• Trains firefighting personnel, attends firefighting training, and repairs/checks firefighting equipment.
• Fights fires and supervises firefighting crews.
• Provides wildland fire training to fire departments, hotshots, schools, industry, and other groups.
• Inspects logging operations for compliance with the state’s fire, environmental, and conservation laws.
• Enforces statutes, prosecutes violators, writes case reports, and testifies in court.

For additional job tasks refer to: http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/bhrsalary/jobs.pl?pagenum=4&pagereq=\ActSpec\JobSpecs_HTM\9431.htm

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS : (Entry level knowledges, skills, and/or abilities may be acquired through, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO the following coursework/training and/or experience).

-An Associates Degree which includes 15 hours of natural science (e.g., fire science, criminal justice, emergency management, forestry, biology, geology, oceanography) -OR- an acceptable equivalent two (2) year combination of directly related education, training, and/or experience.

-Be at least 21 years old by the time of appointment to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy -OR- can be only 20 years old and have completed an associate degree or 60 credit hours of post-secondary education.

-Be able to or having already successfully passed the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s ALERT examination. (See information below)

-Be able to successfully pass the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s Physical Fitness Test (PFT) at the Maine Forest Ranger percentile hiring standards or have had passed at those standards in the past two (2) years. (See information below)

-Applicant must have no criminal or extensive motor vehicle record. Proof of age (e.g., legible copy of birth certificate or driver’s license) and a copy of your college transcripts / diploma(s) or equivalent MUST accompany your application.

-Have or be able to obtain a valid Maine Class C motor vehicle operator’s license

-Be willing to locate anywhere within the State of Maine.

-Successful completion of all required training must be met by all employees prior to attaining permanent status in this class.

**Please Note : **

You must submit with the application:

• Proof of age (copy of birth certificate or driver’s license).
• A copy of your college transcripts and diploma(s).
• As applicable, any copies of Maine Criminal Justice Academy or comparable State and Federal Law Enforcement training program licenses, certificates, and transcripts.
• IF previously completed, a letter from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy showing your ALERT examination score.
• IF previously completed, a letter from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy showing your Physical Fitness Test (PFT) results (date of test must be within two years of the closing date of this posting and passing at the percentile levels indicated).

Failure To Provide Any Of These Documents Will Result In A Failure To Meet The Minimum Requirements.

TESTING AND EVALUATION PROCESS:

The Forest Ranger selection process is extensive, thorough and time consuming. The process is conducted by the Bureau of Human Resources and the Division of Forest Protection. It involves multiple evaluation phases, and you must successfully complete each phase to proceed to the next. The examination process has been adjusted in response to COVID-19 and will be conducted in a manner to mitigate risks to all involved. Ensuring that all the required steps in the process are completed by applicants in a safe and efficient manner. This process takes many months and the projected hire dates from this application period is May of 2024.

I. Forest Ranger Application Open Period (60 days): (see above open and closing dates)

Applications that are complete (including required attachments) will only be accepted during this open period.

Applications will be screened by the Bureau of Human Resources and the Division of Forest Protection.

Each successful candidate will be notified of application acceptance. The applicant will be sent detailed instructions and process timelines, along with an integrity questionnaire. That questionnaire must be completed and submitted by the applicant prior to the next hiring phase, consisting of the MCJA Alert Test and Physical Fitness Testing.

II. Alert Examination and Physical Fitness Test:

Each candidate will be required to successfully complete the Alert exam and physical fitness test (PFT) or provide proof of having successfully completed the alert test and having successfully completed the PFT test in the past 2 years at the required percentile levels in order to move on to the next phase of the hiring process.

We currently are working with the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to provide authorized Alert / PFT testing locations and times in order to provide for safe and efficient applicant testing. Applicants moved on to this step in the process will be scheduled to take these tests and notified of their assigned locations, dates, and times.

Additional information about these tests and the Manie Criminal Justice Academy can be found on their website at: https://www.maine.gov/dps/mcja

Alert Testing Requirements

The ALERT Examination is a reading comprehension and writing skills test. It is used to ensure that applicants to the Law Enforcement Pre-Service and the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program have the requisite reading and writing skills to complete the programs and function as a law enforcement officer.

This examination is administered and governed by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Applicants taking this exam will be required to bring with them a government issued picture identification such as a driver’s license and a $50.00 testing fee. Specific details and instructions will be sent to applicants at the time of scheduling.

Physical Fitness Test Hiring Requirements

The following three (3) test items constitute the physical fitness test (PFT) REQUIREMENTS for the Maine Forest Ranger hiring process. Applicants must successfully complete the Push Up and Sit Up tests at the 50th percentile and the 1.5 mile run test at the 60th percentile coinciding with age and gender.

1. One Minute Push-up test.
2. One Minute Sit-up test.
3. 1.5-mile run.

The Physical Fitness Test (PFT) is also administered and governed by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Applicants taking this exam will be required to bring with them a government issued picture identification such as a driver’s license and a $35.00 testing fee. Specific details and instructions will be sent to applicants at the time of scheduling. When possible, both the Alert and PFT tests with be scheduled on the same day for those needing to take both tests.

Applicants successfully completing the Alert and PFT tests will move on and be scheduled for the next step of the hiring process consisting of the structured oral board interviews.

III. Structured Oral Board Interviews:

Applicants will be interviewed by a panel of Maine Forest Rangers and assessed in the following categories: Commitment/Independence; Judgment/Logic; Communications Skills; Applied Knowledge; Decision Making/Decisiveness; Tact & Diplomacy; Motivation; Leadership; Problem Solving Ability.

A five-minute presentation to the board is also required during this phase.

Successful applicants of the oral board phase may be offered conditional employment, contingent upon passing a pre-polygraph interview, polygraph examination, background investigation and law enforcement employment psychological examination.

Background Investigations and Automatic Disqualifiers:

Disqualifying conduct / actions include

• Has been found guilty of murder or any crime classified in Maine Law as a Class A, B, or C crime (any felony)
• Has been found guilty of any crime classified in Maine Law as a Class D crime (misdemeanor with a maximum term of imprisonment of less than one year)
• Has been found guilty of violating any of the following provisions of the Maine Criminal Code: 1) Chapter 15 (theft); 2) Chapter 19 (falsification in official matters); 3) Chapter 25 (bribery and corrupt practices); or 4) Chapter 45 (drugs)
• Has been found guilty of any crime that is a violation of the domestic abuse provisions of any state or federal statutes
• Has an extensive record of motor vehicle law violations
• Has been found guilty of operating-under-the-influence of intoxicating liquor and/or drugs within the 10 years prior to date of hire
• Has been found guilty of conduct specified in subparagraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 in another state or jurisdiction
• Has been adjudicated to have committed a 0.02 violation (liquor violation under 21 years of age) within the 6 years prior to date of application
• Has ingested or been injected with or used a hallucinogenic drug
• Has illegally sold scheduled drugs or drugs which require a prescription
• Has engaged in illegal drug use beyond what is considered as experimentation
• Is currently abusing drugs or alcohol
• Falsifies, misrepresents, or omits information concerning a material fact in the application, during any of the tests, when interviewed, during the background investigation, polygraph examination, or on the pre-polygraph questionnaire

IV. Colonel’s Interview:

Applicants successfully passing all prior phases of the hiring process will be scheduled for an interview with the Division's Chief. Applicants passing this phase will be placed on the Division's hiring register maintained at the Natural Resources Service Center. This register will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State and will remain valid for 18 months after its establishment.

V. New Hire Conditions of Employment:

Newly hired Forest Rangers are required to attend and successfully complete the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s, 18-week Basic Law Enforcement Training Program (BLETP) and a 10-week Advanced Forest Ranger Academy (post school). Upon graduation from these academies, new Forest Rangers will work under a Field Training Officer for a period of six (6) months (832 hours minimum). Employment during this probationary period is contingent on a new employee passing all of the above requirements. Forest Rangers are required to annually complete and pass physical fitness testing at the previous listed standards and as defined by agency policy.

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage– The State of Maine pays 85%-100%of employee-only premiums ($9,893.52-$11,057.52 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit– Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
• Dental Insurance– The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($350.40 annual value).
• Retirement Plan– The State of Maine contributes at least 19.22% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement– Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts– Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness– The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation– Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.
• Learn about additional wellness benefitsfor State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?
Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.

Forest Ranger Position

Informational Sessions

The Maine Forest Service will be holding informational sessions during this open application period.

If you would like more information about a career with us and to talk with a Forest Ranger, please sign up

using the following link.