GOT-IT

Forest Ranger 1

Grade 14

New York State has approximately 166 positions* in this title statewide. You may view a breakdown of positions by county. This position exists in Environmental Conservation, Dept of. View links to all New York State agencies including agencies that have this title. For more information, New York State employees can contact the Career Mobility Office at (518) 485-6199 or (800) 553-1322. If you are not a current New York State employee, you can use the Department of Civil Service Web site to explore possible employment opportunities.

*The number of positions is approximate and represents the number of positions established (both filled and vacant); it is not an indication or reference to position type or duration, or intent to be filled. If you are viewing a trainee title, please note this number reflects the number of positions established at the journey level. Agencies may fill at the trainee level(s) or at the journey level based on employee qualifications. GOT-IT does not provide information on any job postings or job availability. For information on current job postings, please visit State Jobs NY. You may also visit specific New York State Agency websites for information about an agency and its job opportunities.

Career Ladder

A listing of titles that are most commonly used as steps for upward mobility for this title series. The salary schedule for this career ladder is also available.

  1. Assnt Forest Ranger

    Grade 08

  2. Forest Ranger 1

    Grade 14

  3. Forest Ranger 2

    Grade 17

  4. Forest Ranger 3

    Grade 20

  5. Assnt Dir Forest Ranger Services

    Grade 62

  6. Dir Forest Ranger Services

    Grade 64

Summary of Job Description

As a Forest Ranger 1, you would be required to participate in a formal residential training program lasting approximately 26 weeks. Upon successful completion, you would work in an assigned patrol area, and elsewhere throughout the state for emergencies and special assignments. You would be required to work out of your home and the location of your residence must be within your assigned patrol area and be acceptable to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Forest Rangers perform a wide variety of duties related to overseeing the care, custody, and control of DEC administered lands. As a Forest Ranger 1, you would be a sworn Police Officer, authorized to investigate complaints and enforce provisions of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) and other state laws in order to protect the State's lands, other natural resources, and the people who use them. You would be required to carry firearms and complete necessary annual training for State certification. Forest Rangers conduct search and rescue operations for lost or injured persons throughout New York State; conduct wildland fire management operations including wildfire suppression in New York State and when requested for national firefighting efforts; and coordinate and assist in incident response efforts to natural and manmade emergencies and disasters. Forest Rangers educate the public concerning the proper use of public lands and resources; visit schools, fire departments, and organizations to promote resource protection; teach national and state-certified courses to other agencies, volunteer groups, and fire departments concerning search and rescue, wildland fire suppression, and wilderness safety and etiquette; and foster and develop volunteer assistance from the local communities to support the Department's wildland firefighting and search operations. At times you will be expected to work weekends and long, irregular hours. You may also directly supervise volunteers and seasonal Assistant Forest Rangers and Wildland Firefighters.

View the classification standard for this title, on the Classification and Compensation webpage.

The NYS Title and Salary Plan provides additional information regarding other titles. If there is a classification standard available there will be a link under the column labeled STD. NO. If no link is available there is no classification standard available at this time for that title.

Summary of Minimum Qualifications

Please note: qualifications for this position may be subject to change. If substitutions for education and/or experience are allowed, this information would be available on the announcement.

You must take and pass an examination in order to be considered for this position.

On or before the date of the examination, you must have:

Either 1. a bachelor's or higher-level degree including or supplemented by 30 semester credit hours in environmental science;*

Or 2. an associate's or higher-level degree in environmental engineering, forest engineering, forest management, forest recreation, forest technology, forestry, or natural resource management;

Or 3. an associate's or higher-level degree including or supplemented by 18 semester credit hours in environmental science* AND one of the following:

a. two years of qualifying technical/professional work experience in the natural resource management field;** OR

b. two years of active United States military service with an honorable discharge.

*For the purpose of this examination, environmental science includes: forestry, forest management, forest recreation, forest resources technology, forest fire management, forest engineering, environmental engineering, environmental education, fish or wildlife biology, fish or wildlife management, and natural resource management.

Environmental science for the purpose of this exam does NOT include but is not limited to: animal science, anthropology, archeology, astronomy, chemistry, climatology, earth science, engineering (except environmental or forest), geology, human biology, limnology, mathematics, medical biology, physics, social sciences, space science, or zoology.

**Examples of experience that will NOT qualify as natural resource management experience are: lawn mowing, landscaping, tree and brush trimming, pesticide application, sawing firewood, farm hand and other types of experience that are categorized as laborer or maintenance work in a garden shop, park, or forestry setting.

For informational purposes only, click on the examination number(s) listed below to see the current or previous examination(s) that are used to fill this title.

26-706

How to Apply

When this examination is scheduled to be held, the announcement can be found on the Department of Civil Service, Examination Announcements web page. If you do not see an examination currently scheduled please check back on a monthly basis or sign up for announcement notification by email so that you will automatically be notified when new examinations are being offered.

Career Mobility

Career mobility is not just limited to the titles in the Career Ladder, above. Additional movement may be achieved through other examinations, additional education and/or work experience or transfer opportunities. For additional information or clarification of transfer determinations, current State employees should contact the Career Mobility Office. Visit ELMS Online to view established open-competitive, promotion, and transition eligible lists. If you are not a current New York State employee, see Employment Opportunities with New York State and find out how to become a New York State employee.

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