The Forest Ecology and Policy Consultant is a key agency leader in the promotion of biodiversity conservation in forested ecosystems across the state through: coordination and communication within the Division of Ecological and Water Resources and across divisions within the Department; development, review, and implementation of planning and policy initiatives; and application of current scientific understanding of ecology and conservation biology. Additionally, this position leads the Department’s old growth business data stewardship and monitoring efforts and participates in forest certification efforts as assigned. This position also provides recommendations and information on forest issues to leadership within EWR and throughout the department.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Leading and coordinating the division’s efforts related to interdisciplinary forest management policy and planning to further the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity in Minnesota’s forest ecosystems. Working in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner with staff from across the agency to ensure resolution of statewide interdisciplinary forest resources management issues. This is done by interpreting existing policy, developing new policy, analyzing and framing decision options for decision makers, and developing recommendations to address primarily operational forest management issues on state lands. Representing the division on interdisciplinary teams that develop or recommend forest policy.
• Coordinating the communication and review of forest issues and policies within the division to ensure effective and efficient participation of division staff and managers in interdisciplinary forest coordination work. Maintaining a communication structure that ensures all division staff involved in interdisciplinary forest coordination activities receive timely information and can effectively provide input and feedback.
• Serving as a primary source of scientific expertise on the ecology and ecological functions of Minnesota’s forest ecosystems to a wide range of professional and public clientele, to enhance sustainable forest management.
• Coordinating and maintaining data governance practices according to DNR guidelines to ensure staff have access to reliable data and tools to use in interdisciplinary forest coordination activities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, environmental studies, forestry, natural resources management, natural resources policy, or related field.
• Four years of professional experience in forest ecology, forest policy/management, and/or forest biodiversity conservation. An advanced degree in a related field may substitute for 1 year of experience.
• Knowledge of forest ecology (forest population, community, ecosystem, and landscape ecology) and basic understanding of silviculture and forest management practices.
• Facilitation, conflict resolution, and collaborative decision-making skills involving diverse interests and complex projects/initiatives.
• Experience in serving as a liaison between technical staff teams, organization leadership, and partner organizations.
• Experience with project management (including project planning, scoping, and implementation) and project team coordination (including manage data and files and convening well-organized meetings).
• Excellent writing and communication skills sufficient to prepare and present information in a coherent, objective, and technically sound manner for a variety of audiences and stakeholder groups.
• Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, databases, data analysis (such as R, MATLAB, Excel, SAS, etc.), and mapping software (specifically ArcGIS or ArcPro).

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in ecology, environmental studies, forestry, natural resources management, natural resources policy, or related field.
• Five or more years of professional experience in forest ecology, forest policy/management, and/or forest biodiversity conservation.
• Experience in conflict resolution and collaborative decision-making in a natural resource related field.
• Basic understanding of sustainable forest certification processes and standards.
• Advanced statistical analysis skills related to forest ecology.
• Experience with linear programming or other mathematical modeling techniques.