About the job

Job summary

Background Information

Do you have a passion for working in the outdoors? Do you want to work with the latest in timber harvesting technology? Do you want to join a dedicated, diverse team of staff managing forests in Eastern England? If so, Forestry England are looking for ambitious and motivated individuals who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career as technically excellent and responsible machine operator working in a natural environment. Full training will be provided for applicants without their FMOCS qualification, to enable them to operate forest harvesting machinery.

East England Forest District, with over 150 directly employed staff, covers an area of 35,000 ha from North Norfolk to Brighton; including Thetford Forest and the outlying beats of Sandlings, Kent, East Sussex, Chilterns and Thames Chase Community Forest.

The Harvesting Machine Operator will be based at Santon Downham as part of the Direct Production Harvesting Team working throughout the Thetford Beat. The Beat is located on the Norfolk/Suffolk border and covers an area of approximately 19,000ha. Thetford Forest is England’s largest pine forest and whilst the forest delivers an important resource for people, it remains a vital centre for timber production.

The direct production harvesting team harvests approximately 50,000m3 of timber a year. The team is made up of a Harvesting Forester, a Forestry Works Supervisor and 5 Machine Operators operating a harvester, two forwarders, a front end loader, and a mini forwarder.

Job description

Purpose of the Job

Using purpose built forestry machines you will work as part of a dedicated team to plan and carry out tree harvesting. You will do this by operating both a forwarder and harvester to both mechanically fell trees and extract timber to roadside. You will be required to meet targets in terms of production outputs but more importantly in terms of ensuring all Health, Safety and Environmental conditions are met.

This is a trainee post so recruits are not expected to have suitable qualifications.  All the necessary training to become a competent machine operator of both Harvesters and Forwarders is included in this role.

Key Work Areas

• Pass the Forest Machine Operator Certification Scheme: for Forwarder (FMOCS) qualification within 6 months; the Harvester within 18 months of commencing employment; to be a fully capable and competent machine operator
• Undertake tree felling by machine & chainsaw and forwarding operations in clearfell and thinnings;
• Complete all forest operations in line with health, safety and environmental standards using tools such as site management plans and risk assessments
• Undertake all necessary maintenance on machines liaising with the workshop as required
• Work with the Forester and Works Supervisor to ensure stock control is maintained by measuring roadside and on site timber  Maybe add as a desirable

Contractual hours are 37hrs/week, operators work additional overtime hours meaning early starts each day. The successful candidate will be expected to work the same pattern of hours as the rest of the team.

Person specification

This post involves physically demanding work in a forest environment; applicants need to be able to perform under these conditions.

Experience - Essential

• Demonstrate a keen interest in forestry and working in an outdoor environment
• Demonstrate a practical aptitude for working with and maintaining machinery
• Ability to obtain Forest Machine Operator Certification scheme (FMOCS) qualifications
• Ability to obtain trailer towing certificate
• Full UK driving licence

Experience - Desirable

• Experience of working with or around heavy plant machinery
• Experience of using a chainsaw
• Basic computer skills

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £23,098, Forestry Commission contributes £6,236 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

This is a Fixed Term Appointment for 24 months with the possibility of extension or permanency but no guarantee.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.
2. A Statement of Suitability (in no more than 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience are suitable for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

We expect interviews to be held 25th and 26th January 2023, although this date is subject to change. The interviews will take place on site and be based on Behaviours, Strengths and a technical assessment. 

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Forestry from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. However, the Forestry Commission is willing to consider any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by any other means.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.