Forestry Crew Specialist 1-2 - Wildland Firefighter

Salary : $3,501.33 - $4,818.67 Monthly
Location : Natchitoches, LA
Job Type: Classified
Job Number: FOR-50674191-8.17.26-TW
Department: DAF-Agriculture and Forestry
Opening Date: 08/17/2026
Closing Date: 8/27/2026 11:59 PM Central


About this Job
Job #FOR-50674191-8.17.26-TW
This position is located within the Office of Forestry in Natchitoches Parish.

The Office of Forestry's primary responsibilities include suppressing timberland wildfires; promoting sound forest management practices; disseminating information; facilitating educational programs; producing reforestation seedlings; enforcing timber-related laws; investigating timber theft; and assisting community urban forestry programs.


The incumbent of this position is responsible for performing duties related to fire prevention and suppression of wildfires in the forestlands of Louisiana. Supervision for this position is received from the Forestry Parish Supervisor.


Ready to make a difference in protecting Louisiana's forests? Join the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry as a Forestry Crew Specialist! Play a vital role in wildfire prevention and suppression, promote sound forest management, enforce timber laws, and support community forestry programs.


Advance your career with leadership opportunities and CDL options. This position offers eligibility for the Hazardous Duty Services Retirement Plan at all levels of the CPG.
Why Join Us?

• Work in breathtaking natural settings
• Enjoy competitive pay and great benefits
• Make a real impact on the environment
• Be part of a passionate, supportive team

LDAF cares about the well-being of its employees! We offer a fully employer-funded Employee Assistance Program (EAP), providing valuable support and resources to help you and your household members thrive at work and at home. The EAP is also free for all members of your household.
If you're ready to step up, stand out, and help safeguard our forests, apply today and start your next adventure!

Get excited about this wonderful opportunity. Watch this video to see what employees in the Forestry division have to share: .

Minimum Qualifications


Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:
Possession of a current Louisiana driver's license.

Job Specification


The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties and Other Information
Job Duties:

The incumbent of this position will perform duties related to fire prevention and suppression of wildfires in the forestlands of Louisiana for the Office of Forestry within the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry. In this role, you will:

• Responsible for making reports of forest fires, including gathering data such as location and number of acres involved.
• Assists the Forestry Crew Specialist Leader in the performance of forest management activities, including cruising, detecting, and controlling forest insects and diseases.
• Participates in Information & Education programs related to all forestry fields as required.
• Responsible for monitoring and/or performing the repair and maintenance of transport trucks, dozer tractors, various fire suppression equipment, and a variety of hand and power tools.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

Functional Requirements:

• Moderate light lifting, 30 pounds, with occasional lifting of up to 50+ pounds
• Reaching above the shoulders and carrying specialist equipment needed to perform duties
• Occasional demands may be required for moderately strenuous activities in emergencies over long periods of time
• Climbing on and off the transport and tractor

Environmental Factors:

• Working indoors and outdoors
• Excessive smoke, heat, humidity, cold, wet, and extreme dry conditions
• Walking on irregular ground for long distances
• Working around neighborhood/residential and wild land hazards
• Will be required to wear appropriate safety protection/clothing

Position-Specific Details:

Appointment Type: Full-time, Probational
Career Progression: This position may be filled as a Forestry Crew Specialist 1 or 2, depending on the level of experience of the selected applicant(s).
Compensation:

*This position has a Special Entrance Rate at each level of the Career Progression Group*

Forestry Crew Specialist 1 has an SER of $1,616.00 Bi-weekly.

Forestry Crew Specialist 2 has an SER of $1,728.80 Bi-weekly.
Other Benefits: This position is eligible to receive on-call compensation ($1.00/hour) when the employee is required to be available for work status at times outside of the regular work schedule. Work schedules and on-call rotations are determined by the Ag/Forestry Regional Administrator. Additionally, the incumbent of this position will receive hazardous duty pay ($1.73/hour) for all hours worked in addition to their base salary. Incumbent will also receive longevity based premium pay for all hours worked based on your years of service with LDAF.

*LDAF - Longevity-Based Premium Pay Schedule*

(*per hour for hours worked)

0-2 Years - $2.00

2-4 Years - $3.00

4-6 Years - $4.00

6-8 Years - $5.00

8+ Years - $6.00
Location : This position is located within the Office of Forestry in Natchitoches Parish.


Other Important Information
Candidates who hold a current Louisiana Class A or B CDL are encouraged to apply. New hires selected for these positions will have one year from their hire date to obtain a Louisiana Class B or higher CDL. The Department will provide training before the required testing date. Once a CDL is obtained, employees must remain with LDAF for at least one additional year or reimburse the Department for any CDL-related expenses incurred.

Louisiana is a State as a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.
How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

* Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry strictly prohibits workplace harassment and discrimination on the on the basis of race, color, gender, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, religion, national origin, military service, sickle cell trait, protected genetic information or other non-merit factor. LDAF also strictly prohibits employment decisions based upon or influenced by such factors.

All candidates for hire must undergo drug screening.
This agency participates in the E-Verify system for verification of citizenship and employment authorization.
For further information about this vacancy, contact:

Tiffany Waddell -HR Analyst


Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry

5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1001

Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.


As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:
Insurance Coverage More information can be found at


Parental Leave - Up to six weeks paid parental leave
More information can be found at


Holidays and Leave - State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

***** Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor

State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement - State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (), among others

01


To ensure compliance with the LDAF Nepotism Policy, do you have any immediate family members or relatives who are currently employed with the LDAF? Immediate family member is defined as children (blood, step, adopted), spouse, brother, sister, father, mother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, mother-in-law and father-in-law. Relative includes immediate family members previously defined and also includes grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, uncle, aunt, niece and nephew.

• Yes
• No

02


If you answered "yes" to the above question, please list the name of your immediate family member and/or relatives currently employed by the LDAF. If you answered "no" to the above question, enter N/A.
03


Are you currently a classified employee of Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry serving with permanent status?

• Yes
• No

04


Do you have a valid Louisiana driver's license? If yes, please indicate the license class.
05


The incumbent of this position may drive a state-owned vehicle during working hours. Office of Risk Management prohibits drivers with three or more moving violations in a one-year period from operating a state-owned vehicle. Based on this information, will you be able to operate a state-owned vehicle?

• Yes
• No

06


Do you possess a High School diploma or GED equivalency?

• Yes
• No

Required Question