USDA Forest Service

Forestry Technician

May - August 2019 • Salt Lake City, UT

What I liked

The people, the work, learning new skills, being part of a crew, being in the mountains every day.

What I wish was different

I wish I lived closer so I could take more overtime opportunities to learn and grow doing work that was different from the normal. Many overtime opportunities involved helping other parts of the forest service, such as recreation, whereas my area was trails and wilderness.

Advice

Be prepared to work hard and learn a lot, but know that there are people willing to teach you and answer any questions you have. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions or double check practices/standards even if you think you know them. Supervisors will appreciate your willingness to learn what's needed to do the job right.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Wildland Firefighter

May - August 2019 • Seeley Lake, MT

What I liked

Understanding and being trained in the various skills and topics that are covered in wildland firefighting.

What I wish was different

More time to experience the various aspects of firefighting across the different seasons.

Advice

Be open to learning and receiving feedback by asking a lot of questions and practice.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Wildlife Technician

May - August 2019 • Prather, CA

What I liked

Gaining important knowledge in field techniques, terrestrial wildlife surveys, and communicating results to higher level biologists. I was able to finesse certain skills and learn lots of new skills that will help me as an aspiring wildlife biologist.

What I wish was different

I wish that the season was longer!!

Advice

Don’t be afraid to apply for a job that you may not feel “as qualified” for, the worst that will happen is a “thanks, but we went with someone else”. Try something new, there are so many cool opportunities with the private and public work sectors.

6 ${count} people found this helpful

Forest Conservation Technician

May 2019 • Ephraim, UT

What I liked

It was outdoors in the mountains.

What I wish was different

Nothing. Loved it!

Advice

Be ready to take initiative and work hard

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Partnerships intern

June 2019 • Ogden, UT

What I liked

I like helping others with projects they have and using my skills I’ve learned in school to make projects go smoother.

What I wish was different

To be graduating sooner so I could start my career in the USDA.

Advice

Even though there are better internships to get out there, at least you get your foot in the door and get your name out across the USDA for future jobs.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Forestry fire aid

June - August 2019 • Walla Walla, WA

What I liked

The people and the experiences!

What I wish was different

i wish i could have stayed longer

Advice

Call your employer, follow up with applications !

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Recreation technician

May - August 2019 • Oscoda, MI

What I liked

Great environment to work in and opportunities to grow. They want the best for their employees.

What I wish was different

I wish i could have worked there longer.

Advice

Be ready for a changing work environment. You have to be flexible I the job.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Pathways Intern Forester

March 2019 • Fort Collins, CO

What I liked

I liked the range of experiences that I was exposed to. I liked my coworkers and the opportunity to serve the forest service. I liked the opportunity I was given to go to Alaska and do real work for the FS instead of being stuck in the office doing paperwork and staying in the background. I appreciated the ability to network across the nation that was available at my office since it is an extension of the national office where policies, manuals, handbooks, etc are written and programs are made, decisions for the agency are deliberated and it affects the entire nation.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more time in the summer to go to more experiences, more classes, etc.

Advice

If an opportunity is offered and it is not what you wanted or expected, don't discount the possibility it may be better for you in the end. Keep your head and spirits high as if you had been given the best opportunity you hoped for. Attitude is more important than aptitude in many office settings. My internship is not what I had expected or hoped for, but it was far better than what I had hoped for. I am set up for a better career path and my internship was extended to cover me during a Master's offer I accepted while working my internship.

2 ${count} people found this helpful

Forestry Aide

May - August 2019 • Flagstaff, AZ

What I liked

The new experience of fighting Wildland fires, being outdoors, and the teamwork involved.

What I wish was different

Advice

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Forestry Aide

June - August 2019 • Cle Elum, WA

What I liked

I loved being part of a great team serving my community and the forest around us.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been able to stay on longer and experience working in the Forest Service at other times during the year.

Advice

Apply to places further from home and outside of your comfort zone, even if you decide not to go with one, the options may surprise you.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Forestry Technician

May - August 2019 • Missoula, MT

What I liked

Outdoor field work, leadership experience

What I wish was different

Permanent position

Advice

Be ready to be available at all hours of the day if you are working fire

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Forestry Technician

May - August 2019 • Springerville, AZ

What I liked

Great location and very good group of coworkers.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have worked there longer.

Advice

Need to be in shape for this job.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Recreation Technician

June - August 2019 • Laona, WI

What I liked

I learned many new skills and found my possible career! I learned how to manage and tend campgrounds, run chainsaws, talk to the public better, and learned how to quickly adapt to new issues at a split second.

What I wish was different

Wish I would have gotten more independent work, I wasn't on my own very much, but I would have liked to have taken more control.

Advice

It was an eyeopening experience, and I didn't think I would enjoy it in the beginning. I quickly learned to love the position and those I worked with.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Range technician

May - August 2019 • Monticello, UT

What I liked

Riding horses and being in the mountians

What I wish was different

More rain

Advice

Look on USA jobs often, customize your cover letter.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Wildland Firefighter

April - September 2019 • Richfield, UT

What I liked

-using driptorches on the prescribed burn for aspen regeneration -using saws to drop hazard trees and cut fireline -using handtools to dig fireline -the views at the top -getting paid to camp -silly games with the crew -the green pants are so comfy and have lots of deep pockets -learned to drive a four-wheeler -played a lot of cards and zipped around on ATVs -the challenge of keeping up with the boys, and getting a fair chance on the saw

What I wish was different

I wish I'd found some friends outside of work. The folks at my station had their own personal lives off the clock, but I came into fire with the expectation of work being my life, and my crew my new family. That's not the way it's set up in the Richfield Ranger District, there is a work/life separation, unlike other crews I'd heard about. There was no bunkhouse, so I had my own place all to myself in town, and I was lonely.

Advice

Know what questions to ask when they call to offer you a job. A lot of forests don't interview for seasonal positions, they just call with an offer. So YOU need to interview THEM to find out if the offer is truly what you want. The government super works on a "need to know" basis, so they won't tell you anything unless you ask. Here are some good questions to ask when considering a position: 1. What type of module am I being hired on to? How many people are on it? Make sure you understand your module's role 2. Is there government housing? This is important. If you're applying to faraway places, don't get stuck paying rent in town. The bunkhouse is cheap, and whether you like your crewmembers or not, you won't be isolated 3. How many hours of overtime did the crew work last season? Anything under 400 is terrible. Firefighters make their money in hazard pay and overtime. 4. How is the handcrew set up? Is it a "throw-together handcrew" or is it a set crew every time? There are pros and cons to each type 5. Do you work off district often? Off forest? If you like to travel, this is a plus 6. What kind of project work do you do when not fighting fires? Not all projects are created equal...if you like to work the saw, thinning and fuels reduction is what you want to hear. Otherwise, you might get stuck repairing fences

14 ${count} people found this helpful

Wildland Firefighter

May - August 2020 • Bonners Ferry, ID

What I liked

I loved being able to work outside everyday and explore new country. My crew was great to work with and I learned a lot!

What I wish was different

It would have been nice to not have all of the COVID restrictions as that really hampered our work.

Advice

Don’t be intimidated by your work or your crew. I was the only female on an otherwise all male crew. Be cause I wasn’t intimidated by them, they respected me and treated me as their equal.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Forestry Technician (fire suppression)

June - August 2019 • Crescent, OR

What I liked

Working in the outdoors, Meeting diverse group of people, Living remotely.

What I wish was different

Leadership I worked under had been more clear, direct. I wish there had been more work to be completed and less waiting for direction. I wish there was no egotistical factor with being a firefighter

Advice

Be patient, dont ask stupid questions.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Student intern

July - August 2018 • Walden, CO

What I liked

The actual job was great, I mostly did trail maintenance so I spent the majority of my days hiking out doors.

What I wish was different

I had the opportunity to work with other departments in the forest service, I wish I could have done more of that.

Advice

Try to get your foot in the door any way you can when working for the forest service

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Botanist

May - August 2018 • Ketchikan, AK

What I liked

I had a lot of independence. I was able to come up with projects for myself and see them through. I also got to work closely with the community. Top perk though was flying all over the Misty Fjords in float planes!