About Us
The Ministry of Environment uses science-based approaches to manage Saskatchewan’s natural resources and ensure long-term environmental sustainability. The Forest Service Branch delivers sustainable forest management that maintains ecological integrity, supports community and industry needs, and enhances resilience to natural disturbances such as wildland fire.
We are committed to providing superior citizen and client satisfaction through workplace excellence, continuous improvement and innovation. Our leaders demonstrate the Government of Saskatchewan’s commitment to ensuring workplace health and safety.
The Opportunity
The Ministry of Environment is seeking a highly skilled Natural Disturbance Resilience Forester to lead the integration of natural disturbance science, specifically wildland fire, into ecosystem-based forest management across Saskatchewan’s boreal forest. This position responds to the increasing impacts of severe wildland fires and other disturbance events on the sustainability and long-term health of provincial forest landscapes.
** Key Responsibilities**
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Lead development and implementation of wildfire resiliency plans for Crown forest lands.
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Integrate fire ecology principles and natural disturbance pattern emulation into forest management strategies and long-term planning.
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Incorporate wildfire risk assessment, fire behaviour modelling, fire probability, and landscape-level disturbance analysis into sustainable forest management planning.
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Develop, implement, and monitor policy, procedures, and Environmental Code standards related to disturbance resiliency, including reforestation and post-fire regeneration requirements.
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Lead and support adaptive management by analyzing emerging science, disturbance regimes, and forest landscape data.
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Design and refine field- and office-based assessment protocols for wildfire disturbance, burn severity, and reforestation assessments.
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Lead scientific research initiatives and build research networks with national, provincial, and international wildfire and forest ecology experts.
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Represent Saskatchewan on national working groups, including wildfire and sustainable forest management committees.
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Lead consultations and a whole-of-society approach that actively integrates Traditional Ecological Knowledge and perspectives of Indigenous communities and rightsholders.
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Work with Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) and other partners on fuel reduction, wildfire mitigation strategies, and landscape-level resilience planning.
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Use GIS, remote sensing, and mapping technologies to delineate wildland fire events, evaluate burn severity, and support decision-making.
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Contribute to the creation, revision or improvement of government policy and practices and champion safety and ensure working guidelines are followed for employee health and well-being.
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Monitor compliance with the disturbance resiliency policy and support ministry staff and industry in implementation.
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Lead interdisciplinary teams and review technical work across forest management programs.
Qualifications
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Master’s degree in forestry, natural resources, or related discipline.
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Registered Professional Forester (RPF) designation or eligibility for RPF/RPF – in – Training status with ASFP.
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Advanced knowledge of wildfire ecology, fire behaviour, natural disturbance regimes, forest ecology, and sustainable forest management.
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Knowledge of the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System, Fire Weather Indices, and wildfire modelling software.
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Expertise in GIS, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and mapping tools.
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Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical writing skills.
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Demonstrated ability to engage with Indigenous communities, industry, and government partners.
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Experience in policy development, strategic planning, and adaptive management.
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Demonstrated commitment to workplace health and safety
Working Conditions
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Primarily office-based with periodic field work.
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Travel within Saskatchewan required.
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Exposure to variable weather and wildfire-affected terrain during field assessments.
What We Offer
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Meaningful work supporting the long-term sustainability of Saskatchewan’s forests.
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Professional development and opportunities to engage in national initiatives.
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Comprehensive benefits and pension plan.
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Supportive, collaborative, and inclusive work environment.
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Committed to ensuring workplace health and safety, where we value both the physical and mental health of our employees.
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An inclusive and diverse work environment that promotes mental and physical well-being for our team.