Trainee Harvesting Machine Operator

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 304241**Salary**:

- £23,098- With automatic progression to 6a on satisfactory completion of training**Job grade**:

- Administrative Officer- Pay Band 6b**Contract type**:

- Fixed Term
- Loan
- Secondment**Length of employment**:

- 24 months**Business area**:

- FC - Forestry England**Type of role**:

- Environment and Sustainability
- Operational Delivery**Working pattern**:

- Full-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Santon DownhamAbout 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.

If recruits do not already have suitable qualifications; undertake all necessary training to become a competent machine operator of both Harvesters and Forwarders.

**Key Work Areas**
- Pass the Forest Machine Operator Certification Scheme (FMOCS) qualification within 6 months of commencing employment, to be a fully capable and competent machine operator
- Undertake tree felling and forwarding operations in clear fell 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

**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 with 6 months of appointment
- Ability to obtain trailer towing certificate within 9-12 months of appointment.
- Full UK driving license

**Experience - **Desirable**
- Experience of working with or around heavy plant machinery
- ** **Basic computer skills

**Behaviours**:
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

- Seeing the Big Picture
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service

**Technical skills**:
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
**Benefits**:

- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

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.- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.
- A Statement of Suitability (in no more than 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualitie