Forest Service Job Application Process

Because of widespread unemployment, many rural communities favor local applicants for Forest Service positions.

For this reason, it may be to your advantage to apply for a job as close to home as possible. On the other hand, not all positions are filled locally. In fact, some departments recruit nationwide, especially on college campuses. The Forest Service now delegates seasonal employee recruitment and screening to state employment offices. If you’re interested in applying for any of the Forest Service jobs described on the previous pages, follow the steps below. For general information regarding applying for a government job, turn back to the introduction and read over the section on general hiring practices.

Steps to Follow

• Pick the addresses of several National Forests from the U.S. Forest Service Listings.
• Call, write, or visit the Forest Service headquarters in the state where you want to work.
• Request copies of any Forest Service job descriptions as well as all necessary application materials.
• Once you receive the application materials, choose the single National Forest where you wish to apply.
• Remember, you may only apply to one National Forest.

Once You Have Chosen a National Forest:

• Complete the application materials carefully.
• Be as flexible as possible when indicating your desired position.
• Make a copy of your completed application for your records and return the original (usually to that state’s employment office).
• If your application is selected by the state employment office, it will be forwarded to the national forest, and you’ll receive further instructions.

The Student Conservation Association places volunteers with the Forest Service, and the Forest Service also has its own volunteer program. Volunteering is an excellent way to make connections and to get into the Forest Service system. (See the section on volunteering.)