State Forest Geneticist

State Forest Geneticist Department of Natural Resources Olympia, Washington Job Type Permanent Salary $7,443•$10,004 per month Benefits DNR offers a comprehensive benefits package Deadline May 31, 2026 Min. Experience 2•4 years

State Forest Geneticist Location:

Meridian Seed Orchard•Olympia, WA Work Hours flexibility may be available and considered Relocation Compensation may be available and considered

Salary:

$7,443.00•$10,004.00 Monthly Review of applications is ongoing. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after 5/18/26. It is in your best interest to submit materials as soon as possible.

Responsibilities:

Provides leadership in Washington for the forest genetics research cooperatives, with emphasis on the Douglas-fir tree breeding and testing program. Develops and maintains seed orchard capacity for species and seed zones needed to support DNR's operational planting program. Develops climate change adaptation strategies relevant to DNR's reforestation operations. Devises and implements the gene conservation strategy for forest trees on State Lands. Consults with DNR staff of all levels and external partners on questions related to forest genetics and seed source management. Develops biennial budget, approves expenditures, and monitors spending to ensure adherence to approved budget. Hires, trains, supervises, and evaluates direct reports.

Required Qualifications:

Master's degree in forest genetics or silviculture, with graduate-level coursework in forest genetics and tree breeding, AND (4) four years of professional experience working in a forest genetics breeding and testing program or a forest seed orchard; OR an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Experience with experimental design, measurement, and analysis of research results related to forest genetics and seed production. Experience managing data, analyzing data, and/or scripting using MS Access, R, SAS, Python, or other software. Operational experience with forest regeneration.

Desired Qualifications:

Three years of supervisory experience, ideally including supervision of first-line supervisors. Familiarity with forest types and practices common in the Pacific Northwest. PhD in forest genetics or silviculture, ideally with graduate-level coursework in forest genetics and tree breeding. A PhD counts for 2 years of the required experience. A Washington state pesticide handler's license. How To Apply View a complete position description with full application instructions at careers.wa.gov.