Overview
Permanent Sample Plot Field Crew - Alberta Forest Protection Area
Forest growth and yield monitoring for Alberta Forestry and Parks
We are recruiting a Forestry Field Surveyor or Forestry Technician as part of a two-person field crew to re-measure permanent sample plots (PSPs) across Alberta's Forest Protection Area. PSPs are permanently marked research plots where individually tagged trees are re-measured every 5 to 25 years. The resulting dataset underpins Alberta's sustainable timber supply calculation, forest inventory calibration, and forest health monitoring. This is precision, tree-by-tree measurement work, not inventory cruising.
POSITION: Forestry Field Surveyor / Forestry Technician - Permanent Sample Plots (PSP)
Position type
- Seasonal contract with potential renewal
Term
- August 2026 – March 2027, with possible extension to March 2029
Rotation
Hours
- Approximately 10-hour field days
Home base
- Slave Lake, Alberta (first-season work areas: Slave Lake, Smith, Wabasca, Red Earth, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, Plamondon)
Wage range
- $23.00 – $28.00 per hour, depending on experience
Travel
- Accommodation and meal allowance provided when working away from home base
About the role
This is an excellent entry point into professional forestry fieldwork. No previous permanent sample plot experience is required, we will train you. You will work alongside an experienced Crew Lead, learning tree measurement, species identification and plot maintenance to a research standard. If you are a forestry or environmental sciences student or recent graduate looking for substantial field experience, this role is designed for you.
What you will do
● Assist with locating and re-measuring tagged trees, including diameter and height measurement
● Record measurements on a rugged Android tablet and on paper datasheets
● Install and refresh plot markers: posts, tree tags, paint and flagging
● Walk and renew buffer perimeters, typically 500 to 1,700 metres per plot
● Carry equipment and supplies on foot to plots, sometimes over several kilometres
● Assist with regeneration subplot establishment and GPS data capture
● Support plot photography, vegetation assessment and daily quality checks
Required qualifications
● No minimum forestry experience required
● Valid Class 5 driver's licence (non-GDL) with a clean driver's abstract
● Physical fitness to walk long distances over uneven, snow-covered and post-fire terrain while carrying equipment
● Willingness to work a 10-on / 4-off rotation, including winter fieldwork
● Reliability, attention to detail, and comfort working in a two-person crew in remote areas
Preferred qualifications
● Enrolment in or completion of a forestry, environmental sciences or natural resources program
● Any previous field data collection, tree planting, silviculture survey or cruising experience
● Alberta tree species identification skills
● ATV operating experience
Certifications
Certifications marked required must be valid before the first field shift. We will fund or arrange the training for successful candidates who do not already hold them.
Standard First Aid with CPR Level C
- Required. Crews work in remote areas without cell coverage
Class 5 driver's licence (non-GDL)
- Required. Clean driver's abstract required; 4WD trucks on forest roads
WHMIS 2015
- Required. Tree marking paint and fuel handling
Bear and wildlife awareness
- Required. Standard for Alberta remote forestry work
Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG)
- Required. Carrying fuel and marking paint
ATV operator training
- Preferred. Approximately 9% of plots are ATV-access only
H2S Alive
- Asset. Some work areas are adjacent to oil and gas activity
Wildland firefighting (Type II)
- Asset. Not required for this contract
Client PSP training (one day)
- Mandatory attendance. Provided by Alberta Forestry and Parks; Crew Lead attendance is mandatory, Field Surveyor attendance strongly encouraged
What we provide
● All field equipment: rugged Android tablets, hypsometers, tapes, compasses and measurement supplies
● 4WD truck and fuel
● Accommodation and meal allowance when working away from home base
● Safety equipment, satellite communicator and required safety training
● Paid certification training where not already held
● Structured training in permanent sample plot methodology
Working conditions - please read carefully
● Fieldwork runs from August through early March. A substantial portion of the season is winter work in snow and cold.
● Some plots are in post-fire stands with hazardous standing dead trees and heavy fallen timber. Work is suspended in high wind for safety.
● Daily travel from the accommodation base to work sites averages one hour each way, and more in some areas.
● Plots range from 57 to over 700 individually measured stems; days are physically and mentally demanding.
How to apply
Send your resume and three business-related references to [email protected] with the position title in the subject line.
Please list your qualifying permanent sample plot or research trial projects, including the year, approximate duration in months, the agency or company, and a reference contact for each.
Pixal3D is an equal opportunity employer. We thank all applicants; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Pay: $23.00-$28.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
