Forest Stewards Apprentice
Forest Stewards Guild
Opening posted: 06/26/2026 | Expires: 07/24/2026
Job Title: Forest Stewards Apprentice
Location: 27 Wabanaki Way, Old Town, ME 04468
Status: *Seasonal full-time, 26 weeks, August 24, 2026 – February 19, 2027. The crew will be on a two-week unpaid furlough from December 21st through January 1st.
Compensation: $18.84 per hour, paid holidays, sick leave.
Application Deadline: July 6th, 2026 (with application review beginning July 7th, 2026. This position will remain open until
filled)
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Forest Stewards Guild, in partnership with the Penobscot Nation (PN), is hiring a Forest Stewards Apprenticeship (FSA) crew. Apprentices will work alongside the PN Departments of Cultural and Historic Preservation and Natural Resources to weave Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into boots-on-the-ground stewardship. FSA provides professional certifications, training, and experience to further participants’ future employment opportunities in forestry and natural resources. Crew members are not required to have any previous experience but must be willing to learn new skills and work effectively as part of a team.
DUTIES INCLUDE:
• Work as a crew on forest stewardship projects, which may include, but are not limited to:
o Brushing out, blazing and painting boundary lines
o Pre-sale timber cruising (i.e., tree identification and basic tree measurements)
o Pre- commercial thinning treatments and thinning block layout
• Operate a chainsaw and/or brush saw to perform thinning and roadway clearing
• Work outside in steep and uneven terrain, including during inclement weather conditions
• Brown ash conservation, such as seed collection and monitoring
• Prescribed fire implementation, as conditions permit
• Prepare and complete weekly activity reports
• Work safely and harmoniously as part of a team to achieve Penobscot Nation goals
TRAINING PROVIDED
• First Aid + CPR
• Certified Logging Professionals
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group Firefighter Type 2
• Tree Species Identification & Forest Ecology
• Forest Stewardship and Restoration
• Traditional Ecological Knowledge
• Digital Mapping Techniques (e.g., GPS units/Avenza maps)
• Job Readiness Skills (e.g. Resume Building, Job Interviewing)
• Leadership skills
• Chainsaw safety and use
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• No previous forestry experience is required but an interest and passion for forestry, conservation, and/or
natural/cultural resource management is strongly encouraged
• Willingness to learn new skills related to forest stewardship
• Ability to follow instructions, adapt to changing circumstances, and prioritize safety
• Reliable, self-motivated, and able to work effectively in a team to accomplish tasks
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• A willingness to work long physical days in the field and hike with heavy loads on steep and uneven terrain,
sometimes in inclement weather conditions
• Physically fit and able to pass an arduous “pack test,” which requires walking 3 miles in 45 minutes or less while wearing a 45lb weight vest