Silviculture Operator

Job Details:

Location of role: Hawkes Bay Forests

Job Type: Full-time

Duration: Permanent

Pay range: $27 – 35 per hour

Our Company

Forest Operations Limited is a silviculture business operating in the Hawke’s Bay forest region of the North Island. 

We are seeking to fill the role of Silviculture Operator to strengthen our team and develop our operation.

The role will work at least 30 hours per week but could be required to work up to 40 hours.

Your hourly rate will range from $27 to $35 per hour, depending on your level of experience.  

As a Silviculture Operator you will be:

Developing and maintaining high levels of production and quality in practical skills, such as planting trees, releasing spraying, pruning trees, and thinning trees. 

Plan silviculture operations using work orders, job descriptions, and maps, ensuring job requirements are confirmed and leading team members. 

Use a broad range of tools, machinery, and equipment covering all types of silviculture operations, including (but not limited to) chainsaws, loppers, ladders, planting spades and frames, slashers, scrub bars, knapsack sprayers, poison applicators, fire pumps, hoses, and waterway equipment. 

Developing skills in quality management and plotting to determine work performance against industry standards and job descriptions. 

Preparing and using agrichemicals, applying them using various applicators. 

Transporting, storing, and disposing of agrichemicals in accordance with industry regulations and best practices. 

Develop vegetation firefighting skills and qualifications and be on standby to assist in fire prevention and fire suppression when called on. 

Hold appropriate licenses to transport crews to and around worksites and forest blocks when required by management.

Operate light utility vehicles and quad bikes to transport materials, tree stocks, and crew members to and around work sites. 

Operating a wheeled or tracked machine (when required for mechanised thinning) within forest stands to thin trees to waste and to extract timber for production. 

Be available to mentor new team members, offering advice and guidance on company and industry best practices, while supervising team members’ work.

Hold onsite health and safety meetings as required by management.

Undertake safe behaviour observations (SBOs)to assess the skills and safety performance of crew members.

To apply for this role, you must have:

• At least three years of relevant work experience or 

• level 4 Forestry Certificate

• Be physically fit.

• Be sober, drug-free and pass a pre-employment drug test as a health and safety requirement.

• Lead by example and work well in a team. 

If you have what it takes, send your CV and references to: [email protected]