Tractor Craftsperson

Join us. We're foresters, professionals, and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment. Together, we're using our scale and expertise to grow the nation's forests for everyone. We're already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting things done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe, and producing sustainable timber.

What you'll do… You will operate a tractor for approximately 30% of your time, carrying out flailing and mowing, post knocking, and light timber forwarding operations. The remaining 70% will involve working as a forest craftsperson, utilising a range of practical and countryside skills including chainsaw and clearing saw work, grass strimming, fencing, planting, applying herbicides, path maintenance, and basic surveying.

Where you'll work… These roles will be based in the Chilterns beat, covering Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Berkshire. You will be based from The Forestry Commission office near Wendover Woods, situated in the beautiful surroundings of the Chiltern Hills, Upper Icknield Way, Aylesbury, HP22 5NF.

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year's service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part-time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.

STaRis, our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays, clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, and Headspace wellbeing app. Free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.

A commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans, and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

You will be asked to write a 200-word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form. During the interview stage, you will be assessed on technical skills, strengths, and behaviours.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk.

Working for the Civil Service… Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy and meet the minimum requirements for the role. This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative.

Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants have the ability to communicate effectively in spoken English. Our recruitment process makes appointments based on fair and open competition and merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Principles.