Overview

Forestry Field Crew (Crew Lead & Surveyor) - Permanent Sample Plot

Two seasonal positions - Alberta Forest Protection Area

Forest growth and yield monitoring for Alberta Forestry and Parks

We are recruiting 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 1 - PSP Crew Lead

Position type: Seasonal contract with potential renewal

Term: August 2026 – March 2027, with possible extension to March 2029

Rotation: 10 days on / 4 days off

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: $34.00 – $40.00 per hour, depending on experience

Travel: Accommodation and meal allowance provided when working away from home base

About the role

As Crew Lead you are the senior member of a two-person crew and hold responsibility for data quality. You will navigate to established plots using stem maps and GPS, relocate individually tagged trees measured in previous decades, and re-measure them under their original tag numbers. Data accuracy standards are strict: a plot is rejected and must be re-measured if species identification is wrong on more than 2% of stems.

What you will do

● Navigate to plots using maps, stem maps, GPS and previous maintenance sheets

● Relocate previously tagged trees and re-measure diameter at breast height, height, crown class and three-part condition codes

● Identify Alberta tree species accurately, including the difficult pairs: black versus white spruce, balsam poplar versus trembling aspen, and jack versus lodgepole pine

● Tag, map and measure new ingress stems using azimuth and distance from plot centre

● Maintain plot infrastructure: replace posts, refresh paint and flagging, renew the buffer perimeter, and re-tag stems that have lost tags

● Establish regeneration subplots and capture high-precision GPS points where required

● Collect increment cores for stand age and top height assessment

● Record all data on a rugged Android tablet using the client's data collection application, and complete paper maintenance sheets and checklists

● Supervise and train the Field Surveyor, and perform in-field quality checks

Required qualifications The following experience requirement is set by our client and is non-negotiable — we cannot consider applicants who do not meet it:

● Experience on at least two permanent sample plot or forest research trial projects, each a minimum of one month of full-time work. Qualifying projects must have involved re-locating and re-measuring previously tagged trees under their original tag numbers. Temporary sample plot (TSP) and standard cruising experience does not satisfy this requirement.

● Three business-related references covering the above projects





● Valid Class 5 driver's licence (non-GDL) with a clean driver's abstract

● Availability to attend a mandatory one-day client training session prior to fieldwork

● Willingness to work a 10-on / 4-off rotation, including winter fieldwork in snow conditions

Preferred qualifications

● Two-year Forest Technology diploma (NAIT or equivalent) or a related environmental sciences credential

● Registered Professional Forest Technologist (RPFT) designation, or eligibility for registration with the Association of Alberta Forest Management Professionals

● Additional permanent sample plot or research trial re-measurement projects beyond the two required

● Experience with increment coring and ring counting

● Experience operating an ATV in off-road forestry conditions

● Familiarity with Alberta ecosite classification and vegetation assessment

POSITION 2 - PSP Field Surveyor

Position type: Seasonal contract with potential renewal

Term: August 2026 – March 2027, with possible extension to March 2029

Rotation: 10 days on / 4 days off

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 — both positions

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. 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.

Crew Lead applicants: 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 chance employer. We thank all applicants; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

This roles offer an engaging environment where your technical expertise makes a real difference in sustainable forestry practices! We are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive workplace that values your skills and dedication as we work together toward ecological stewardship and scientific excellence.

Pay: $23.00-$40.00 per hour

Work Location: In person

📌 Forestry Field Crew (Crew Lead & Surveyor) – Permanent Sample Plot (Great Slave Lake)
🏢 Pixal 3D
📍 Great Slave Lake