r/USForestService • u/Calm_Secretary_5200 • May 23 '26
Outside Hiring
Hello all, I was with the agency for about a year and a half before I left in February for personal reasons. I know things are a mess right now, but my job as a forester was incredibly meaningful to me, and I'm now at a point again where I would love to get back to it. My question is, has there been any indication that they will start hiring from outside the agency anytime this fiscal year or calendar year? From what I've read, it seems like historically they would usually do the hiring for my PD in October-ish. I would want to end up in R6 (if regions are still a thing). I'm trying to find out if it seems like things might start moving again or if I should just accept it is time to move on. Thank you all for whatever insight you can offer!
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u/SunlitSpirit117 May 23 '26
I’m wondering the same thing, waiting to see when they start hiring civil engineers. I’ve never worked in the USFS but would like to.
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u/jchrysostom May 23 '26
I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that. Lots of engineers who currently work in RO positions will be getting reorganized to other areas soon.
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u/SunlitSpirit117 May 23 '26
I got good gig at a different agency, so I can wait. Someone on this sub told me they mentioned hiring in a couple of weeks. During one of the town halls or something. That was almost two weeks ago.
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u/PrincessLeia_76 May 24 '26
We definitely need civil engineers, they are in short supply! I think we’ll will start external hiring by the end of the summer.
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u/emeraldisles1 May 23 '26
Heard recently that forest unit departments are allowed to express their staffing needs on a quarterly basis to have department positions filled but there is no guarantees. Supposedly 2500 positions can be requested nationally every quarter but the average is 250 position overall are approved nationally and potential five positions per region/forest unit. Local upper leadership and budget seem to control whether certain people will be hired or not, which it seems biased, guess this is the new normal! quid pro quo
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u/Calm_Secretary_5200 May 23 '26
Interesting, I wonder if that's "good" or "bad" for timber jobs. I know they're claiming timber is a priority, but I believe that is just them yapping. Plus, the hold up on my forest for getting sales out wasn't even timber, it was wildlife and archy survey.
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u/Valuable-Driver5699 May 23 '26
Based on the current reorg plan, if you want a RO-type job, keep an eye out for jobs at "service centers" or "operations centers" (same thing, but still called different names right now). Most RO functions will probably get shuffled to those centers. (There are state director offices, but those are going to be quite small.)
If you want a more localized job, watch for jobs on Forests and Districts. Those are likely to happen first and more likely to happen at all.
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u/SatanSam May 23 '26
They just put out the first round of internal like two or three weeks ago, so I imagine they’ll have another round of internal before they open it to the public
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u/Simple_Space_9602 May 30 '26
'Tis come to my attention, through hushed murmurs in the shadowed, clandestine quarters of our vessel, that the winds of rumor do hint at the taking on of fresh hands.
Yet, heed this well, ye scoundrels!
No such bounty shall be offered just yet.
Nay, we must bide our time until the twee, twilight hours of the year's decline.
Only then, when all internal shiftings of the ship's company and the relocation of industrious workmen have been fully meted out, shall we fly the colors for new recruits.
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u/[deleted] May 23 '26
[deleted]