Trainee Harvesting Machine Operator

Background Information

Do you have a passion for working in the outdoors? Do you want to work with the latest in
timber harvesting technology? Do you want to join a dedicated, diverse team of staff managing
forests in Eastern England? If so, Forestry England are looking for ambitious and motivated
individuals who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career as technically excellent and
responsible machine operator working in a natural environment. Full training will be provided
for applicants without their FMOCS qualification, to enable them to operate forest harvesting
machinery.

East England Forest District, with over 150 directly employed staff, covers an area of 35,000
ha from North Norfolk to Brighton; including Thetford Forest and the outlying beats of
Sandlings, Kent, East Sussex, Chilterns and Thames Chase Community Forest.

The Harvesting Machine Operator will be based at Santon Downham as part of the Direct
Production Harvesting Team working throughout the Thetford Beat. The Beat is located on the
Norfolk/Suffolk border and covers an area of approximately 19,000ha. Thetford Forest is
England’s largest pine forest and whilst the forest delivers an important resource for people,
it remains a vital centre for timber production.

The direct production harvesting team harvests approximately 50,000m3 of timber a year. The
team is made up of a Harvesting Forester, a Forestry Works Supervisor and 5 Machine Operators
operating a harvester, two forwarders, a front end loader, and a mini forwarder.

Purpose of the Job

Using purpose built forestry machines you will work as part of a dedicated team to plan and
carry out tree harvesting. You will do this by operating both a forwarder and harvester to both
mechanically fell trees and extract timber to roadside. You will be required to meet targets in
terms of production outputs but more importantly in terms of ensuring all Health, Safety and
Environmental conditions are met.

This is a trainee post so recruits are not expected to have suitable qualifications. All the
necessary training to become a competent machine operator of both Harvesters and Forwarders is
included in this role.

Key Work Areas

• Pass the Forest Machine Operator Certification Scheme: for Forwarder (FMOCS) qualification
  within 6 months; the Harvester within 18 months of commencing employment; to be a fully capable
  and competent machine operator
• Undertake tree felling by machine & chainsaw and forwarding operations in clearfell and
  thinnings;
• Complete all forest operations in line with health, safety and environmental standards using
  tools such as site management plans and risk assessments
• Undertake all necessary maintenance on machines liaising with the workshop as required
• Work with the Forester and Works Supervisor to ensure stock control is maintained by measuring
  roadside and on site timber Maybe add as a desirable

Contractual hours are 37hrs/week, operators work additional overtime hours meaning early starts
each day. The successful candidate will be expected to work the same pattern of hours as the
rest of the team.

Person specification

This post involves physically demanding work in a forest environment; applicants need to be
able to perform under these conditions.

Experience – Essential

• Demonstrate a keen interest in forestry and working in an outdoor environment
• Demonstrate a practical aptitude for working with and maintaining machinery
• Ability to obtain Forest Machine Operator Certification scheme (FMOCS) qualifications
• Ability to obtain trailer towing certificate
• Full UK driving licence

Experience – Desirable

• Experience of working with or around heavy plant machinery
• Experience of using a chainsaw
• Basic computer skills