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.

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

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Successful candidates invited to interview will be asked to undertake a short practical exercise as part of the interview process. This will involve operating harvesting machinery under instruction.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Generous annual leave allowance starting at 25 days per year. Each year’s service will receive an extra days annual leave to a maximum of 30days after 5 years. On top of this, you’ll receive all public holidays plus an additional 2.5 ‘privilege’ days
• Ability to buy or sell 5 days holiday
• Dedicated Technical Training in support of our operational functions, ensuring that keeping people safe is central to everything we do
• Continual Professional Development: support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies 
• Three paid volunteering days per year 
• Free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including access to an Employee Assistance Programme 24/7 and Bike to Work Scheme
• Employee benefits package including retail discounts

Job contact :

• Name : Reception
• Email : enquiries.eastfd@forestryengland.uk
• Telephone : 0300 067 4500

Recruitment team

• Email : fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk