Conservation Careers & Job Opportunities

The New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) is an advocate for cutting-edge forest-based natural climate solutions. NEFF is a conservation landowner that actively manages forest land and a generator of new information and science on issues involving improved forest practices and an active collaborator in support of ecologically aligned forestry.

This position posting comes in the context of a significant period of growth for NEFF focused on how climate-smart forestry can be implemented across New England and as a national and international model for climate-smart forestry on private lands. The USDA recently awarded NEFF a $30 million grant under their Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities(CSC) program for the New England Climate Smart Commodities Partnership project. This program represents an unprecedented opportunity to pilot scalable, carbon-saving forest management practices as part of a systems approach including forestland protection, wildland preservation and building with wood to store carbon and displace carbon-intensive materials. Through this program, NEFF will define and implement a groundbreaking and nationally relevant pilot program in New England to build a climate-smart forest-based economy as a powerful tool for climate action.

Position Summary

The Climate-Smart Wood Sourcing Specialist will work with NEFF forestry team and the CSC project team to develop a robust climate-smart wood products supply chain in New England and help document and communicate the resulting climate benefits. This will include outreach to support the expanded use of wood as a climate-smart material and sharing of the pilot tools developed through this project. The primary focus of this position is to determine verifiable and actionable criteria for sourcing climate-smart wood materials for high- and low-grade markets and to bring these criteria into existing certification systems to encourage adoption at scale. Work will be conducted in coordination with project partners, integrated across project areas as needed, and incorporated with the ongoing work of NEFF’s Exemplary Forestry Center.

The Climate-Smart Wood Sourcing Specialist will work under the direction of NEFF’s Forest Bioeconomy Initiative Director and integrate with the ongoing work of NEFF’s Exemplary Forestry Center. Location is flexible across the New England region, but regular presence at NEFF’s Prouty Woods facility located in Littleton, MA will be a significant component of the position.

Duties & Responsibilities

Develop Climate-Smart Wood Criteria

• Contribute to the development of climate-smart forest management criteria to complement existing forest certification programs and to enable climate-smart wood sourcing in the marketplace.
• Engage and collaborate with green building and forest certification entities to encourage adoption of a climate-smart sourcing guidance framework at scale.
• Understand and engage with low-value wood market opportunities to advance climate smart wood sourcing.

Develop & Document the Climate-Smart Wood Supply Chain in New England

• Integrate with existing scalable methods for traceability and point-of-origin tracking through the supply chain to document and market the value-add of climate-smart wood to the consumer (and/or develop NEFF pilot projects for traceability of climate smart wood.).
• Work collaboratively with project partners to collect and organize data on the quantity, quality, volume, etc. of harvested wood products produced from the forest management practices implemented through NEFF’s CSC project.
• Support the quantification and reporting of the carbon profile of harvested wood products produced through NEFF’s CSC project.
• Define and develop verifiable and actionable criteria for sourcing climate-smart wood materials for building construction, including assessment of how criteria dovetail with existing forest certification systems (e.g. FSC) and green building certification systems (e.g. LEED).

Pilot Climate-Smart Sourcing in the Mass Timber Sector

• Integrate climate-smart sourcing criteria with the mass timber design study and technical guidance framework being developed through NEFF’s CSC project (with a focus on the affordable housing sector).
• Pilot the climate-smart sourcing criteria and guidance framework developed through the mass timber building projects advanced through NEFF’s CSC project.
• Working collaboratively with project partners, conduct targeted outreach and provide technical assistance to mass timber market participants (i.e. developers, universities, architects, others) to expand the use of mass timber as a climate-smart building material and to share the pilot tools developed through NEFF’s CSC project.

Experience & Requirements

• Familiarity with New England’s forest ecosystems and forest industry.
• Master’s Degree in forestry/forest science, or architecture, engineering, or related field, with at least 2-5 years of experience in the sustainable forestry, wood products, and/or building sectors.
• A passion for climate change action in the forest and/or building sector, with a clear understanding of the role of forests and wood products as a climate solution.
• Familiarity with typical tools and techniques for monitoring and reporting the GHG profile of building materials, especially wood products (e.g. EDPs, LCAs).
• Working knowledge of wood product supply chains.
• Existing network within the New England forestry, wood products and/or building sectors desirable.
• Familiarity with mass timber construction and/or manufacturing and understanding of the related supply chain issues is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience with effectively communicating complex scientific and technical information to a wide range of audiences
• Ability to work collaboratively with NEFF staff, project partners, and outside stakeholders to build strong partnerships and achieve common goals.
• Affinity for working on dynamic, innovative, out-of-the box approaches.
• Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills with fluency and nimbleness in managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Compensation, Location & Other Information

• Salary range for this position is $50,000 – $55,000 commensurate with experience.
• New England Forestry Foundation offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including health/dental/vision insurances, paid time off, parental leave, retirement plan with employer match and vesting, and a congenial and flexible working environment.
• Location for this position is flexible within the New England region. It will require travel across New England and to the organization’s Prouty Woods headquarters in Littleton, Massachusetts.

New England Forestry Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. NEFF commits to respecting and learning from different perspectives, reflecting the diverse citizens and communities of New England. In hiring, mentoring, and managing staff, the organization seeks to maintain a diverse, supportive, friendly, and discrimination-free workplace.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample via email to Kim Doherty at kdoherty@newenglandforestry.org.