Freres Engineered Wood is seeking a full-time Road Engineer Forester to join our Lyons, Oregon team. Reporting to the Timber Manager, this role focuses on building and maintaining forest roads across federal, state, and private timberlands. The position blends field leadership with engineering oversight to support sustainable forest management and efficient timber operations.
Responsibilities
- Work primarily in the field (about 80%), with the remainder in the office (about 20%).
- Concentrate on sustainable forest management with an emphasis on road engineering, including road design, project layout, construction management, mapping, road inventory, harvest layout, and harvest administration.
- Manage road construction and maintenance activities on Freres timber sale contracts; supervise and schedule the road crew on Freres lands and timber sales.
- Plan and oversee all road building and forestry engineering initiatives on Freres’ timber lands; appraise road and project work for bidding.
- Negotiate, prepare, and administer contracts; manage projects from start to finish with limited supervision; demonstrate strong leadership and independent decision-making.
- Represent the company professionally with contractors, landowners, agencies, employees and stakeholders; ensure safety and compliance in all interactions.
- Drive and work long days in varied road and weather conditions, including remote locations; maintain safety and professionalism at all times.
- Handle additional duties such as quarterly road use agreements, landowner terms, and understanding agency responsibilities for road maintenance and rock work.
- Possess a strong background in contracting and contractor management; conduct cost analyses for logging, road and rock options on projects.
- Navigate remote areas using mapping and GIS skills; work with GIS mapping of roads and logging units, including road design packets; recover and flag property lines when needed.
- Understand legal documents related to road use agreements, legal descriptions and easements; assist in other forest-related activities, including forest fire suppression.
- Cut brush with hand tools and chainsaw; apply Forest Practices Act in practical settings.
- Maintain excellent organizational skills to manage multiple tasks and meet timelines; communicate effectively in written and oral form.
- Utilize computer tools (MS Office, GIS, GPS) and be able to learn additional software as needed; apply independent decision-making and perform analyses of alternatives.
- Flex schedule when required; maintain positive interpersonal relationships and safety-minded approach; comply with pre-employment drug testing and background checks.
Requirements
- B.S. in Forest Engineering and/or Forest Operations (comparable degrees within forest operations experience will be considered).
- Keen understanding of Northwest logging systems/operations and knowledge of the Oregon Forest Practice Act are strongly preferred.
- Current, valid U.S. driver’s license with a clean DMV record; ability to operate company vehicles on rough roads, potentially up to 50,000 miles per year.
Technologies
Benefits
- Competitive wage
- PTO, health, dental, and life insurance
- Section 125 and 401K with profit-sharing
- Holiday pay and discretionary quarterly profit-sharing bonuses
- Company pickup truck and cell phone
How to Apply
If applying via Indeed, use the Quick Apply feature to begin your application. This action does not submit your application; you will need to return to your application to complete and submit. For questions, contact the HR line at 503-859-4200.
Physical Demands
- Standing, walking, sitting, lifting (>75 lbs), carrying, balancing, stooping, reaching, handling, and depth/far/acuity.
- Hiking steep, densely forested terrain and walking long distances; kneeling or squatting; exposure to wet, hot, and inclement weather.
- Occasional longer workdays and variable outdoor conditions.
Qualifications
- B.S. in Forest Engineering and/or Forest Operations (comparable degrees considered).
- Knowledge of Northwest logging systems/operations and the Oregon Forest Practice Act strongly preferred.
- Valid U.S. driver’s license with a clean DMV record; readiness to operate company vehicles on rough roads (up to 50,000 miles per year).
Our Company
Freres Engineered Wood, previously Freres Lumber Co., Inc., traces its roots to 1922 in Lyons, Oregon as a family-owned wood products manufacturer. With three generations of family leadership, the company sustains veneer and plywood facilities in the Santiam Canyon and remains committed to operating for the long term. The organization runs six processing plants including various veneer, plywood, and cogeneration facilities, and focuses on reinvesting in modern manufacturing to deliver high-quality wood products and stable family-wage jobs. The portfolio includes raw products and finished goods such as hog fuel, bark fines, chips, shavings, specialty veneer, and grade lumber, and it has developed the Mass Plywood Panel, a patented wood product. The firm values growth-minded professionals and invites applications from a diverse pool of candidates. This role is based on site in Lyons, Oregon.
