Introduction
The Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer recruitment at Local Land Services covers three current vacancies in the Farm Forestry team. These comprise an ongoing Senior Forestry Officer at Grade 6, an ongoing Forestry Officer at Grade 5 and a temporary Grade 5 officer for 12 months of maternity leave relief. A separate talent pool can support future recruitment.
Before deciding how to apply for Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer, choose the grade that matches your forestry knowledge and responsibility. Submit an updated CV and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience. Grade 5 examples should demonstrate forestry assessment, communication and sound use of legislation, while Grade 6 examples also need to show technical leadership and complex work.
The team supports sustainable private native forestry through assessments, field inspections and advice to landholders. Explain how you reached a defensible decision and helped others understand it. Regional travel and a current NSW Class C driver licence are required, so confirm these conditions alongside the location and employment arrangement.
View the official job ad while you prepare.
Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer role snapshot
| Role | Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer |
| Organisation | Local Land Services |
| Location | Regional NSW; statewide opportunities with regional travel |
| Employment | Three vacancies: one ongoing Senior Forestry Officer, one ongoing Forestry Officer and one 12-month temporary Forestry Officer |
| Salary or grade | LLS Grade 6 for Senior Forestry Officer; LLS Grade 5 for Forestry Officer |
| Job ID | 602287 |
| Closing date | Sunday 18 October 2026, 11:55pm |
NSW Government application requirements
Check the requested documents and response limits before choosing your examples. Give each written task enough space in your preparation so the final submission addresses the instructions and the work of this role.
Application requirements for Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer
- Updated CV
- Cover letter outlining relevant experience
No cover-letter page limit is stated. A focused two-page letter is a practical starting point unless the application form gives another limit. Make the grade and employment arrangement you are seeking clear.
Role conditions and qualifications
- Current NSW Class C driver licence
- Willingness and ability to travel throughout regional NSW
- For the senior role, Forestry Science degree qualifications and/or equivalent industry knowledge and experience
Candidate evidence for Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer
The evidence areas below help you choose examples for the work described in this role.
| Evidence area | How to demonstrate it |
|---|---|
| Forestry knowledge and assessment | Describe a forest management or related assessment and the information used to reach a decision. |
| Legislation and technical guidelines | Explain how you interpreted the applicable rules and documented a defensible outcome. |
| Landholder advice and communication | Show how you explained a technical or regulatory issue and supported a practical response. |
| Spatial information and collaborative delivery | Describe how you used technology or spatial data while coordinating work with others. |
| Senior-level leadership for Grade 6 | Give evidence of complex assessments, expert advice, project leadership or mentoring if applying for the senior role. |
Example application structure for Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer
Organise the cover letter around the grade you are applying for and the forestry work you can demonstrate. A two-page letter is a recommendation because the recruitment instructions give no page limit. Grade 6 applicants should reserve space for complex assessments and leadership as well as the shared technical requirements.
| Application section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Opening and grade | State which role or roles interest you and the forestry experience relevant to that grade. |
| Assessment and regulation | Explain one assessment, the rules or guidelines applied and the decision reached. |
| Advice and stakeholder work | Describe your communication with landholders, practitioners or government stakeholders. |
| Technology and delivery | Show how spatial information, field work or project coordination supported the outcome. |
| Grade 6 leadership, if relevant | Explain technical leadership, mentoring or management of a complex issue. |
| Closing and conditions | Confirm the driver licence, regional travel and employment arrangement you can meet. |
What the panel will want to see in your examples
- Technical judgement suited to the selected grade
- How you interpreted and applied legislation
- Clear advice to landholders or practitioners
- Leadership and complexity for senior applicants
Before you submit
Name the grade and position arrangements you are seeking. Check that the CV and letter give evidence of forestry work, regulatory judgement and communication, then confirm the driver licence and regional travel conditions. Applications close at 11:55pm on 18 October.
Return to the official vacancy to check the deadline and final application instructions.
Help with your Senior Forestry Officer & Forestry Officer application
If the application calls for a cover letter, the NSW Government cover letter template can help organise your evidence. For help choosing examples and preparing the written documents around your own experience, request application support from Team 3Thirty.