Seasonal Employment
Seeking Workers for Spring 2023 Help
The Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery is seeking applicants to help process seedlings as part of the annual spring sale. Field work and grading room positions are available, and pay rate starts at $16.13 per hour.
Applicants must be able to work 4-6 weeks this April/May and be comfortable standing for a few hours. Interested applicants should complete this application (PDF), include a resume, and then call, email, or stop by into the Nursery to apply.
Nursery phone number: (518) 581-1439
Nursery email: nysnursery@dec.ny.gov
Nursery address: 2369 Route 50 South, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4738
Grading room - These positions involve counting and grading tree seedlings indoors. The work is dirty but is not difficult, and it is recommended you wear old clothes. Both full and part time positions are available. The hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Work will begin around April 5 and last approximately 4-6 weeks.
Field worker - These positions involve working outdoors on equipment used to harvest tree seedlings. This is physical work and you will be expected to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions. The hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Workers MUST show up on time. Work will begin around April 5 and last approximately 4-6 weeks.
DEC has a need for temporary employees to supplement our permanent workforce. These seasonal employees are invaluable in meeting the mission of the agency. The majority of openings during the summer months are at our campgrounds in the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Forest Preserves. As diverse as the locations are, so are the positions and skills that are sought - a list of seasonal job titles is at the end of this page.
The hiring for most of these seasonal jobs is handled directly by the regional office which encompasses the geographic area where the position exists. In some situations the applications and filling of seasonal positions are handled by a program coordinator.
Employment Application Form (PDF)
General Application Procedures
To apply for seasonal employment, you should submit an employment application and a resume to the DEC Regional Office that covers the geographic area where you are seeking to work. For certain locations, programs or titles, the application for seasonal employment does not go to the regional office. See the special application procedures listed below for exceptions. Seasonal positions are also posted on the New York State Jobs website (leaves DEC's website).
Special Application Procedures
DEC Central Office - Albany
Many seasonal positions in the Central Office are technical and require college course work in environmental, forest, biology, computer sciences, or engineering. To apply for seasonal positions at our Central Office located at 625 Broadway, Albany, your application and resume should be sent to:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, New York 12233-5060
Attn: Director of Personnel
Please indicate on the employment application that you are seeking Seasonal Employment in the space provided for "type of work position desired" and indicate if you are seeking clerical or technical seasonal employment. Applications for consideration in filling summer positions should be received between January 1 - February 28. Applicants will be informed by the end of May if they are being offered a position.
Assistant Forest Rangers
The Division of Forest Protection employs assistant forest rangers (AFRs) to support its forest ranger force in patrolling interior state land management units in the Adirondack Park. AFRs spend each day hiking trails or paddling waterways to meet hikers and campers using these states lands. For more information go to Assistant Forest Rangers.
Environmental Education Camps:
Youth camps are operated by DEC from June to August and employ temporary workers including: camp directors, counselors, cooks, food service workers, and medical staff. For more information on the camps and requirements for the various positions go to Employment at Education Camps.
Lifeguards
Lifeguards are hired for our campgrounds and day use areas in the Adirondack and Catskill regions. Qualifiers for these positions usually start in February and continue until late June. For more information on being a lifeguard, go to Lifeguard Positions.
StateJobsNY
Some positions are advertised through the StateJobsNY website. There is a vacancy section for members of the general public seeking state employment, and lists those jobs for which an examination is not necessary.
Foreign Workers and Students
DEC does not sponsor foreign workers whose temporary employment would require the employer to complete forms such as USCIS Form I-129 or to offer a contract. This would typically include foreign students not enrolled in a United States educational program. Foreign students studying in the United States with appropriate employment authorization and a Social Security Card may apply for temporary or seasonal employment and paid internships.
More about Seasonal Employment:
- Minimum Qualifications for Seasonal Titles - Listing of seasonal titles with minimum qualifications.
- Employment Opportunities in Summer Recreation - Employment Opportunities at NYSDEC Campgrounds: DEC Summer Recreation lifeguard and interpretive positions.
- Assistant Forest Rangers - Information regarding the Assistant Forest Rangers program, including job description and employment application form.
