Lead Forester

Funga is a public benefit corporation harnessing forest fungal networks to address the climate crisis. We develop fungal biotechnology to accelerate healthy tree growth and carbon capture, while building more biodiverse and resilient belowground fungal networks. We do this by combining DNA sequencing and machine learning technology to link molecular scale variation in soil fungal communities to emergent forest properties.

We are hiring a Lead Forester to implement field trials and coordinate sampling campaigns, initially within the Loblolly pine footprint of the southeastern US. We seek an experienced forester who knows how to hire and lead field crews to get trees in the ground, while also generating high quality forest dynamics data. Land owners are key company partners, and the Lead Forester will build and maintain strong relationships with these stakeholders and their teams. We need someone who is willing to question traditions in forestry as we develop new ways to understand and manage forests. We expect a significant amount of travel throughout the southeastern U.S.

We are a small team, and each of us operate beyond our "roles" on a daily basis. We are looking for someone excited to implement new approaches, problem solve and think creatively. We need a leader who can keep field crews motivated, with a vision for ultimately scaling our field programs. This role is an opportunity to develop an on-the-ground forestry team within the southeast, and address one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.

If you are excited by starting new things, learning as you go and being hands-on in applying your work to the private sector, you will dig working with us. Application is encouraged even if only some of the below criteria are met.

In Summary, the Lead Forester will:

- Coordinate and manage soil sampling across hundreds of experimental forestry sites.

- Coordinate and manage planting of field trials on different forest properties.

- Hire and manage field crews to get work done on time and at quality.

- Operate a high precision GPS device to demarcate experimental footprints.

- Lead measurement of field trials - tree height, diameter, and basic soil sampling.

- Communicate seamlessly with our Lead Scientist to make sure all is going according to plan, and to help them understand opportunities for further analysis.

- Maintain excellent relationships with our partner land holders, including creating feedback loops to Funga leadership so we may best meet their needs.

- Lead the scale up of our plantings across thousands of acres.