Job Title : DIO Forestry Graduate Scheme

Company Name: Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO)

Job Details:  DIO Forestry Graduate Scheme | Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO)
17-22 minutes
About the job
Join the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and have a future that matters: Be proud; Be challenged; Be unique.

Westdown Camp, Tilshead, Wiltshire, SP3 4RS

Job Summary

Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is the estate expert providing advice on infrastructure and estate management across the defence estate in the UK and overseas. Do you want to influence the way almost 1% of the UK land area is managed? DIO manages the largest and most diverse part of the public estate, which has been described as the most important estate for wildlife and natural capital in the country with 37% designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Managing the estate in a sustainable way enables the armed forces and Defence civilians to live, work and train. It also supports wider government objectives and the public by delivering a range of ecosystem services ranging from pollinators, carbon sequestration and nature recovery.

Through our people, experience, skills and data, we are the Defence estate experts. We are the primary provider of Defence infrastructure and estate management advice both in the UK and overseas. We support the Armed Forces to enable military capability, and by delivering infrastructure improvements and estate management in a sustainable way we seek to improve the experience for our service personnel, their families and defence civilians to live work and train across the estate.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

The MOD Estate includes MOD Barracks, Airfields, Naval Bases and a vast training estate that extends from the marine environment, through dune systems and across the UK to the mountainous forests and moorlands of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Forestry Team supporting the development and management of this multifaceted, heavily designated estate with an emphasis on tree safety management, sustainable woodland management and woodland creation.

As a Graduate Forester you will work towards gaining your Professional Membership with the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF).

DIO Technical Services

Technical Services provides in-house expertise to DIO and the wider MOD; the specialist skills available through the Technical Services team span natural capital, environmental planning, sustainable development, climate resilience, forestry, access & recreation, archaeology and historic buildings, as well as ecology.

The MOD Estate includes MOD Barracks, Airfields, Naval Bases and a vast training estate that extends from the marine environment, through dune systems and across the UK to the mountainous forests and moorlands of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Forestry Team supporting the development and management of this multifaceted, heavily designated estate with an emphasis on tree safety management, sustainable woodland management and woodland creation.

As a Graduate Forester you will work towards gaining your Professional Membership with the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF).

DIO Technical Services

Technical Services provides in-house expertise to DIO and the wider MOD; the specialist skills available through the Technical Services team span natural capital, environmental planning, sustainable development, climate resilience, forestry, access & recreation, archaeology and historic buildings, as well as ecology.

Person specification

You will work within a small team in the DIO Technical Services Environmental Management, Protection and Sustainability (EMPS) business area.

During your time as a Graduate Forester, you will:

Support Head Foresters with audit and assurance inspections, which will focus on health and safety, compliance with MOD policy and legislation forestry/arboricultural operations and industry partner contract delivery.
Adhere to health and safety protocols and guidelines while working in outdoor and woodland environments.
Contribute to the development and implementation of sustainable forestry practices and management plans.
Assist in conducting field surveys and assessments to gather data on forest ecosystems, biodiversity, and habitat conservation.
Assist in the preparation of long-term forest plans, reports, presentations, and other materials related to forestry and tree related projects.
Collaborate with MoD staff and external partners to support wider engagement and knowledge about trees, woods and forests.
Support Head Foresters with desktop and site inspections to identify possible woodland creation opportunities, collaborating closely with military representatives and the wider DIO team for each site.

Qualifications

You must have, or will achieve by September 2025, the following Qualifications/Essential Criteria:

An ICF accredited degree in one of the below subjects at 2:2 or above awarded within the last two years:

BSc (Hons) Forestry
BSc (Hons) Woodland Management with Conservation
BSc (Hons) Conservation with Forestry
BSc Forestry and Environmental Management
BSc (Hons) Arboriculture and Urban Forestry
BSc (Hons) in Forest Management
BSc (Hons) Forest Management – Forestry
BSc (Hons) Forest Management – Arboriculture and Urban Forestry
MSc Environmental and Forest Management
MSc Environmental Forestry
MSc Forestry Management
MSc Conservation and Forest Protection
MSc Arboriculture and Urban Forestry
MSc Forestry

Mandatory Licenses

A full, valid UK driver’s license.

You are encouraged to apply with your predicted grades. Evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made.

Please note, if you already have Professional Membership with ICF you are not eligible to apply for this position.

Please note, if your application does not include details of your qualification and grade obtained it will be removed from the application process and your application will be rejected.

Licences

A full, valid UK driver’s license

Qualifications

You must have, or will achieve by September 2025, the following Qualifications/Essential Criteria:

An ICF accredited degree in one of the below subjects at 2:2 or above awarded within the last two years:

BSc (Hons) Forestry

BSc (Hons) Woodland Management with Conservation

BSc (Hons) Conservation with Forestry

BSc Forestry and Environmental Management

BSc (Hons) Arboriculture and Urban Forestry

BSc (Hons) in Forest Management

BSc (Hons) Forest Management – Forestry

BSc (Hons) Forest Management – Arboriculture and Urban Forestry

MSc Environmental and Forest Management

MSc Environmental Forestry

MSc Forestry Management

MSc Conservation and Forest Protection

MSc Arboriculture and Urban Forestry

MSc Forestry

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
Developing Self and Others

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

Making Effective Decisions

Alongside your salary of £29,580, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,569 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Highly competitive Pension Scheme with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
Alternative working practices such as working from home.
Opportunity to join one of our several D&I Networks. We value diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.
25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
Enhanced Parental Leave.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected. |

Country: United Kingdom