Anyone fancy a job creating MTB trails for the FC?

Was just perusing the Forestry Commision's website for a possible, but presently non-existent ecology job, when I came across this:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-7xble3

It requires a civil engineering qualification, so not exactly suitable for my tree-hugging self, but it's gota be good for someone out there in the STW massive..? 🙂

I wish…

Oh if only I hadn't dropped out of that civil engineering course to be in a band..!

I went for a similar position 3 or 4 years ago; kind of a*sed the interview though, they'd said specific training would be given, but many of the questions centred around what you already knew about trail-building – for me at that time, zero. I've heard conflicting opinions on FC as an employer too….

Still, if I weren't reasonably happy in current position, I'd be on this like the proverbial.

hmmmmmmmmmm. i'm a skilled wooden trail builder

damn I'd have hit that like a ginger step child if I'd had the qualifications!

Jedi – you ought to send 'em that clip; they could double their money in spectator fees alone!

lol @ MrNutt

I have a degree in civil engineering, but dont want to move to Englandshire

I contacted them as it's on my doorstep.

However i'm a thick shit without the qualifications or experience etc.

I couldn't stomache the pay cut and it'd mean moving from God's-own-country to some hippy backwater 😉

Good luck to whoever gets it though, sounds like it could be fun.

"Jedi – you ought to send 'em that clip; they could double their money in spectator fees alone! "

Christ don't they'd Sh*t the bed!!

Good luck to them finding a half decent Civil engineer for 25K

I’m not a Civil engineer but in my job I work with a fair few and we do a fair amount of pouring concrete over Re-bar and, I guess you could say my remit crosses over a bit, the main thing is though I’m not sure trail building really counts as “Civil engineering”…
Most Civil engineers I’ve met get in to it because they like building… well buildings, not bit’s of trail with the odd minor wooden structure.

Reading through that JD it sounds more like they just want a project manager, although I’d have thought someone with a bit of conservation experience would be handy too, most of our Civil engineers would just tell you to build Shore out of mild steel sections and have done with it, none of this mud/rocks/planks nonsense…

Where exactly si this role based in the SW I can't see it explicitly stated?

I am very tempted, no civil background, but been pming for a good few years now. Not sure I could live off £25k a year though. Plus it's a 3 year fixed term by the sounds of it, not a perm job.

It's in the job spec DT78. (I wouldn't employ you, you're blind 🙂 )

Peninsula is headed by Chris Marrow and covers Cornwall, Devon and West Somerset. Peninsula includes Haldon Forest Park, a recently developed recreation site where cycling has been an extremely popular activity.
The south west is the most visited region in England but at present off-road cycling is not a major ‘attractor’. Forestry Commission is working through the 1SW Project (www.1sw.org.uk) to achieve more value to society from forestry in the south west through the co-ordinated development of off-road cycling across the region.
The post holder will be based in Peninsula, but will work across the whole region including New Forest and Forest of Dean forest districts.

and LOCATION
You will be based at Bullers Hill, Kennford, Exeter, EX6 7XR.

Nice part of the country 🙂

Slightly harsh, if you wanted a proof reader fair enough – I had scan read the first para which stated 3 counties and working from NF to FOD seemed quite broad. But you are right – location is on page5 of the jobd.

Lived in Topsham as a teenager, I do like it down there. hmmmmm

I've got similar concerns to Cookeaa – the classic risk where the Forestry Commission get in a "civil engineer" who thinks in classic CE fashion, and draws from a toolbox of CE "solutions" that miss the whole point about sustainable trail-building – so we'll see things built in the same way as a forest road, with drainage ditches being dug everywhere and lots of hardcore being laid in to make a hardwearing surface with minimal maintenance, but which makes a dull, dull trail thats unsustainable

Slightly harsh

Only slightly

I've met quite a few of the Haldon FC bunch, they're a decent lot, just need help trailbuilding..

I've got similar concerns to Cookeaa – the classic risk where the Forestry Commission get in a "civil engineer" who thinks in classic CE fashion, and draws from a toolbox of CE "solutions" that miss the whole point about sustainable trail-building – so we'll see things built in the same way as a forest road, with drainage ditches being dug everywhere and lots of hardcore being laid in to make a hardwearing surface with minimal maintenance, but which makes a dull, dull trail thats unsustainable

Whilst it is most unlike me to stick up for FE I would have to point out the FE Civil Engineer behind / part of the team responsible for the trails at Dalby with SingletrAction was Martin O'Vaster. And given the vast majority of these trails are built using soil inversion techniques (fancy name for digging up the local sand ;-)) then I would suggest your fears are less likely to be realised.

Admittedly Martin does not always get things right e.g. the stainburn car park with a continuous bund around the the lowest sides = swimming pool :rollseyes: Final payment to contractors without snagging inspections and some peculiar line / feature choices 😉

I understand though that he's just about the only Engineer working on trails through most of England. I think FE have been pretty short staffed in that department.

However, reading the blurb I think the Engineering element is secondary. Like someone else said, it's more about project management, volunteer liaison etc. Fingers crossed they get someone decent with a passion and insight into biking and trails, not some one size fits nothing very well ranger 🙁

…. and breathe … 😉

Yeah, Martins a great guy, no doubt he "gets it" and I know he's a keen rider himself – Having met a few other FC civil engineers over the years, my fear is that he may be the exception rather than the norm…

would have though they would have put 'interest in cycling desirable' as part of the spec..

I was exaggerating slightly Civil engineers aren’t knuckle draggers who throw steel and concrete at every problem, plus for this particular job I don’t think the FC would employ anyone who doesn’t know at least something about MTBs and MTB trail design.

I just thought the role sounded less like that of a Civil Engineer and more like a Project Manager the FC are not an engineering organisation as such their a government land management outfit, they don’t design or build these trails they appoint contractors…

They do only ask for HNC or equivalent, so they’re not after a chartered engineer, but probably someone with enough of a background in construction and/or engineering to appreciate material and labour costs, manage a budget, fudge a Gantt chart, and shout at contractors….. So a PM who likes riding bikes, and isn’t too fussed about earning a fortune…

speshpaul, i did send it 🙂 🙂

Mmmmm!!
20 years experience in Civil Engineering, likely to be made redundent on Wednesday 11th November, HND in Civils, mad keen on biking.
But live in North Yorkshire 🙁

Tempted to print that out and leave it on my desk at work. Pretty sure the boss would notice at some point. Would it stop her being such a dragon though if she thought I was leaving?

dickie – Member
Mmmmm!!
20 years experience in Civil Engineering, likely to be made redundent on Wednesday 11th November, HND in Civils, mad keen on biking.
But live in North Yorkshire

Worth a Punt I reckon…
The last site job I worked on the PM was commuting 3 out of 5 days a week from just North of Manchester down to Oxfordshire, Monday and Friday he “Worked from Home”.
However he was a contractor and was probably being paid more than double the FC’s proposed salary, plus travel time, accommodation and costs on top.

There’s no reason you would have to be in the SW all the time to oversee these projects, I mean I doubt anyone can micro manage 10 projects to that degree, in some ways a ~50% home worker might make sense, if I actually believed in the concept…

Thinking about it, I could be tempted, if it meant I could “Work From Home”…

dickie – Member

Mmmmm!!
20 years experience in Civil Engineering, likely to be made redundent on Wednesday 11th November, HND in Civils, mad keen on biking.
But live in North Yorkshire

Give it a punt. Part of civil service so may be some way to compensate you if you are the "man for the job"
Nothing ventured nothing gained.

When the 7Stanes started I was tempted but redundancy did not come my way and could not afford to 1/2 my income taking what was to be a 2yr fixed term position. 10yrs on and AndyH is now full time FE.
Easy to get excited by this job thinking you will be out and about getting you re hands dirty but most of the time will be spent doing the mundane but necessary paper work including the now obligatory CDM regs and risk assessments. AndyH is currently pouring over all the Mabie upgrades and maintenance scheds.

From a cursory glance of the job spec, I would think they would be better off looking for an engineering geologist with experience of earthworks, slope stability / erosion etc.

If I was one of the Haldon Freeride guys I'd take exception to the use of free labour comment. This seems a bit out of order given that these guys give up their spare time as volunteers. Plus any candidate for the job should be able to come up with this option in discussion rather than it being spelled out.

From my experience buidlng trails with the FC on a voluntary basis and using contractors this candidate would need to be locally based, one of this issues I've encountered is the lack of official representation on the ground to actually manage the works.

I'd have a go at it if I was able to be more flexible with where I live now :o(

If it wasnt the SW I'd give it a punt.

Free labour comment is a bit of a gaff – flies in the face every bit of good practice guidance for working with volunteers. Who ever wrote it needs to get their head round voluntary ethos professional attitude and that volunteering needs to be mutually benificial.

Piss off you lot, thats mine 😉

im in exeter, bored with my job, with experience in civils to some degree and experience in project management……

Isn't there already a co-ordinator for the 1SW project anyway. Is this just usual public sector job protocol for this post being extended or is it reporting to them?

IMO The jobd reads (and the salary implies) they aren't looking for a pm more of a lower level role and that a pm is already assigned to the project. You could be right in that it's just his job being advertised as it's 3 yr fixed term is up.

I'd be really interested if I thought I could support my family on £25k

From the 1sw website –
"Project Manager Paul Hawkins is funded by Sport England and hosted by Forestry Commission. Paul is based with Forestry Commission at Peninsula, Exeter and also has a base in Devon County Hall with the Cycle Exeter team. Before starting this role Paul has been involved in delivering outdoor activities, managing outdoor recreation and working in agriculture."