North Unit - Assistant Fire Management Officer (AFMO), Wildland Fire Management Specialist (WFMSpec)

State of Washington•Pacific County – Other, WA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The North Unit of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking an Assistant Fire Management Officer (Wildland Fire Management Specialist) within the Pacific Cascade Region. During fire season, this position will be based out of the Menlo work center. The North Unit is responsible for wildfire suppression, prevention, and regulation in three counties (Lewis, Pacific, and Grays Harbor). This position plays a leadership role in fire suppression activities and will be supervising up to 13 employees during fire season. The North Unit operates across a diverse landscape that includes heavily forested timberlands, agricultural areas, coastal environments, and expanding wildland-urban interface. Under the direction of the Fire Management Officer, the Assistant Fire Management Officer has great influence on the quality, image, and message delivered to the public of Washington State. This position works closely with DNR staff, other agencies, as well as the public. Interagency cooperation occurs on the majority of wildland fires and in most fire training courses. Interagency cooperation includes working with local fire districts, state and federal partners, and is a key function of the position.

Requirements

Any Single Resource Boss qualification.
Certified NWCG Incident Commander Type 5 or higher.
Supervisory experience, which may include fire line supervision.
Experience assisting higher-level fire program managers in developing and implementing operational plans.
Experience in interpreting agreements and contracts.
Experience in computer applications such as Microsoft Office Suite, Word, and PowerPoint.
A current, valid driver’s license and two years of driving experience.
DNR requires state drivers to possess a license that is not suspended, revoked or restricted (for example, Occupational/Restricted Driver Licenses or requiring ignition interlock devices).
This position requires driving as an essential function.
Finalists and/or interview candidates will be asked to provide a driving record from all states in which they have held a license during the past three years.
Must pass work capacity test annually at the arduous level required by NWCG.

Nice To Haves

Qualified as NWCG Strike Team Leader; OR has any two Single Resource Boss qualifications; OR two years' experience as a Single Resource Boss.
Incident Commander Type 4.
Associate degree or higher in Fire Science, Natural Resource Management, or a closely related field.
Commitment to continual learning and adaptation to technology advances.
Skills in evaluating others' abilities and assessing training needs.
Facilitative skills to work with groups of people to solve issues.
Ability to empower employees to create an effective workforce.
Ability to increase effectiveness by focusing on situational awareness, communication skills, teamwork, task allocation, and decision-making within a framework of standard operating procedures.

Responsibilities

Plans and implements wildland fire training for seasonal crews and interagency cooperators.
Supervises 3 seasonal engine crews and 1 engine supervisor or heavy equipment operator.
Assists with developing the Unit’s annual preparedness review.
Plans and prepares drills and training exercises on a regular basis for seasonal staff.
Ensures safe working practices are followed.
Tracks crew training and ensures position task books are completed accurately.
Assists in developing an operations plan for the fire unit based on fire suppression and preparedness program deliverables.
Recommends seasonal fire staffing levels, analyzes training needs required to meet Incident Command System and appropriate NWCG position qualification and readiness levels.
Develops and implements annual project work plans for staff.
Coordinates work plan activities with other program managers and specialists.
Suppression duties in the local unit can vary from acting as initial attack Incident Commander (IC), generating transition plans to incoming IC’s or teams, attending Agency Representative meetings, or drafting and inspecting turnback standards.
Establishes Unified Command and works cooperatively with other fire protection authorities when working on joint jurisdiction fires.
Works closely with other agencies and/or management teams in coordinating fire suppression activities in and adjacent to the district.
Reviews and authors initial incident reports, fire situation narratives, investigation, and accomplishment reports.
Often required to work long, irregular hours on workdays, weekends, day or night.
These duties may involve fieldwork requiring physical performance calling for above-average endurance and superior conditioning.
Participate in statewide fire suppression activities.
Assist with providing supervision and oversight for staff in fire suppression at the unit level.

Benefits

Commitment to organizational health and wellness
Work/life balance
DNR Employee Resource Groups (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, Women’s Employee Resource Group, Veterans Employee Resource Group, etc.)
Statewide Employee Business Resource Groups
Leadership that empowers and supports employees
Professional development opportunities
Educational and career development aid
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
Opportunities to participate in wildland fire suppression assignments
A comprehensive benefits package includes employer contributions toward health insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, sick leave, and vacation days.