Arcadia 20 – Crew Foreman, Natural Resource Operations Supervisor 1 (NROS1)

State of Washington•Spokane County – Spokane, WA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Natural Resources is hiring a Crew Foreman (Natural Resource Operations Supervisor 1) for the Arcadia 20 Transitional Handcrew in its Northeast Region, based in Spokane County, Washington. The represented, permanent position leads a handcrew of five permanent DNR employees and 18 transitional firefighters. The foreman represents the Department and Region in interactions with federal, local, and state agencies, coordinates regularly with regional support and business staff, and helps maintain cooperative working relationships. The crew responds to wildland fires and supports forest and community resiliency work, including fuel reduction and other assigned projects. The successful candidate works as part of the team, fostering a safe and positive environment, team cohesion, trust, and professional development while helping implement the team leader’s intent. The role includes direct fireline supervision, crew training, prescribed-fire support, forest-health work, equipment and vehicle readiness, hiring and onboarding support, and completion of required reports. Work takes place about 20% in an office and 80% in unimproved natural areas. The position involves rugged and uneven terrain, varied hot, cold, wet, smoky, and fire-affected conditions, driving in challenging weather and visibility, and travel that may include nights, overnight stays, and extended trips of multiple weeks. The employee must annually pass the NWCG arduous work capacity test.

Requirements

Qualified as NWCG Firefighter Type 1.
Qualified as Incident Commander Type 5.
Experience supervising or leading wildland firefighting personnel.
Written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to encourage team unity by sharing information and expertise, solving problems collaboratively, and prioritizing team success.
Ability to tailor communication to others’ needs and preferences.
Ability to create a positive work environment that motivates staff.
Ability to perform work safely and avoid shortcuts that increase health and safety risks.
Ability to maintain an approachable manner and treat others fairly and respectfully.
Ability to respect others’ opinions and perspectives and preserve their self-confidence and dignity.
Commitment to fostering and supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices.
Ability to perform assigned duties consistently with applicable laws and regulations, comply with public-records retention requirements, and ensure requests are followed.
Must have a current, valid driver’s license and at least two years of driving experience; the license must not be suspended, revoked, or restricted, including by an occupational or restricted license or ignition-interlock requirement.
Must annually pass the NWCG work capacity test at the arduous level.
Ability to traverse uneven terrain in all weather conditions and work in remote areas away from vehicles for long periods.
Ability to travel at night and overnight, including occasional extended travel and assignments lasting multiple weeks.
DNR Core Competencies: Personal Accountability, Value Others, Compassionate Communication, Inspire Others, and Commitment to Excellence.

Nice To Haves

NWCG Single Resource Boss – Crew Boss qualification.
Incident Commander Type 4 or higher qualification.

Responsibilities

Directly supervise three permanent Forest Crew Supervisor Squadbosses and indirectly supervise up to 18 transitional firefighters.
Provide direct fireline supervision for the crew responding to grass, brush, and forest fires, including district, regional, statewide, and interagency dispatches.
Perform interagency fire suppression duties, including initial attack, extended attack, mop-up, patrol, and rehabilitation.
On initial-attack fires, serve in Incident Commander Type 4 or 5 roles or perform other duties as needed.
Plan and implement training for Squadbosses and transitional crew members; participate in or instruct DNR Fire Academies and other trainings as requested.
Lead prescribed-fire support, including fuels and fire-effects data collection, unit preparation, burn-plan writing assistance, community outreach, and burn implementation support such as firing, holding, and burn-boss duties.
Support forest-health work, including non-commercial thinning, slash abatement, project layout, and compliance in coordination with State Lands and Landowner Assistance staff.
Support forest-health project layout, tree marking, road brushing, and GPS data collection surveys; assist with timber sales, layout, marking, forest cruising, and road maintenance.
Recommend and assist with firefighter hiring, including conducting interviews and onboarding.
Build and maintain team cohesion on a day-to-day basis.
Prepare for fire duty and maintain assigned equipment and vehicles for fire readiness.
Ensure required reports are completed and submitted by required dates.
Coordinate and interact with federal, local, and state agency partners, regional support and business staff, and other partners and cooperators.
Travel between fires, work centers, proposed work sites, and partner meetings, including extended assignments outside the home unit and potentially in other regions or states.