Program Specialist 2 - Fire Investigation and Cost Recovery (FICR) Program Manager

State of Montana•Missoula, MT

About The Position

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's mission is to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations. The DNRC believes employees are their most important asset. The DNRC empowers employees to exercise professional judgment in carrying out their duties. Employees are provided with the training and tools necessary to achieve the mission. Both team effort and individual employee expertise are supported and sustained. Core Values: The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Forestry and Trust Land Division recognizes that building a collaborative, professional, and inclusive work environment is critical to fulfilling our mission of managing, protecting, and promoting stewardship of Montana’s forests and lands for the benefit of current and future generations and our trust beneficiaries. We hold ourselves to these high standards as we are accountable to the people of Montana. We value and respect each other. We create collaborative work environments. We build and maintain strong relationships. We practice accountability. We celebrate our successes and take pride in our work Due to the specialized nature of this position, interested candidates are encouraged to contact DNRC Human Resources to request the official State of Montana job description Build and maintain the capacity of the DNRC Fire Investigation and Cost Recovery Program and cooperating partners by leading, managing, and supporting a multi‑faceted program focused on wildland fire origin and cause determination and cost recovery. Provide leadership and support to DNRC Land Office and Unit personnel, as well as interagency partners, to ensure consistent, legally defensible, and efficient investigation practices that advance the objectives of the Fire Protection Program, the Fire Investigation and Cost Recovery strategy, and broader Forestry and Trust Lands Division initiatives. Develops, implements, and maintains DNRC fire investigation and cost recovery policies, procedures, and guidance consistent with NWCG PMS 412 and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Maintains the DNRC Fire Investigations Manual (500 Series), including the Fire Investigation Matrix and levels of investigative response, aligned with NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion. Designs and builds the Fire Investigation and Cost Recovery Program framework, including statewide roles, responsibilities, processes, and decision‑support tools that guide when and how wildland fire investigations and cost recovery actions are initiated and escalated. Identifies, recommends, and implements improvements to investigation and cost recovery processes, standards, forms, and support services to increase consistency, defensibility, and efficiency. Serves as a program liaison with the Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, State Fire Marshal’s Office, county attorneys, local law enforcement agencies, and federal partners to align wildland fire investigative practices, roles, and expectations. Serves as the primary DNRC point of contact with local or federal wildland fire agencies for requesting, receiving, and coordinating fire investigation reports and related information on incidents of mutual interest. Build and maintain DNRC's capacity to conduct high‑quality wildland fire origin and cause investigations by serving as a lead investigator and technical resource to Land Offices, Units, and cooperators. Conduct and oversee complex investigations, mentor and support investigators and first responders, and help ensure that investigative work products, evidence handling, documentation, and coordination with cost recovery and legal staff are consistent, defensible, and aligned with the overall objectives of the Fire Investigation and Cost Recovery Program and the DNRC Fire Protection mission. As a wildland fire investigator, leads and/or participates in wildland fire investigation teams on significant, complex, or high‑profile incidents, providing technical expertise in fire behavior, fire patterns, and origin and cause methodology Develops complete, well organized case files for significant wildland fire investigations, including origin and cause reports, photographs, maps, witness statements, evidence logs, and cost documentation. Ensures all documentation is clear, internally consistent, and meets evidentiary and confidentiality standards so it is ready for use in administrative, civil, or criminal processes. Provides non‑sworn subject matter expertise to support internal and external wildland fire investigations, maintains ongoing communication, and responds to follow‑up requests for clarification or supplemental documentation to ensure DNRC investigative actions support investigative and prosecutorial efforts. May provide fact or expert testimony in administrative or civil proceedings as requested. Provides technical guidance to initial attack resources, firewardens, and local DNRC staff on origin protection, scene preservation, and initial documentation responsibilities to support later investigations and potential cost recovery. Develops and maintains DNRC practices for evaluating and pursuing cost recovery and damages in alignment with MCA 50 63 103 and 50 63 104. Integrate fire investigation findings with DNRC's cost recovery and legal processes to support fiscally responsible recovery of suppression costs associated with human‑caused fires. Work closely with DNRC legal staff and local prosecutors to identify and develop cases appropriate for billing or civil action.

Requirements

Requires a combination of education and/or experience equivalent to a bachelor's degree in natural resources, fire science, law enforcement, criminal justice, emergency management, or a related field, and at least four years of progressively responsible experience in wildland fire management, fire investigation, or closely related work.
Experience should include conducting or supporting fire origin and cause investigations and working within an interagency fire management environment.
Demonstrated experience building or leading programs, projects, or initiatives involving multiple units or agencies, such as development of standard operating procedures, training programs, or technical guidance.
The position requires thorough knowledge of wildland fire behavior and suppression operations, including how weather, fuels, and topography influence fire spread and fire patterns.
It also requires knowledge of wildland fire origin and cause determination principles and methods, such as the scientific method, fire pattern recognition, ignition area analysis, and cause classification, as well as knowledge of DNRC’s fire protection mission, state fire statutes, and basic civil liability concepts related to negligence and cost recovery in the wildland fire context.
The incumbent must understand evidence handling and documentation fundamentals (e.g., chain of custody, scene security, field notes, diagrams, and photographic documentation) sufficient to support administrative and civil proceedings and be familiar with interagency fire management structures and roles, including the functions of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, local fire departments, county law enforcement, and federal cooperators.
The position requires skill in leading and managing a technical program, including planning, prioritizing, and implementing new processes, guidance, and tools across multiple field offices and partner agencies.
The incumbent must be skilled in conducting or overseeing complex wildland fire origin and cause investigations
This position requires a background check as a condition of employment. The successful candidate must pass a criminal history background check, which may include fingerprinting, to ensure suitability for work involving sensitive investigative information, coordination with law enforcement, and potential court testimony.
A valid driver's license is required, and the incumbent must maintain an acceptable driving record for operation of state vehicles.
Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.
A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months.
In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver’s license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a "green card"

Nice To Haves

Experience working with attorneys, law enforcement, or regulatory staff on cases, claims, or enforcement actions is desirable.

Responsibilities

Develops, implements, and maintains DNRC fire investigation and cost recovery policies, procedures, and guidance consistent with NWCG PMS 412 and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
Maintains the DNRC Fire Investigations Manual (500 Series), including the Fire Investigation Matrix and levels of investigative response, aligned with NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion.
Designs and builds the Fire Investigation and Cost Recovery Program framework, including statewide roles, responsibilities, processes, and decision‑support tools that guide when and how wildland fire investigations and cost recovery actions are initiated and escalated.
Identifies, recommends, and implements improvements to investigation and cost recovery processes, standards, forms, and support services to increase consistency, defensibility, and efficiency.
Serves as a program liaison with the Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, State Fire Marshal’s Office, county attorneys, local law enforcement agencies, and federal partners to align wildland fire investigative practices, roles, and expectations.
Serves as the primary DNRC point of contact with local or federal wildland fire agencies for requesting, receiving, and coordinating fire investigation reports and related information on incidents of mutual interest.
Build and maintain DNRC's capacity to conduct high‑quality wildland fire origin and cause investigations by serving as a lead investigator and technical resource to Land Offices, Units, and cooperators.
Conduct and oversee complex investigations, mentor and support investigators and first responders, and help ensure that investigative work products, evidence handling, documentation, and coordination with cost recovery and legal staff are consistent, defensible, and aligned with the overall objectives of the Fire Investigation and Cost Recovery Program and the DNRC Fire Protection mission.
As a wildland fire investigator, leads and/or participates in wildland fire investigation teams on significant, complex, or high‑profile incidents, providing technical expertise in fire behavior, fire patterns, and origin and cause methodology
Develops complete, well organized case files for significant wildland fire investigations, including origin and cause reports, photographs, maps, witness statements, evidence logs, and cost documentation.
Ensures all documentation is clear, internally consistent, and meets evidentiary and confidentiality standards so it is ready for use in administrative, civil, or criminal processes.
Provides non‑sworn subject matter expertise to support internal and external wildland fire investigations, maintains ongoing communication, and responds to follow‑up requests for clarification or supplemental documentation to ensure DNRC investigative actions support investigative and prosecutorial efforts.
May provide fact or expert testimony in administrative or civil proceedings as requested.
Provides technical guidance to initial attack resources, firewardens, and local DNRC staff on origin protection, scene preservation, and initial documentation responsibilities to support later investigations and potential cost recovery.
Develops and maintains DNRC practices for evaluating and pursuing cost recovery and damages in alignment with MCA 50 63 103 and 50 63 104.
Integrate fire investigation findings with DNRC's cost recovery and legal processes to support fiscally responsible recovery of suppression costs associated with human‑caused fires.
Work closely with DNRC legal staff and local prosecutors to identify and develop cases appropriate for billing or civil action.

Benefits

Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays
Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage
Retirement Plans
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) – Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF.

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