Wildfire Training Specialist

Government of Alberta•Hinton, AB

7d•CA$74,359 - CA$95,665•Onsite

About The Position

As the Ministry of Forestry and Parks, we are responsible for fostering Alberta’s environmentally responsible forest management practices, including management of wildfires. We preserve our provincial parks for the recreation and enjoyment of Albertans. As well as enabling access to public lands for recreational and commercial purposes while prioritizing conservation. Forestry and Parks also manage public lands and balances sustainable rangelands and grazing leases for Alberta producers. The Forestry Division, within the Ministry of Forestry and Parks, works to enhance the economic, environmental, and social contributions of our forests and forested lands to Albertans. For more information about the Ministry of Forestry and Parks please visit our website at: https://www.alberta.ca/forestry-and-parks. Are you passionate about wildfire management and dedicated to developing the next generation of wildfire professionals? Join Alberta's Wildfire Management Branch as a Wildfire Training Specialist, where your expertise in both wildfire operations and adult education will directly influence the knowledge, skills, safety, and readiness of wildfire personnel across the province. This is a unique opportunity to combine operational experience with instructional leadership while contributing to the protection of communities, natural resources, and lives during Alberta's most critical wildfire events. Reporting to a Senior Wildfire Specialist, the Wildfire Training Specialist is responsible for designing, developing, delivering, and continuously improving wildfire training programs that support operational readiness, staff competency, and succession planning across the Wildfire Management Branch. This role serves as a subject matter expert in adult learning and wildfire management, providing leadership in training development, stakeholder engagement, program evaluation, and wildfire operations support. The successful candidate will work with Government of Alberta employees, Indigenous communities, contractors, national partners, and other stakeholders to develop innovative and inclusive training solutions that meet evolving operational needs and legislative requirements. During periods of heightened wildfire activity, this role may also support incident response operations and participate on Incident Management Teams.

Requirements

A related two-year diploma in Forestry, Environmental Studies, or a closely related field, combined with four (4) years of related experience.
Equivalencies: Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of: one year of experience for one year of education or one year of education for one year of experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with Indigenous communities and incorporating Indigenous perspectives into training programs.
Experience developing simulation-based, online, or blended learning solutions.
Experience administering contracts, licensing agreements, or external training service providers.
Knowledge of provincial and national wildfire training standards and initiatives.
Experience participating in national or international wildfire training, emergency management, or interagency programs.
Experience contributing to policy development, standard operating procedures, or organizational improvement initiatives.
Advanced certifications in wildfire operations, incident management, instructional design, adult education, or leadership development.

Responsibilities

Designing, developing, and delivering operational and position-specific wildfire training programs using classroom, field, simulation, online, and blended learning approaches.
Evaluating, updating, and modernizing training curriculum, delivery methods, and learning technologies to ensure continuous improvement.
Applying adult learning principles and instructional design methodologies to create effective learning outcomes, exercises, assessments, and evaluations.
Building and maintaining collaborative relationships with stakeholders, subject matter experts, Indigenous communities, partner agencies, and operational staff.
Identifying training gaps, researching solutions, and implementing training initiatives that support operational readiness and succession planning.
Coordinating onsite training activities, facilities, instructors, equipment, and logistics to ensure successful program delivery.
Supporting culturally appropriate training delivery that incorporates Indigenous perspectives and promotes inclusion.
Monitoring emerging trends, legislation, policies, technologies, and best practices in wildfire management and adult education.
Administering contracts, licensing agreements, memorandums of understanding, and external training service agreements.
Developing business cases, scopes of work, budgets, audit criteria, and evaluation standards for training services.
Designing and facilitating "Train the Trainer" programs to ensure consistent and effective training delivery.
Mediating conflicts and providing guidance to students, instructors, and supervisors during training activities.
Assessing learner performance and developing customized learning plans to support student success.
Participating in national and international wildfire training initiatives, task teams, and collaborative projects.
Supporting wildfire operations by participating in Incident Management Teams and maintaining operational qualifications.
Mentoring and coaching wildfire personnel in a variety of operational and leadership roles.
Contributing subject matter expertise to provincial initiatives, policy reviews, standard operating procedures, and wildfire management program development.
Promoting a respectful, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplace culture that values diversity and accountability.