Prescribed Fire Unit Manager-Natural Resource Specialist 5-(In-Training)

ONE (1) OPENING  FULL-TIME/PERMANENT  PRESCRIBED FIRE UNIT MANAGER NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST 5 (IN-TRAINING OPTION) 

Prescribed Fire Program Eastern Washington 

One (1) Position – Yakima, Washington – Yakima County

This recruitment has been re-opened and will be posted until filled. If you applied previously your application is still under consideration and you do not need to re-apply. Application review is ongoing, submit your application materials as soon as possible. This continuous recruitment may be closed at any time.  

We are recruiting to hire at the Natural Resource Specialist 4 or 5 level and we will train a Natural Resource Specialist 4 level hire up to the Natural Resource Specialist 5 level.

Depending on which level you are hired at, your monthly salary will be as follows:

Natural Resource Specialist 4: 5,241 - 7,043 Natural Resource Specialist 5: 5,643 - 7,589

Take on a pivotal role in shaping and executing the Eastern Washington Fire Program Unit, where you will oversee program goals, resource allocation, and staff supervision. 

Picture yourself collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, such as federal, state, local, and tribal partners, to develop and implement prescribed fire plans and burn projects that enhance ecosystems on WDFW wildlife lands. 

As a subject matter expert, 

Provide technical expertise and consultation services to department land managers regarding the use of prescribed fire to protect and manage forests and other habitats.

This is an opportunity,

To collaborate with federal, state, local, tribal partners, forest collaboratives, and external stakeholders in coordinating prescribed fire treatments across all-land ownerships to address forest health and resilience needs.

With your experience, 

Develop fuels inventory and assessment using knowledge of various fuel types, fuel inventory methodology and protocol.  

We are seeking a candidate, 

Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties

Some of what our Prescribed Fire Manager will enjoy doing, 

Prescribed burn planning with focused responsibility in south central/southeast Washington or north central/northeast providing expert technical assistance to land management staff and others: 

• Provide technical expertise and consultation services to department land managers regarding the use of prescribed fire to protect and manage forests and other habitats and enhance ecosystem health on WDFW lands.        
• Assist the forestry program with land management practices involving prescribed fire and management options to protect lands from wildfires.
• Under general direction and in collaboration with agency foresters, wildlife biologists, and WLA Managers, independently plan and lead prescribed fire management projects on WDFW lands to restore and maintain forests and other habitats.  
• Prepare burn plan objectives, standards, and timelines over multiple WDFW regions and geographical areas. 

Lead Prescribed Burn Implementation with focused responsibility in south central/southeast or north central/northeast Washington: 

• Implement and supervise burns meeting or exceeding National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards at a minimum of RXB3 (Prescribed Burn Boss 3) and FIRB (Firing Boss).

Supervise the south or north central team leader while providing professional level fire leadership for other staff as needed:

• Provide leadership and guidance to the Natural Resource Specialist 3 (NRS3) Team Leader and indirect reports, by setting standards for work plans, maintenance, training, safety, hiring, budget tracking, and burn unit preparation.

Perform administrative duties: 

• Develop and maintain records of Rx burns, personnel records, costs tracking for Rx burns and other program needs.   
• Develop equipment acquisition needs and repairs for the unit. Maintain budget tracking logs and works with Finance for assistance. 

Perform other duties as assigned: 

• Under the supervision and guidance of the Rx Fire Operations, and in collaboration with agency foresters, wildlife biologists, and WLA Managers, help develop and implement fire effects monitoring and inventory needs of the agency.
• Assist with developing working relationships and agreements with other fire management organizations, private contractors, and local fire districts.
• During non-fire periods, coordinate with agency foresters, wildlife biologists, and WLA Managers to conduct miscellaneous duties such as forest thinning, fence repair or construction, weed abatement, and hazard tree removal.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

This in-training series provides mentoring and career development opportunities for candidates with limited experience.  

To qualify at the Natural Resource Specialist 4 level: 

• An Associates OR Bachelor’s degree involving major study in forestry, agriculture, geology, fire management or a related natural science field.

AND 

• Three (3) years of professional experience in forest management, fire management, or other natural resource specialties at a supervisory level.

Please Note:

• Closely related qualifying professional experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis, totaling 5-7 years. 
• Experience as a Natural Resource Specialist 2 or agency equivalency may be substituted for the required education and/or experience. 

Special Requirements: 

• At minimum, a trainee in two (2) of the three (3) following positions as defined by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group:
  1. Prescribed Burn Boss 3 trainee (RXB3(t)).
  2. Firing Boss trainee (FIRB(t)).
  3. Incident Commander 4 trainee (IC4(t)). 
  4. Please note: the selected candidate must be able to have the third position initiated within the first six (6) months of hire (provided by WDFW). 
• Must pass the Arduous work capacity test (Will be administered by WDFW). 

To qualify at the Natural Resource Specialist 5 level: 

• A Bachelor’s degree involving major study in forestry, agriculture, geology, fire management or a related natural science field.

AND

• Five (5) years of professional experience in forest management, fire management, or other natural resource specialties at a supervisory level.

Please Note: Closely related qualifying professional experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis, totaling to 9 years. 

Special Requirements:

• Certified and current under National Wildfire Coordinating Group specifications and standards as a Prescribed Burn Boss 3 (RXB3), Firing Boss (FIRB), Incident Commander 4 (IC4), with all supporting position qualifications and certificates for implementing prescribed burns.   
• Must pass the Arduous work capacity test. (Will be administered by WDFW).

Additionally, the Natural Resource Specialist 4 or Natural Resource Specialist 5 will have the following: 

Familiarity/Experience with: 

• Fire ecology, including fire behavior, fire effects and by-products and their ecosystem actions, fire weather, fuel types, fuel condition, fuels assessment, smoke management and National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standards.

Working Knowledge: 

• Washington State burn regulations.
• Smoke management rules and smoke management plans at the State and Federal level. 
• Management and supervision of fire line hand crews and/or prescribed fire hand crews.  

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Effectively work with multiple individuals from multiple organizations towards a common goal. 
• Effective communicator both orally and in writing. 
• Write clear and concise reports. 
• Develop and present information so that individuals and/or audiences who are not familiar with fire ecology, fire management and/or prescribed burning clearly understand content. 
• Use of fire management tools and fuel inventory tools.
• Equipment operation (ATV, UTV, 4-wheel drive vehicles, brush fire engine, water pumps).
• Use of water handling equipment.

Certifications/Licenses: 

• Valid Driver’s License.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resource Science AND a minimum of three (3) years prescribed burning experience qualified at the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NCWG) standard of RXB2 with all supporting position qualifications for conducting prescribed burns.

OR 

• Associate degree in Natural Resource Sciences/Management AND three (3) years of experience at the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) standard of RXB2, with all supporting position qualifications for conducting prescribed burns.

                           AND

• Certificate or record of successful completion of S-390 training.
• Experience collaborating with other organizations such as Private, Local, State, Federal and/or Tribal, to coordinate efforts to restore fire to fire dependent wildlife habitats.
• Experience planning, coordinating, and implementing multi-organization fire projects to provide cross-training contemporaneously with fire restoration to fire dependent wildlife habitat.
• Training in ecological monitoring of fire, fire effects and fire by-products.
• Familiar with and/or training in fuels and fire management software.
• Familiar with and experience in fire weather.

Supplemental Information

Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.

Experience and education selected, listed, and detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable in the application.

In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.gov and attach the following to your profile before completing the online application:

• A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
• A current resume. 
• Three professional references. 
• Copy of Fire Master Record.