Area Assistant Fire Management Officer

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

Work Unit Overview\:The mission of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC or Department) is to ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for presentandfuturegenerations.LandOfficesareresponsibleforintegratingandimplementingprograms forboththeForestryandTrustLandManagementDivisions.TheForestryDivisionplansandimplements forestry and fire management programs through an extensive network of staff in field offices across the state. Division functions include\: fire & aviation management, forestry assistance, business management, and policy, planning and outreach. The Trust Land Management Division administers and manages the state trust timber, surface, and mineral resources for the benefit of the common schools and the other endowed institutions in Montana. Division functions include\: Agriculture and Grazing Management, Forest Management, Minerals Management, and Real Estate Management.

Job Overview\:This position is the Area Assistant Fire Management Officer for the Northwestern Land Office.The position works under the direction of the Area Forestry Program Manager to administer the Fire Program within the assigned Northwestern Land Office jurisdictional areas to protect lives, property and natural resources on state and private lands by providing resources, leadership and coordination to ensure safe and responsivefiresuppression.Thisincludesimplementingthefireprogramandcoordinatingresourcesby creating successful working relationships with other wild land fire suppression organizations and by providingor arranging forpersonnel,resources,leadership and inter-agency coordination.The position directly supervises (1) staff position.

EssentialFunctions(MajorDutiesorResponsibilities)\:Thesejobfunctionsaretheessentialduties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent.

Fire Management /Administration
Manages and administers the Fire Program within the assigned Northwestern Land Office jurisdictional areas to protect lives, property and natural resources on state and private lands by providing resources, leadership and coordination to ensure safe and responsive fire suppression.

Fire program Implementation and Resource Coordination
Performfiremanagementsuppressionandpre-suppressiondutiesbasedonagencyneedsandindividual qualificationsand certifications on national, regional, or local interagency incident management overhead teams.This includes providing backup for the supervisor as duty officer.

Fire Suppression
Performfiremanagementsuppressionandpre-suppressiondutiesbasedonagencyneedsandindividual qualifications and certifications on national, regional, or local interagency incident management overhead teams.This includes providing backup for the supervisor as duty officer.

Supervision
SuperviseAreafirestaffincludingpermanentFTE,seasonal,temporaries,andcontractorstoensurethe Area has adequate trained personnel to meet fire prevention and suppression program requirements.

*If you are interested in this position and want to apply, please reach out for a full job description. Contact HR at [email protected] 

Application Materials Required For This Position Are\: 

• Online State of Montana Application 

• Resume

• Cover Letter

• References 

HELPFUL HINT\: You must check the “relevant document” box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.

Benefits 

• Work/life balance. 

• Generous paid leave (vacation, sick, holidays), with vacation leave increasing with service.

• Longevity pay with continued state service.

• Health, dental, vision, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts.

• Access to free employee medical clinics and telehealth.

• Retirement plans (Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution plus an optional 457(b) Plan).

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness - may qualify you for student loan forgiveness.

• Career progression, professional development, and state employee discounts.

• Up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.

MinimumQualifications(EducationandExperience)\:

Requires education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in forestry, fire management/suppression, public administration or a related field and three (3) years experience or a HighSchooldiplomaandsix(6)yearsexperienceincludingIncidentCommandSystem(ICS)trainingand related fire program management experience, and supervisory experience.

AbilitytoattaincertificationasanIncidentCommanderType3orType 3 Section Chief (command and general direct) upon hire.

 

Requiredknowledge,skills,andabilities\:

Requires advanced knowledge of the principles and practices of Wildland Firefighting; emergency management; natural resources; program administration; adult education and training; and fire managementincludingsuppression,protection,planning,andprevention.Requiresknowledgeofstate and Federalfire protection and natural resources laws including the Departments legal responsibilities to personnel, cooperative personnel, and volunteers; wildfire and structural fire protection techniques relating to WUI; volunteer group organization and management; local government organization, jurisdiction and authorities; equipment management and maintenance; fire budgeting, billing andauditing methods and procedures; communication systems; safety management methods and procedures; public administration; research methods and techniques; and program goals, objectives, and requirements. Supervisory responsibilities require knowledge of Department and State personnel proceduresandpolicies,organizationaltheory,employmentlaw,andpersonnelmanagementpractices.

This position requires skill in developing strategy and directing programs with diverse personnel and needs which can at times can be crisis driven; analyzing, interpreting, and communicating a variety of detailed and complex information to a wide variety of audiences including financial data and fire behavior/suppressionprinciples;andtranslatingtechnicalinformationtoabroad-rangingprofessional andvocationalaudience.Strongwrittenandverbalcommunicationskillsincludinginterpersonalskills, negotiation, tact, and diplomacy are also vital.

This position requires the ability to synthesize Department’s mission, laws, philosophy, and changes in technologies into comprehensive programs of supervised resource management; be flexible, decisive, assertive, resourceful, and forward thinking under pressure; make informed decisions in emergencies andinterpretbroadobjectivesoftheDivisionandindividualprograms;managemultiplepriorities;elicit the cooperation of others; and to collaborate effectively with other managers and professionals.

SPECIAL INFORMATION\: 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.

ELIGIBILITY TO WORK\: 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"

Effective May 4, 2026, this agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification.

Anyone who needs to request a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the HR staff identified on the job listing or by dialing the Montana Relay at 711. Montana Job Service Offices also offer services including assistance with submitting an online application.

State government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, creed, political beliefs or affiliation, veteran status, military service, retaliation, or any other factor not related to merit and qualifications of an employee or applicant.