Safety Officer 1 - Safety and Training Specialist
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- 26142227 Requisition #
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- 9 hours ago Post Date
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
Program Overview:
It is the mission of the DNRC Fire Protection Program to protect lives, property, and natural resources from wildfire by providing safe and effective services to Montana’s citizens as well as leadership, coordination, and resources to the State’s wildfire organizations. The DNRC carries out a unified fire protection program across Montana. The Department implements that program in two major ways: directly protecting approximately 5.5 million acres of state, private, and federal land and 55 million acres of state and private land via the State/County Cooperative (County Co-op) program.
The DNRC Fire Protection mission requires personnel, both employees and cooperators, who are trained to high levels of proficiency, enabling wildland fire protection activities across the state of Montana and actualizing a commitment to training and safety that forms the foundation of the DNRC’s ability to accomplish its Fire Protection mission safely and effectively.
The Training and Safety Program provides training development, direction, policies, procedures, and technical assistance as well as fiscal support to the Department and its cooperators statewide; prepares and enables DNRC personnel to train personnel engaged in wildland fire protection; prevents and otherwise minimizes accidents in wildland fire protection operations through organized, comprehensive, and systematic risk management and organizational learning; leads the Department’s efforts to provide for firefighter public safety while still achieving fire operations objectives; and advances a formal framework for workforce development in support of the strategic direction of both the Fire Protection Program and the Division of Forestry.
Job Overview:
This position is Safety & Training Specialist. The position is responsible for ensuring the implementation of wildland fire training and direction; performing or overseeing risk management, hazard mitigation, hazard analysis, safety operations, and accident investigations; ensuring operational safety; and providing safety oversight during active fires (escape routes, safety zones, hazards, transportation, medical care, and evacuation, etc.). The position reports to the Training and Safety Program Manager (position #57660360) and does not supervise other agency personnel outside of those that may be required while functioning within the incident command system. However, the position is frequently responsible for directing and reviewing the work of temporary staff and contractors, including selection, training/instructing, and monitoring performance.
Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties and responsibilities the incumbent may be assigned.
Safety Program:
Perform and oversee safety operations to prevent accidents in wildland fire operations through organized, comprehensive, and systematic risk management, allowing the department to provide for safety and to minimize the number of injuries or fatalities experienced by wildland firefighters, yet still achieve fire operations objectives.
Training Program:
Utilizing a variety of methods (e.g. IQS, data capture, readiness reviews, NWCG standards, etc.) to research, develop, and administer the DNRC Fire Training Program to ensure efficient and effective program operations that comply with all applicable standards and meet DNRC’s fire and aviation management objectives.
Equipment or Machinery Used:
Fire dectection equipment/fire suppression equipment, fire simulator, vehicles up to 5 tons, computers and software, digital cameras, audio/video editing and recording equipment, and various training equipment.
Supervision:
The position does not supervise other agency personnel. However, the position is frequently responsible for directing and reviewing the work of temporary staff and contractors, including selection, training/instructing, and monitoring performance.
* If you are interested in this postion and want to apply, please reach out for a full job description. Contact HR at Stacey.Gabrio@mt.gov
APPLICATION MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION ARE:
- Online State of Montana application
- Resume
- Cover Letter
HELPFUL HINT: You must check the “relevant document” box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.
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. Look here, https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service to learn more and see if you may qualify!
Minimum Qualifications:
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis
Bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety or a related scientific field.
Two years of work-related experience or three years of progressively responsible wildland fire and aviation management.
Other combinations of education and experience may be substituted (secondary or Adult education, bachelor’s degree in forestry).
Wildland Fire or emergency services course instruction and experience are preferred.
While the safety officer qualification is a primary function of this position, and the ability to obtain this qualification is paramount, other unit leader-level positions will be considered for application purposes.
Knowledge of:
Advanced professional and technical knowledge of wildland fire and aviation management principles.
These principles include fire prevention, aerial and fixed-wing aviation wildfire operations, dispatching, planned or emergency incident management/command, ground, and aerial suppression strategies and tactics, prescribed fire application/use, and fire and aviation safety.
Expert professional and technical knowledge of fire service training theories, education methodology, course development, group dynamics, student and instructor motivation, training in context, live fire training safety, training evaluations, testing principles, validations, and adult learning processes.
Requires knowledge of program management, budgeting, and strategic planning.
Skilled in:
Position requires skill in public speaking and the operation of various kinds of audiovisual equipment.
Requires effective written and verbal communication skills, program planning, assessing complex and rapidly changing fire prevention and suppression issues and national trends, directing training activities, and adult learning and education.
Requires clearly and concisely communicating an extensive knowledge of current federal, state, local city/county government, and private industry wildland fire and aviation management policies, procedures, organizational structures, strategies, tactics, and safety into effective performance-based training curricula.
Ability to:
Administer a comprehensive training program and activities directly impacting the safety of DNRC personnel and other agency staff.
To attain or work towards NWCG wildland fire qualifications as a Safety Officer Type 3 (SOF3), or beyond.
Must attain and maintain PMS 901 Field Manager’s Course Guide Instructor Criteria for 300-600 Level NWCG Courses.
Minimum Physical Requirements:
The work environment is varied and includes office work, in- and out-of-state travel to meetings, classroom instruction, and fieldwork, which requires strenuous physical exertion for extended periods. This includes walking, climbing, digging, chopping, operating portable power equipment (such as chainsaws and pumps), throwing, lifting, and carrying packs.
The incumbent must be in good physical condition. Work on the fireline involves physical exertion, up to 20+ hour shifts. When performing fire or forestry duties, the incumbent must meet the most stringent prescribed physical requirements as measured by an annual NWCG-approved Work Capacity Test (WCT) for any position utilized for red card qualifications.
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.
