Temporary Wildfire Mitigation Specialist

Wildfire Mitigation Education and Safety Programs Coordinator

Under limited supervision, research, coordinate, and deliver wildfire mitigation education and safety programs.

Duties, Functions, and Responsibilities:

Assists with coordination, development, and delivery of wildfire education programs and training to support Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP).

Engages community involvement to address all elements of the Fire Adapted Community's (FAC) objectives of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, supporting safe and effective wildfire response, fire-adapted communities, and fire-resilient landscapes.

Develop presentations and educational materials for community wildfire safety, including coordinating with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analysts to develop area risk models.

Liaison with internal and external city department partners, agencies, and community resources for joint efforts in wildfire education and training. Assists with assessment and development of wildland fire prevention strategies based on documented fire causes.

Assists in the development and delivery of online wildfire safety and evacuation plans and communication strategies for communities. Assists with mitigation training and wildfire prevention, including prescribed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of wildland fire behavior.
• Knowledge of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Firewise USA, Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP), Fire Adapted Communities (FAC), and Fire Resilient Landscape (FRL) practices and standards.
• Knowledge of National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) practices and standards.
• Knowledge of the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) code.
• Knowledge of Home Ignition Zone (HIZ), ISA Wildfire Risk Reduction, and Responding to the Interface principles.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, local, and county wildfire laws, rules, regulations, codes, and guidelines.
• Knowledge of City practices, policies, and procedures.
• Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
• Skill in using computers and related software applications.
• Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
• Skill in both written and verbal communications.
• Skill in delivering presentations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective communication and working relationships with city employees, citizens, public safety agencies, and community organizations.
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
• Ability to train others.

Minimum Qualifications:

Graduation with a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a related field, plus two (2) years of relevant experience. One (1) additional year of experience may substitute for one (1) year of the required education, with a maximum substitution of four (4) years.

• Must be able to obtain International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Wildfire Risk Reduction qualification, Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) certification, or National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Wildfire Mitigation Specialist certification within one (1) year of acceptance of position.
• Valid State of Texas Class "C" Driver License

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of or experience with National Fire Protection Association Firewise USA programs, practices, and assessments, or similar wildland fire public education programs
• Experience independently conducting or supervising vegetation clearing, power equipment operations, or environmental information collection activities in remote locations.
• Experience maintaining and operating outdoor power tools (chainsaws, line trimmers) and equipment (farm tractors, compact loaders)
• Experience operating 4-wheel drive vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, or utility vehicles in an off-road environment.
• Experience towing trailers in urban, rural, or off-road settings.
• Ability to prepare and communicate project and program information to internal and external customers.

Notes to Candidate:

Position Overview:

The selected candidate will support the Austin Water Wildland Conservation Division's prescribed fire and fuels program, working as a project and/or crew manager as Austin Water utilizes external contractors and expands in-house fieldwork capacity to support prescribed fire, vegetation management, fuel mitigation, and related activities.

This role will ensure that project and crew needs are met by supporting field logistics, project planning, and implementation. Operational experience in wildland fire or prescribed fire is desired, but candidates with strong backgrounds in crew organization and management will be considered.

Critical Employee:

This position has been designated as critical for the City of Austin. Critical positions are necessary and support activities that impact City or department operations. Work can be done at a designated work site or an alternate work location. Critical employees may be reassigned to another area to provide essential services during extraordinary situations or emergencies.

Pay Rate:

$27.77 - $33.95 per hour

Position(s) will be filled at the following location:

Reicher Ranch 13700 East Ladera Blvd, Austin, Texas 78738

Days and Hours:

Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Hours may include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Hours and Location are subject to change based on operational needs).

Benefits:

Working with Austin Water provides several health benefits, including medical coverage, paid sick leave, paid holidays, after 90 days; training opportunities days.

When completing the City of Austin employment application:

• The City of Austin employment application is an official document; incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The Employment Record should include job titles, employment dates (month and year), job duties, functions, and responsibilities for each position held.
• The starting salary will be based on the overall relevant experience outlined in your application.
• Please be sure to detail all current and previous employment on the application that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.
• Statements such as "see résumé" will not be accepted. You may use "N/A" for fields that are not applicable.
• A résumé is required but will not substitute for a complete employment application. Incomplete applications, resumes, or cover letters will not be considered.

If you are selected as a top candidate:

• Verification of your education (which may include high school graduation or GED, undergraduate, and/or graduate degrees) will be required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited institution or organization.
• If you are in the military or a veteran, you will need to provide a copy of your DD-214 before confirming a start date.

Secondary Employment:

• All Austin Water employees are prohibited from accepting or engaging in any secondary employment that may conflict with or interfere with their duties and responsibilities to the Department.
• Austin Water will review all secondary employment.
• Employees are required to submit a Secondary Employment Application for review and approval upon being hired with Austin Water, as well as current Austin Water employees considering secondary employment.

90-day Provision:

This posting may be used to fill additional vacancies that occur within the department.

All Austin Water worksite locations are tobacco-free. The use of tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes is not permitted on any AW worksite, including construction sites, parking lots, garages, or in any personal vehicle located on the premises.

Please note this posting may close at any time after 7 days.

Important Note to Applicants:

Please be aware that the Job Posting Close Date reflects the final day to apply; however, the posting will close at 11:59 PM the day before the listed date. All application steps, including attachments and submission, must be fully completed before that time.

We also recommend that you save or print a copy of the job posting for your records. Once a posting has closed, it will no longer be viewable in the system.

Join the City of Austin Team

At the City of Austin, we are more than just an employer—we are a vibrant community dedicated to shaping one of the nation's most dynamic and innovative cities. As we strive to fulfill our commitment as public servants, it is important that we ground our efforts in a set of guiding principles – Empathy, Ethics, Excellence, Engagement, and Equity – that anchor our delivery of services that significantly impact the lives of Austinites. Joining the City of Austin means embarking on a purposeful career, contributing to the community, and being part of a