Assistant Prescribed Fire Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Who We Are:
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance Massachusetts' environmental resources and create a clean energy future for all residents. Through the stewardship of open spaces, the protection of environmental resources, and the advancement of clean energy, EEA works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. Our commitment to environmental justice ensures that every resident, regardless of background or location, can live in a safe, clean environment and shares equally in the benefits of the clean energy transition.
Who We Are as an Employer:
At EEA, we create meaningful, inclusive opportunities that empower our employees to make a real difference in shaping the environmental future of Massachusetts. We foster a workplace culture where diversity is valued, innovation is encouraged, and collaboration thrives. Our employees play a vital role in advancing sustainability, environmental justice, and clean energy solutions, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on Massachusetts and its residents.
DFG:
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is the state agency responsible for conservation of the state's natural resources. DFG exercises responsibility over the Commonwealth's marine and freshwater fisheries, wildlife, plants, and natural communities, and provides outdoor recreation opportunities to the public.
Job Description:
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is seeking a qualified individual to serve as a Seasonal Prescribed Fire Leader. Primary duty will be to lead prescribed burn operations on private NGO and municipal conservation properties in Southeastern Massachusetts. This person will conduct prescribed fire trainings, provide technical reviews of partner prescribed fire plans, implement and oversee prescribed fire operations on multiple sites within the Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens Region. This seasonal part-time position is funded through a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant to MassWildlife as part of the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) to support private and public partnerships to improve ecosystem resilience and enhance wildlife habitat connectivity and contingent upon grant funding.
Under the supervision of the MassWildlife Prescribed Fire Program Manager, the Seasonal Prescribed Fire Leader will boss prescribed burns on priority Municipal and NGO conservation lands. This person will work closely with the MassWildlife Prescribed Fire Project Leader and the ATBC Prescribed Fire Partnership Coordinator. Work will focus on providing prescribed fire training for ATBC partners, completing prescribed fire plan technical reviews, and serving as the prescribed fire burn boss for targeted burns on ATBC partnership lands through March 2027. The ATBC Seasonal Prescribed Fire Leader is responsible for executing safe, efficient, and effective prescribed burn operations; maintaining project records, prescribed fire summaries; and contributing to the evaluation and reporting of prescribed fire management outcomes related to this project.
DETAILED STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:

• Serve as Burn Boss for ATBC partner prescribed burns of low to moderate complexity and provide strong leadership for prescribed fire crew at each event.
• Supervise prescribed fire activities before, during, and after a burn event. Provide strong burn boss leadership in assessing burn unit prep, conducting pre burn briefings, supervising prescribed burn crews, after action reviews, mop up and reporting.
• Document and summarize prescribed fire activities for every ATBC partner burn including on-site weather and fire behavior, summary of day's event, and recommendations for future prescribed burns.
• Work closely with the ATBC Prescribed Fire Partnership Coordinator and respective partner agency/organization representatives to ensure site prep such as mechanical treatments of firebreaks are safely executed prior to prescribed fire implementation.
• Conduct basic wildland fire crew training(s) and appropriate field day(s) for ATBC partner agencies and organizations in coordination with Masswildlife, DCR, and other wildland fire partners.
• Assist the MassWildlife Prescribed Fire Manager and Prescribed Fire Project Leader with preparation of prescribed fire plans and technical review of priority partner prescribed fire plans.
• Communicate regularly with supervisor and ATBC prescribed fire partnership team to provide progress updates, report challenges, and recommend improvements to field operations.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED AT HIRE (List knowledge, skills and abilities)
The candidate for this position must possess the following qualifications:

• Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (NWCG RxB2)
• Prior experience in bossing prescribed burns in New England fuel types including pine and oak forests/woodlands, sandplain grasslands, coastal shrublands, and acidic fens.
• Ability and experience in conducting basic training for prescribed burn crews, safety refreshers, and training field days.

• Demonstrated experience in writing prescribed fire plans and ability to provide technical review of low to moderate complexity prescribed fire plans.

• Experience in working with a variety of prescribed fire partners, local fire departments, regulatory agencies, and volunteer groups.

• Ability to travel to a variety of sites within Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties, Massachusetts.
• Must be comfortable spending long periods of time outdoors.
Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Physical fitness level of moderate, ability to walk over uneven terrain at own work pace, stand for long periods of time, and carry up to 25 lbs of field equipment.
• Experience operating handheld radios, weather and fuels monitoring equipment, GPS units and mapping tools.
• Serve as NWCG Task Book evaluator as appropriate on prescribed burns for crew.

QUALIFICATIONS ACQUIRED ON THE JOB

• Leadership and burn crew supervision including safety oversight, task coordination, and burn crew assignments associated with partner projects funded through ATBC.
• GPS and GIS Data Collection and Mapping (GIS Field Maps and related platforms).
• Field Reporting and Documentation of prescribed fire events, including photo documentation, data management, burn summaries, and season-end reporting.

LICENSE AND/OR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Must have a valid Class D or higher driver's license
• Certification as Prescribed Burn Boss Type 2 (NWCG RXB2)
• Satisfactory performance as an Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4)

Qualifications:
Comprehensive Benefits
When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.
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An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.