Entry Level Copper River Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $34.08 Hourly
Location : Palmer, AK
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 54911
Department: Natural Resources
Division: Forestry & Fire Protection
Opening Date: 08/10/2026
Closing Date: 8/31/2026 5:00 PM Alaska
Position Open To: All Applicants
Bargaining Unit: General Government
Range: 17
Job Description
The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, is recruiting for an Assistant Dispatch Center Manager in Palmer, Alaska.
What You Will Be Doing:
This is more than a dispatch position; it's an opportunity to lead, mentor, and coordinate complex emergency response operations in one of the most dynamic fire environments in the country. Under the direction of the Dispatch Center Manager, the Assistant Center Manager serves as a lead dispatcher, providing operational leadership and coordination for consolidated dispatch operations while helping manage the movement of personnel, aircraft, equipment, supplies, and critical incident information that support wildland fire suppression and all-hazard incidents.
As a consolidated dispatch center, ACDC serves a diverse and expansive geographic area, supporting fire and aviation operations throughout the Kenai/Kodiak Area, Copper River Area, Mat-Su Valley Area, and Southwest Area. This broad scope provides unparalleled opportunities to work with a wide variety of incidents, resources, aviation programs, and interagency partners.
Successful candidates will join a close-knit team that thrives on collaboration, professionalism, and service. Every day brings new challenges, meaningful work, and the satisfaction of supporting the men and women who risk their lives protecting Alaska's communities, resources, and landscapes.
If you're looking for a career that combines leadership, aviation, emergency management, teamwork, and adventure, Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center is waiting for you!
Mission and Values/Culture:
At the Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center, we are a fast-paced, highly collaborative team with an unwavering commitment to safety, service, and supporting those on the front lines of wildland fire response. Every action we take is focused on ensuring firefighters, aviation resources, and incident personnel have the information, coordination, and logistical support they need to operate safely and effectively.
As part of the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, you will join a team dedicated to protecting Alaska's communities, forests, and natural resources through wildland fire preparedness, suppression, management, and all-hazard incident support. From coordinating aircraft and emergency resources to supporting large-scale incidents across Alaska and the nation, dispatchers play a critical role in every successful response.
This position offers the opportunity to work alongside experienced fire professionals while building a rewarding career in emergency management and wildland fire. The skills and experience gained as an Assistant Center Manager provide a strong foundation for advancement within the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, interagency dispatch, incident management teams, and other fire and emergency response organizations.
In addition to meaningful work, employees enjoy excellent opportunities for training, professional development, travel, and career growth. The State of Alaska offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, vision, dental, and life insurance, along with generous employer contributions toward healthcare costs.
If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career where your work directly supports the safety of firefighters and the protection of Alaska's people and resources, we encourage you to join our team.
Benefits of Joining Our Team:
At Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center, we are committed to investing in our people and building the next generation of dispatch leaders. Our goal is to create a professional, supportive, and rewarding work environment that promotes career growth, work-life balance, and long-term success in wildland fire dispatch.
As part of our team, you'll benefit from:

• Extensive training opportunities, including local, statewide, and national dispatch courses designed to build technical expertise and leadership skills.
• Travel opportunities throughout Alaska and the Lower 48 supporting incidents, dispatch centers, mobilization centers, and incident management teams.
• A clear career development pathway that supports advancement from entry-level dispatch positions through leadership and management roles.
• Mentorship from experienced dispatch professionals who are dedicated to helping employees grow and succeed.
• Opportunities to gain qualifications and experience in multiple dispatch disciplines, including initial attack, aviation, expanded dispatch, intelligence, mobilization, and center management.
• Exposure to a consolidated dispatch environment that provides broader operational experience, increased responsibility, and enhanced professional development opportunities.
• A strong culture of teamwork, camaraderie, and mutual support where employees work together to accomplish the mission while supporting one another both professionally and personally.
• A commitment to maintaining a healthy work-life balance while providing meaningful and impactful work in support of firefighters and emergency responders.

Our consolidated dispatch center model has created increased opportunities for training, mentorship, leadership development, and out-of-state assignments, allowing dispatchers to gain experience that would not be available in many traditional dispatch organizations. Whether your goal is to become a dispatch leader, support national incidents, or build a long-term career in wildland fire, ACDC provides the tools, experience, and support to help you get there.
At ACDC, we don't just build dispatchers; we build teams, leaders, and careers.
The Working Environment You Can Expect:
Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center encourages teamwork and camaraderie. This environment helps promote friendship and loyalty within the Dispatch Center. These close-knit relationships motivate our employees and align them to work harder, cooperate, and support one another. Our team is made up of individuals with diverse talents, weaknesses, communication skills, strengths, and habits.
We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.

• Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Oral and Written Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high-stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).
• Telecommunications and Logistics: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, methods, and procedures of emergency communication operations systems used in receiving, assessing, transmitting, and relaying information to plan, coordinate, and deploy resources (such as personnel, equipment, supplies, and aircraft) in support of fire and/or emergency activities and maintain accurate incident records. Uses situational awareness and/or familiarity of the geographic area assigned in disseminating information.

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.
Minimum Qualifications
PD04B1 - Wildland Fire Dispatch Coordinator 1
Three years of experience in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field
And
Certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) in any three of the following:
Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher (EDSD)
Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher (EDSP)
Initial Attack Dispatcher (IADP)
Aircraft Dispatcher (ACDP)
Substitution:
Three years in any combination of post-secondary education from an accredited college in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field will substitute for the required experience (2.67 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of post-secondary education are equal to one month of experience). There is no substitute for the required certifications.
Special Note:?
Wildland Fire Dispatch Coordinators must receive red card training and certification under the National Incident Qualification System.
Additional Required Information
** Please read the information below carefully. **
At the time of application, the applicant must attach the following items as individual documents; failure to provide the requested documentation will result in non-consideration. If you are unable to attach documents, please fax or email the contact listed below. Required documents include:

• Red Card
• IQS/IQCS Master Record with required NWCG Qualifications

At the time of the interview, please ensure that you provide the following materials. Failure to do so may result in loss of consideration. Required documents include:

• Resume
• A list of two professional references with current contact information, with at least one being a current or former supervisor.
• A copy of any forestry and/or fire-related training certificates
• A copy of your two most recent performance evaluations, or a letter of reference if evaluations are not available

Application Notice
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions for applying are available on the Workplace Alaska webpage. Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.
Supplemental Questions
For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions. The State of Alaska (SOA) uses four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant's competence in applying specific behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.
Education
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education
Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If using this education to meet minimum qualification requirements, you must demonstrate that the credentials have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in standard U.S. education programs. Alternatively, an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution must report that the other institution's transcript is given full value or that full value is recognized in relevant subject areas aligned with the post-secondary institution's curricula. It is your responsibility to provide this evidence when applying.
Work Experience
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer's name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.
Note: Attaching a resume does not substitute for completing the application in full. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
Bargaining Unit
If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee.
Driver's License Requirement
Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.
Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.
EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & La