Fire Chief Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $133,910.40 - $191,859.20 Annually
Location : San Bernardino, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 26-40104-01
Department: Fire District
Opening Date: 05/02/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
The Job
The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District is recruiting for a Fire Communications Officerwho plans, organizes, and directs the activities and operations of the Fire District's Communications Department. This position develops and implements comprehensive communication programs to inform and educate the public about the Fire District's goals, policies, programs, and services. The incumbent also manages emergency communications during crises or unforeseen events, including researching, writing, editing, and delivering timely information, and coordinates public information efforts in the event of a local disaster.
For more detailed information, refer to the job description.
EXCELLENT BENEFITS
To review job-specific Benefits refer to:
Memoranda of Understanding MOU
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Background: A successful background check is required prior to assignment.
Travel: A valid California Class C Driver License is required to carry out the essential job-related functions of this position. Mileage reimbursement and proof of automobile liability insurance must be maintained.
Work Schedule: Responds promptly and may be required to work evening and weekends to support Fire District during emergencies, critical incidents, or time-sensitive matters. Incidents may occur under extreme environmental conditions (e.g., high heat, strong winds, sun, rain, or snow).
At-Will Status: This is an exempt position. Individuals in the Exempt group are Unclassified, do not attain regular status, and serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
Sponsorship: San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.
Minimum Requirements
EXPERIENCE:
Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in public information, communications, media/public relations, or marketing. Experience must include writing and distributing news releases and/or feature articles for various communication media, as well as providing information to the public while serving in the capacity of an organization's public relations spokesperson.
--AND--
SUPERVISORY/CICCS EXPERIENCE:
Two (2) years of supervising work experience over a media team.
-OR-
Three (3) years of experience assigned as a permanent member on an Incident Management Team as a qualified Public Information Officer (PIO1 or PIO2) under the California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS).--AND--
EDUCATION:
A completed Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in television or film production, multimedia or educational media, mass communication, English, journalism, public or business administration, public relations, marketing, leadership, or a closely related field.
Applicants with an equivalent combination of education and experience commensurate with the responsibilities of the position may be considered.
Note: Qualifying degrees or coursework must be completed at a college or university accredited by any accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education. Degrees or coursework completed outside the U.S. must be accompanied with an evaluation report from a reputable credential evaluation service showing equivalency to degrees or coursework completed at a college or university accredited by any accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education. (Must be attached if applicable.) For education evaluation services, refer to
Desired Qualifications
The ideal candidate for this position will have extensive knowledge of social media platforms, digital communications, and emerging media trends. They will possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. Experience serving as a public information officer or spokesperson, particularly within an emergency services or public safety environment, is highly desirable. Experience managing media inquiries, representing an organization in high-profile or crisis situations, and effectively conveying accurate and timely information to the public is highly desirable.
Selection Process
Examination Process: There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on a review of the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire; therefore it is to your advantage to provide as much relevant and detailed work experience as possible, as resumes will not be reviewed in lieu of the application materials.
Application Procedure: To be considered for this excellent opportunity, please complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire by the deadline. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application and/or supplemental questionnaire.
Applications will be received until a sufficient number of applications are received. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure consideration as recruitment may close at any time.
To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete your application and consider having your profile created and or updated before applying for the position. Applicants will be automatically logged-out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records.
If you require technical assistance, please follow this link to or contact their Toll-Free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by the internet connection, computer or browser used to submit the application.
All communications regarding the selection process will be via email. Applicants are encouraged to check their e-mails frequently to obtain any correspondence associated with this recruitment. Please be sure the email provided on this application is always current; it is your responsibility to update your personal information. Update your Spam, Junk, Bulk and Firewall settings as needed to ensure that you receive all information pertaining to this recruitment.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): San Bernardino County is an and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants.
ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.
Veterans' Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouse or widow(er) who are not current County employees may be awarded additional Veterans' Preference points. For details and instructions on how to request these points, please refer to the within one week of the recruitment filing deadline.
For more important details,
Exempt Unit-Group C
San Bernardino County offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of other voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.
Please review the appropriate * for more information
Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County's Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787 or visit the for more detailed information.
*Retirement benefits subject to change.
01
INSTRUCTIONS: The information on the Application and your responses to the following supplemental questions will be used in a competitive evaluation of qualifications. Accurate responses should be provided for each question, and all work experience listed on the Supplemental Questionnaire must also be listed and clearly demonstrated in the work experience section of your application under job duties in order to be appropriately evaluated.
(Do not refer to resume as it will NOT be reviewed. All questions should be answered appropriately.)

• I have read and understand the instructions.

02
Education: Do you possess a bachelor's degree in television or film production, multimedia or educational media, mass communication, English, journalism, public or business administration, public relations, marketing, leadership, or a closely related field.

• Yes
• No

03
Experience: Clearly describe your experience in public information, communications, media/public relations, or marketing. Include a description of your experience writing and distributing news releases and/or feature articles for various communication media. If you do not possess any related experience, indicate "N/A."
04
Supervisory Experience: Clearly describe your experience where you functioned as a regular, ongoing supervisor over a media team. Be sure to provided explicit details supporting your answers of each experience to include: position title, the dates of employment, and the number of people/titles of positions supervised, including the scope of your responsibilities for each work experience. If you do not possess any related experience, indicate "N/A."NOTE: This experience should also be clearly demonstrated and described in the Work Experience section of the Application.
05
Public Information: Clearly describe your experience providing information to the public while serving in the capacity of an organization's public relations spokesperson. In your response, include your essential responsibilities, the organization(s) you represented and your role, and the types of information you communicated to the public. If you do not possess any related experience, indicate "N/A."
06
Emergency Services/Public Safety: Clearly describe your experience managing sensitive, high-profile, or emergency situations and related media inquiries, particularly within an emergency services or public safety environment (e.g., fire service, law enforcement, EMS, emergency management, or similar). In your response, include the agency or organization, your role, and the specific media-related work you performed. If you do not possess any related experience, indicate "N/A."
07
Social Media Experience: Clearly describe your experience working with or managing social media communications. Include projects, duties, or tasks performed, the purpose or audience of your social media communications, and the platforms or software you used (e.g., Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok). If you do not possess any related experience, indicate "N/A."
08
CICCS Experience: Clearly describe your experience assigned as a permanent member on an Incident Management Team as a qualified Public Information Officer (PIO1 or PIO2) under the California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS). If you do not possess any related experience, indicate "N/A."
09
Applicant Acknowledgement - Notification via email: As part of our efforts to increase efficiency and promote conservation of resources, Human Resources uses email to communicate with applicants. Therefore, all future communications regarding this recruitment, including applicant status and testing notifications, will be made via email. Each applicant needs their own email address. We strongly encourage you, as an applicant, to ensure that the email address you have provided us with your application is current, secure, confidential, and readily accessible to you. Adjust Spam and/or other filters so that our emails are accepted. Please carefully read any notices that we send you and follow any instructions provided in a timely manner. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails (i.e., for the non-delivery of our emails or if you fail to check your e-mail on a timely basis).

• I acknowledge that I have read, understood, and agree to the above.

10
**ATTENTION GMAIL USERS**
We have become aware of an increase in Gmail's spam filter sensitivity. Due to this change, it is possible that emails coming from San Bernardino County Human Resources may be marked as spam and will not make it into your Gmail inbox.
For your convenience, a step-by-step guide to create and apply filters within Gmail is available in the attached PDF. Once downloaded, follow the instructions so that you will receive future emails from San Bernardino County Human Resources.
Note: If you apply the filters and still do not receive emails from San Bernardino County Human Resources you can check your (Neogov) account inbox. All notifications will appear there.

• I understand

11
Applicant Acknowledgement - Application Complete: Thank you for taking the time to complete this application and supplemental questionnaire. Please be sure to review all information provided prior to submitting it as you cannot update or revise it once submitted. Your submitted application will be reviewed and evaluated as is. Please do not refer to a resume or other documentation in lieu of completing the employment history section or responding to the supplemental questions; they will not be reviewed or considered.
Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email confirmation will be sent to the email address listed on your application. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note: if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application, we have not received your application.