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Fire Pilot Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Mariana Minerals

Process Safety Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

... fire protection design interfaces. You will work closely with Health & Safety, process engineering, pilot operations, facilities, maintenance, consultants, and project teams to ensure hazards are ...

Prim

Substation Control Center Manager

Dallas, TX

$121K - $155K/yr

Own the control center product roadmap from concept through PG-3, PG-5, pilot production, and high ... fire/life-safety prep, and FAT/ITP kits. * Create and maintain PRDs, reference mechanical ...

Robinson Aviation

Air Traffic Control Specialist

Waco, TX · On-site

$44.35/hr

... pilots of aircraft lost or in difficulty; determines whether a given situation may operations offices, airport management offices, and fire and ambulance services. 7. Performs lower grade level ...

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All JobsFire Pilot JobsFire Pilot Jobs in Texas

Fire Pilot information

See Texas salary details

$46.1K

$122K

$187.3K

How much do fire pilot jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for fire pilot in Texas is $121,969.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,200.00 and $144,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a fire pilot?

Fire Pilots are specialized pilots trained to operate aircraft in support of firefighting operations. They fly planes or helicopters to drop water or fire retardants over wildfires, transport firefighters and equipment, and conduct aerial surveillance of fire zones. Their work is critical in controlling and suppressing large-scale wildfires, often requiring quick decision-making and flying in challenging and dangerous conditions. Fire Pilots typically work for government agencies, firefighting services, or private contractors.

What does a fire pilot do?

As a fire pilot or air tanker pilot, you respond to wildfires by providing water drops, fire retardant, and other fire suppression materials from your aircraft. In most cases, you spend the bulk of your day standing by and waiting to respond to an alert that indicates the probability of wildfire. Depending on probability, you may need to stay on-site or remain within a specified distance of the base. When the call comes, your responsibilities include completing the pre-flight checklist, loading the details in your GPS, and then completing the flight according to the directions received.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a fire pilot, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Fire Pilot, you need advanced piloting skills, a commercial pilot’s license, and specialized training in aerial firefighting operations. Familiarity with aircraft like air tankers or helicopters, navigation systems, and wildfire management protocols is essential. Strong decision-making, situational awareness, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are vital soft skills for this role. These competencies ensure safe, efficient support for firefighting teams while minimizing risk during high-stress, unpredictable wildfire missions.

What are some common challenges faced by fire pilots during wildfire suppression missions?

Fire Pilots often face rapidly changing weather conditions, limited visibility due to smoke, and challenging terrain when flying over wildfire zones. Coordinating closely with ground crews and other aircraft is essential to ensure safety and effective fire suppression. Additionally, Fire Pilots must remain vigilant for hazards such as sudden wind shifts, updrafts, and the risk of engine overheating during extended low-altitude flights. These challenges require strong situational awareness, excellent communication skills, and the ability to adapt quickly under pressure.

What is the difference between Fire Pilot vs Firefighter?

AspectFire PilotFirefighter
Required CertificationsCommercial Pilot License, Firefighting trainingFirefighter certification, EMT/paramedic license
Work EnvironmentAircraft, firefighting helicopters or planesFire stations, emergency scenes, buildings
Employer & Industry UsageFire departments, aerial firefighting companiesMunicipal fire departments, rescue services

Fire Pilots operate aircraft to combat wildfires from the air, requiring pilot licenses and specialized firefighting training. Firefighters work on the ground, handling rescue and suppression tasks, and need firefighting certifications. Both roles are vital in firefighting but differ significantly in work environment and required credentials.

How much do fire pilots get paid?

Fire pilots, also known as aerial firefighters, typically earn between $50,000 and $100,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and the employer. They often require specialized training and certifications, such as a commercial pilot license and firefighting qualifications, which can influence salary levels.

Is it hard to become a fire pilot?

Becoming a fire pilot requires extensive training, including obtaining a commercial pilot license, gaining experience in aviation, and often specialized wildfire or aerial firefighting certifications. The process is demanding and competitive, requiring strong flying skills, safety knowledge, and physical fitness.
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What cities in Texas are hiring for Fire Pilot jobs?

Cities in Texas with the most Fire Pilot job openings:

Fire Pilot jobs near you
Infographic showing various Fire Pilot job openings in Texas as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 3% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 94% In-person, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $121,969 per year, or $58.6 per hour.

Process Safety Engineer

Mariana Minerals

Houston, TX • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 15 days ago

Job description

About Mariana Minerals
Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company on a mission to supply the critical minerals powering modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. We're reimagining the minerals supply chain by combining deep industry expertise with advanced software, automation, and data-driven decision-making.
The Role
Mariana Minerals is seeking a Process Safety Management (PSM) Engineer to help build, administer, and continuously improve the company's process safety and major hazard risk management program. This role will support labs, pilot operations, process development, scale-up projects, and future operating facilities by leading structured risk assessments and translating findings into practical engineering, operational, and safety controls.
The PSM Engineer will plan, facilitate, and document PHAs, HAZOPs, HAZIDs, LOPAs, what-if/checklist reviews, bowties, formal risk assessments, MOC reviews, and PSSRs. The role also requires an engineering background capable of informing facility design questions, including hazardous material storage and use, equipment layout, safeguards, process controls, relief/venting concepts, ventilation, detection/alarming, emergency shutdown, life safety, and fire protection design interfaces. You will work closely with Health & Safety, process engineering, pilot operations, facilities, maintenance, consultants, and project teams to ensure hazards are identified early, controls are practical, and risk reduction actions are executed.
While the role is centered on PSM and engineering risk, it will also support broader safety and health initiatives as needed, including incident learning, contractor/project safety, emergency preparedness, field verification, procedure development, training, and continuous improvement of company safety systems.
What You'll Do
  • Administer PSM and major hazard risk management workflows, including risk study planning, pre-work, facilitation, documentation, action tracking, and closeout verification and assist in development or improvement of processes.
  • Lead or support PHAs, HAZOPs, HAZIDs, LOPAs, what-if/checklist studies, bowties, formal risk assessments, and other structured reviews for lab, pilot, project, and operating systems and assist in the development of these tools where needed.
  • Support Management of Change and Pre-Startup Safety Review processes by reviewing technical changes, startup readiness, critical safeguards, training needs, procedures, and open action status.
  • Review PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specifications, operating envelopes, control narratives, layouts, chemical inventories, and utility interfaces to identify process safety and facility design implications.
  • Provide practical engineering input on life safety, fire protection, hazardous materials, ventilation, detection/alarming, emergency shutdown, pressure relief, containment, and occupancy or hazard classification questions.
  • Partner with internal SMEs, external engineers, insurers, and AHJs to clarify applicable code requirements and translate them into actionable design or operational requirements.
  • Develop and maintain process safety information, hazard registers, safeguard/IPL libraries, action trackers, PSM procedures, risk assessment templates, decision logs, and program metrics.
  • Evaluate safeguards and risk reduction actions using hierarchy of controls, independent protection layer concepts, reliability assumptions, field verification, and practical implementation constraints.
  • Support incident investigations, root cause analysis, corrective action development, lessons learned, and verification that systemic risk controls are implemented.
  • Help embed process safety expectations into project planning, commissioning, operating procedures, training, contractor scopes, field execution, and routine operations.
  • Support broader Health & Safety initiatives as needed, including HazCom, contractor safety, emergency response planning, field audits, safety observations, training, and procedure development.

Desired Qualifications
  • B.S. or higher in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Metallurgy, Fire Protection Engineering, Safety Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • 5+ years of relevant experience in process safety, process engineering, plant design, operations, commissioning, EHS, or risk management in minerals, mining/metallurgy, chemicals, specialty materials, oil & gas, manufacturing, pilot plants, or lab-to-commercial scale-up environments.
  • Hands-on experience supporting or facilitating PHAs, HAZOPs, HAZIDs, LOPAs, MOC, PSSR, incident investigations, formal risk assessments, or similar structured risk management processes.
  • Ability to read and interpret PFDs, P&IDs, layouts, equipment data sheets, operating procedures, control narratives, chemical inventories, and safety-critical design information.
  • Working knowledge of process safety and facility safety requirements such as OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, IFC/IBC concepts, NFPA standards, pressure systems, hazardous materials, electrical safety, fire protection, ventilation, and emergency planning. Deep expertise in every code area is not required, but the candidate must know how to frame questions and work with qualified SMEs.
  • Strong technical writing, meeting facilitation, action tracking, data organization, and communication skills.
  • Ability to challenge assumptions constructively, document decisions clearly, and translate risk assessment outputs into practical controls, design inputs, procedures, and field actions.
  • Comfortable working in fast-paced, ambiguous environments, wearing multiple hats, and balancing program administration with field-facing technical support.
  • Professional certifications or specialized training such as PE, CSP, CCPSC, CFPS, HAZOP/LOPA facilitation training, or equivalent process safety credentials are a plus.
  • Experience with pilot plants, lab-scale hazards, scale-up projects, hazardous materials permitting, fire/life safety coordination, commissioning, or operational readiness is a plus.
Our culture is built on three principles:
Everyone Gets Home Safe. We never put speed or cost ahead of people.
Extreme Ownership. We take full responsibility for outcomes, relentlessly driving toward solutions.
Engineer Out Requirements, then Automate. We simplify, optimize, and then automate for scale.
Share Your Legos. We collaborate openly, share knowledge, and empower each other to build bigger, better solutions.
Join us as we build the future of responsible mineral sourcing and supply!

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