Firearm Instructor Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

Requisition No: 882206 

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: TRAINING SPECIALIST I - 77000619

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 77000619 

Salary:  $1,923.08 biweekly + benefits 

Posting Closing Date: 09/13/2026 

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Anticipated Vacancy

Tite: Training Specialist I

Position Number: 77000619

Location: West Palm Beach  

Salary: $1,923.08 biweekly + benefits

Supervisor:  William Cline

Broadband Code: 13-151.01

Class Code: 1322

Region: South

County: Palm Beach

Working Hours:  8:00am - 5:00pm

List of Subordinates Supervised: None

Residency Requirement: None; however, the employee is expected to work from the office 

Additional benefits include a supplemental housing allowance of $2,500 bi-annually for employees who live and work in in the following counties: Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, and Palm Beach. 

Employment in this position is contingent upon a satisfactory criminal history record check.

Minimum Qualifications:

Six years of experience in education or natural resource-related fields.  A bachelor's degree in a related field can count toward four of the required six years of experience.

Preferred Qualifications: Prefer a bachelor's degree in education or natural resource related field.  Prefer public speaking experience.

Agency information

Our organization: The FWC envisions a Florida where fish and wildlife are abundant and thriving in healthy and connected natural landscapes with vital working lands and waterways; where natural resources are valued and safely enjoyed by all; and wherein natural systems support vibrant human communities and a strong economy.

Our Mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.

Every organization has an identity that is forged not only by what it does, but by how it conducts itself. The values embedded in our mission and expressed in the vision of the FWC are to make quality decisions by being dynamic, science-informed, efficient, ethical, collaborative and committed to the vitality of the state and its environment.

Description of Duties:

This position is in the Division of Hunting and Game Management.

This is an exciting opportunity for a outgoing, self-motivated individual to serve as the south regional hunter safety coordinator.

This is a managerial position encompassing strategic planning, development, and coordination of volunteer resource activities for the hunter safety program.  Tasks include:

Providing oversight of Florida's Hunter Safety Program in the northeast region: 

• Responsible for the implementation and administration of the hunter safety program within the assigned region;
• Recruits, trains, supervises, and provides support to the volunteer instructors teaching Florida's Hunter Safety Course;
• Oversees an on-going analysis and monitoring system to ensure goals and objectives for course offerings and qualified volunteers are being met at every county in the assigned region;
• Ensures that the course is taught in accordance with the prescribed outline in the instructor's manual and operating under the guidelines established in the policy and procedures manual;
• Maintains a liaison with instructors to provide incentive and assistance with training programs, training problems, and for the purpose of evaluating achievements and effectiveness of the training program;
• Responsible for overseeing the proper maintenance and accurate accounting of all inventory assigned to the assigned region;
• Certifies and issues completion cards to the students who successfully complete the Hunter Safety Course;
• Assist in compiling investigations of all hunting-related incidents within the assigned region for purpose of reporting, developing and evaluating data for the prevention of future accidents;
• Properly records all student training and volunteer instructor activity for the region in the agency's record keeping system and forwards to the office of the state coordinator all essential training records and reports necessary for instructor and student certification.

Promoting and providing additional hunter safety training activities: 

• Assist with the planning, administration and implementation of the National Archery in the Schools Program, Easton Archery Range Programs, Youth Hunter Education Challenge and Outdoor Weekend Learning Seminars;
• Maintains progressive liaison with citizen groups, school organizations and news media for implementation and promotion of hunter safety and firearms safety training activities;
• Provides information relative to wildlife conservation, hunting and firearm laws to the general public;
• Provides technical assistance related to firearms qualifications and safe and proper use of firearms and shooting ranges to city, county and state governmental agencies.

Assisting in supervision of Commission managed shooting ranges: 

• Assists in overseeing compliance with Florida Department Environmental Protection's best management practices for shooting ranges for all FWC managed facilities within the assigned region;
• Works closely with local government entities develop long-lasting partnerships to serve the needs of the FWC's hunter safety program and provide the public with a safe place to shoot.

• Assists in training Range Safety officers;
• Develop performance measures and monitor results for the statewide range management program.

Creating and maintaining a high-performance environment: 

• Defines goals and/or required results at beginning of performance period and gains acceptance of ideas by creating a shared vision;
• Communicates regularly with volunteers on progress toward defined goals and/or required results, providing specific feedback, and initiating corrective action when defined goals and/or required results are not met;
• Confers regularly with volunteers to review relations climate, specific problem areas and actions necessary for improvement;
• Evaluates volunteers on scheduled intervals; obtains and considers all relevant information in evaluations and supports volunteers by giving praise and constructive criticism;
• Recognizes contributions and celebrates accomplishments;
• Motivates volunteers to improve quantity and quality of work performed and provides training and development opportunities as appropriate.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Must have good knowledge of hunter education program; firearms, firearm safety and hunting methods; training theory and instructional design and program management. 
• Must have knowledge of hunting and shooting laws and regulations; range safety operations; supervision; and marketing principles.
• Skilled in the use of computers for word processing, information management, communications, and data management
• Must have the ability to evaluate training and instructional materials; present hunting related training in structured learning situations; write reports; develop procedures and monitor a program budget.
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Must have the ability to create, organize and conduct presentations, seminars and promotional events.
• Must have advanced skills in MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other related software.
• Must be able to deliver presentations to large groups of people and lead training workshops.
• Must have the ability to manage a large corps of volunteers to stay on task, meet goals and keep morale high. 
• Ability to develop realistic goals, and to develop measures to stay on track. 
• Ability to work well with minimal supervision. 
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to properly tow a trailer, hear range safety commands, and to lift up to 50 pounds.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.