Full Time Dnr Firefighter Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $51,600.00 - $69,348.00 Annually
Location : Spokane County - Airway Heights, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Non-Permanent
Job Number: 2026-7-5404-06305
Department: Dept. of Natural Resources
Opening Date: 07/29/2026
Closing Date: 8/27/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step
Description
Forest Crew Supervisor - Correction Facilities (FCS-CF)Recruitment #2026-7-5404
Full-time, Non-permanent, Represented position (WPEA)
Anticipated Non-permanent employment is 18 months.
Location: Northeast Region- Airway Heights, WA
Salary: $4,300.00 - $5,779.00 Monthly
Review of applications is ongoing. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after 8/5/26. It is in your best interest to submit materials as soon as possible.
Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our Northeast Region as a Forest Crew Supervisor - Correction Facilities (FCS-CF). We are currently seeking a highly motivated individual to temporarily fill an 18-month vacancy as a Forest Crew Supervisor - Correction Facilities (FCS-CF) position at Heights Camp located at the Department of Corrections facility in Airway Heights, WA. While being highly demanding, this position is also highly rewarding to those who want to truly make a difference within a diverse and unique work group. The tangible rewards of this job come from helping DNR meet its strategic obligations to the community and from working with incarcerated individuals.
Developing incarcerated individuals is a critical function of this position. The successful applicant will need to develop incarcerated individuals with limited skills into a highly functional 10-person team. Heights crews have a commitment to hard work in arduous conditions on wildland fires and in various forest health operations. The primary responsibilities of the position are in the training, productivity, and safety of the Heights crews who engage in wildland firefighting and forest crafts operations. During fire season, the position may require assignments to remote fire camps for extended periods and can be expected to have workdays that routinely exceed the normally scheduled 10 hours and will require working weekends and holidays as needed for assignments.
The successful applicant will be trusted to primarily recruit, mentor, and train incarcerated individuals in forest craft skills while supervising a 10-person crew comprised of incarcerated adult males. These skills will be used to help protect communities, manage DNR State Lands assets, and help incarcerated individuals develop job skills that can be used when they are released from incarceration. The successful applicant will be trusted to foster and maintain an interactive relationship with DOC to ensure that incarcerated individuals are effectively managed across both state agencies according to WACs, RCWs, and Interagency Agreements. Additionally, the successful applicant will be trusted to have a productive professional relationship with the Assistant Camp Supervisor. The key to this relationship will be the applicant's ability to communicate, problem-solve, manage, and lead cooperatively with peers and supervisor.
Duties
Responsibilities:
Leads, supervises, instructs, and evaluates incarcerated individuals on how to safely and effectively participate as a member of a "Hand Crew" for the purpose of engaging in Initial Attack and Mop-up operations to suppress wildland fires.

• Supervises and leads crew members in wildfire suppression ranging from initial attack, fire line construction, mop-up, gridding, and repair.
• Communicates all directions and objectives to crew members and ensures they are met safely, efficiently, and on time.
• Ensures that all crew members are fireline-qualified and maintains crew readiness for emergency incident response.
• Assesses crew's physical condition and corrects any issues when they arise.
• Communicates and documents any needs of crew members to Camp Manager, DOC personnel, or, if assigned to a project incident, the liaison.

Provides essential supervisory and security functions while supervising incarcerated individuals' work crews.

• Takes custody of incarcerated individuals at check-out from institution.
• Monitors incarcerated individuals' movements at close range or from a distance.
• Visually monitors all security areas, including jobsites, and works on emergency incidents.
• Enforces DNR/DOC rules and policies.
• Initiates corrective or disciplinary action as required.
• Adheres to established staff safety practices for themselves, the crew members, and the public.
• Attends annual DOC trainings and refreshers to include PREA, Escape Protocol, Key and Tool Control, and Manipulative Awareness.
• Uses de-escalation skills during stressful situations.
• Seizes or directs seizure (by notifying DOC and Camp Manager) of dangerous items, evidence, contraband, and controlled or unauthorized substances and ensures proper evidence handling is maintained.
• Writes reports based on observations regarding occurrences that may require action by supervisor or DOC staff

Trains, instructs, and supervises incarcerated individual work crews to safely, effectively, and efficiently conduct work on silviculture and forest health work projects.

• Supervises silviculture activities such as planting, pre-commercial thinning, vegetation management, riparian habitat enhancement, and stream restoration.
• Demonstrates and teaches safe use and maintenance of power equipment and hand tools such as chainsaws, woodchippers, wood splitters, and fire line tools.
• Teaches crew members plant and tree identification.
• Supervises and ensures that all prescriptions given by the contractor are adhered to.
• Teaches proper timber felling techniques to crew members.

Completes necessary administrative and transportation-related tasks required of the position.

• Maintains daily job card documentation that includes formal incarcerated individual counts per DNR/DOC inter-agency agreement, job information, and hours worked on job that day.
• Maintains crew member payroll and enters pay daily in the ITAR computer system.
• Communicates with incarcerated individuals assigned counselor and conducts frequent evaluations for each individual assigned to their crew.
• Maintains an open line of communication with Camp Manager, DOC, and assigned counselors.
• Completes, maintains, and submits records of Mileage Equipment Reports (MERs), Time and Activity Reports (TARs), etc.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
You must meet all the Required Qualifications and Competencies to be considered for this position. There are multiple pathways to meet qualifications, such as education, volunteer work, life skills, and experience. Please clearly communicate in your application material that your skills align with the position and qualifications.

• Experience in some or all of the following forest crafts, which includes: Forest seedling planting, forest plantation, vegetation management, pre-commercial thinning, recreation trail and facilities construction and maintenance, chainsaw use and maintenance, hand tool use and maintenance, and wildland fire suppression.
  OR technical/professional forestry knowledge and skills which are acquired through the completion of a 2 or 4-year degree in forest management or closely related field, program, or study.
• Six months of supervisory experience either in an adult/juvenile correctional environment or a professional production-based business.
• Supervisory experience in a diverse work setting that is centered on safety and security.

Required Competencies:

• Possess the ability to communicate well both verbally and in writing using common technology.
• Commitment to fostering and supporting an environment that honors diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices.
• Perform assigned duties in a manner consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and public records retention, and requests are followed.
• DNR Core Competencies:
  • Personal Accountability
  • Value Others
  • Compassionate Communication
  • Inspire Others
  • Commitment to Excellence

Special Requirements and Conditions of Employment:

• FCSs typically work in various outdoor settings such as forested areas, wildland-urban interface areas, desert basalt and scabland settings. Must have the physical ability to traverse all uneven terrain and be able to work in all weather conditions. Must be able to work in and on DOC institutional grounds and abide by all DNR and DOC policies.
• Must be able to operate a 12-person dual, four-wheel drive vehicle on improved roadways and off-road settings. Drive time may exceed 1 hour each way, with occasional drive times up to 10 hours required during emergency response.
• A current, valid driver's license and two years of driving experience. Additionally, DNR requires state drivers to possess a license that is not suspended, revoked, or restricted (for example, Occupational/Restricted Driver Licenses or requiring ignition interlock devices). This position requires driving as an essential function. Finalists and/or interview candidates will be asked to provide a driving record from all states in which they have held a license during the past three years.
• Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of this position, an NCIC Background Investigation will be conducted on successful candidates
• During the first year of employment, successful candidates must attain the level of FF2 by passing guard school in which S-130, S-190, S-212, and L-180 are taught.
• During the second year of employment, employees must attend and pass the S-131 FF1 class and work towards completion of the FF1 task book.
• Upon Completion of the FF1 task book, employees are expected to work towards IC5 certification and Single Resource-Crew Boss certification.
• Must pass an arduous work capacity test annually that consists of carrying a 45-pound pack three miles in under forty-five minutes.
• Maintains valid First-Aid, CPR, and AED card.
• Attend any offered trainings, pass trailer towing training, and maintain or stay current with all requirements of this position.

Desired Qualifications:
These qualifications are not required. However, it can help you stand out as a candidate and should be highlighted in your application material.

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
• Knowledge of:
  • Wildland fire Suppression
  • Forest data collection
  • Natural resource management methods, practices, and techniques
  • Use of equipment and tools
  • Maintaining safe working conditions in outdoor work environments
  • Supervision of adult incarcerated individuals
• Work experience that demonstrates:
  • Leadership skills
  • Conflict resolution
  • Interpersonal communication skills
  • Professionalism
• Experience in:
  • Wildland fire suppression
  • Silvicultural work (tree planting, vegetation management, and pre-commercial thinning
  • Recreation trail and facilities construction and maintenance
  • Operating a vehicle on forest roads
  • Supervision of adult incarcerated individuals
  • Microsoft Suite
• Technical / Professional knowledge, skills, and licenses:
  • NWCG Qualification of any Single Resource Boss (preferably Crew Boss)
  • Associate degree in natural resources, fire science, or other applicable field

At DNR, we value diversity and inclusion and are committed to hiring the best candidate for the job. Don't let doubts stop you from applying for this position. If you have any questions about the qualifications, please email us at
Supplemental Information
Application Requirements: Failure to provide the listed documents may result in disqualification. If you have questions or difficulty attaching these documents, please contact

• Online Application: Apply at (Click on the APPLY button above). You must complete the entire online application to be considered for the position.
• Cover Letter: Your cover letter should be tailored to this job posting. Be sure to highlight your qualifications for this role, directly address the requirements of the position, and explain why you're the best candidate for the job.
• Resume: Your resume should consist of your work history, education, volunteer work, life skills, experience, and any other relevant information associated with the position.
• References: References are optional at the time your application is submitted. Finalists will be asked to provide a list of at least three (3) professional references, to include a current or most recent supervisor, along with telephone numbers.
• Complete All Supplemental Questions: Answers to these questions will be used to evaluate candidates. Please provide comprehensive answers to all questions requiring a text response.
• Important: Do not attach any documents that include photos or private information (Social Security Number, year of birth, etc.).
• Email Communication: Candidates who move forward in the recruitment process may be contacted via email at with interview information/scheduling instructions. Please monitor the email listed in your application materials and check your junk email folder to ensure you receive these communications.

Questions? Please contact Noah Messing at /509-640-8394 or email us at
Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing