Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2 (Pcn 10-N25032)

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, is recruiting for a Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2 in McGrath.

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.

Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

What You Will Be Doing:

As a Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2, you will play a vital role in wildfire response operations across the Southwest Area. Under general supervision, you will lead coordination efforts, ensuring effective resource mobilization and seamless logistical support during fire incidents.

Key Responsibilities:

• Multitasking & Prioritization: Manage and prioritize multiple, simultaneous wildfire incidents, coordinating initial emergency responses and allocating suppression resources across various fires within the region.
• Collaboration & Coordination: Work closely with the Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center (ACDC) Center Manager, Assistant Center Manager, and Area Fire Management Officer (FMO). Together, you will anticipate resource demands and coordinate lodging, meals, transportation, and vendor contracts critical to fire suppression operations.
• Situational Awareness: Maintain real-time awareness of assigned resources, support capabilities, and conditions impacting fire activity. Monitor and report on current and forecasted weather, fire danger levels, smoke dispersion, and incident statuses.

This position requires quick thinking, adaptability, and strong communication skills, all of which are essential in supporting safe and effective wildland fire operations.

Mission and Values/Culture:

The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection is dedicated to serving Alaskans through wildland fire suppression, management, and control. Our mission is to safely manage wildland fires that pose a threat to life, property, and critical infrastructure across 150 million acres of land throughout Alaska, providing cost-effective and efficient fire protection and aviation services on State, private, municipal, and contracted lands. Protecting life, property, and the safety of both the public and firefighters remains our top priority.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:

We offer extensive training, travel opportunities, and career advancement to help you grow as a dispatcher. At the Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center (ACDC), McGrath office, we strive to foster a supportive culture that promotes a strong dispatch organization, work-life balance, and clear career pathways for incoming dispatchers. Our consolidated dispatch center enhances training and mentorship opportunities, provides in-state and out-of-state assignments, and helps dispatchers develop leadership skills. Teamwork and camaraderie are at the heart of ACDC, where dispatchers support one another and grow together.

The Working Environment You Can Expect:

Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center (ACDC) fosters teamwork and camaraderie, creating a supportive environment that builds friendship and loyalty. Our remote dispatch office, located in McGrath, Alaska, is off the road system and only accessible by aircraft or boat. This position may require working long hours (including evenings and weekends), flying in small, fixed-wing aircraft, and working extended hours away from home.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.

• Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: Uses a logistical, systemic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one's knowledge and experience base and call on other references and resources as necessary.
• 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.
• Planning and Evaluating: Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity. Works with others to achieve goals.
• Telecommunications: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, construction, or operation of telecommunications systems.

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.

Six months of wildland fire dispatch experience

And

Certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) as an Expanded Dispatch Recorder (EDRC)

And

Additional NWCG certification as either: Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher (EDSD) or Initial Attack Dispatcher (IADP)

Special Note:
Wildland Fire Dispatchers must receive red card training and certification under the National Incident Qualification System.

** Please read the information below carefully. **

At the time of application, the applicant must attach as individual documents the following items (If unable to attach documents, please fax or email the contact listed below):

• IQS Master Record or current Incident Qualifications Card.

• A list of two professional references with current contact information, with at least one being a current or former supervisor.
• A copy of your two most recent performance evaluations, or a letter of reference if evaluations are not available.
• IQS Master Record or current Incident Qualifications Card.

SPECIAL NOTICES

• This position may require frequent travel within and out of Alaska.
• This position requires working shifts that vary between 8-16 hours a day, up to 21 consecutive days, during weekends and on holidays, with little notice, depending on fire activity.

Application Notice

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or a hard copy application. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska “How to Apply" page. Your application must be submitted 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 level of competence in applying certain 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 obtained a degree, please indicate the units 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 in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the post-secondary institution. It is your responsibility to provide such 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 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 is not an alternative to filling out the application entirely. 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 mark the union you are a member of 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.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aides 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 & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Please be sure to check your junk folder for any messages that may be sent to you about this recruitment.

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For assistance with your password, please visit the reset password page.

For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:

Phil Blydenburgh

Coastal Region Fire Management Officer

Phone: 907-863-2014

Email: phillip.blydenburgh@alaska.gov