Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING

Position Number:  50702776

Description Activated On:  4/20/2026 1:47:43 PM

Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. 

 Assist the Chief Forest Fire Warden to carry out mandated duties as stated in 71 P.S.§
1340.302 (d) and the Pennsylvania Prescribed Burning Practices Act; to serve as the statewide program coordinator for prescribed burning on private forestlands in Pennsylvania and for programmatic coordination of the Pennsylvania Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Program in consultation with the Pennsylvania Prescribed Fire Council and other partners.

Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor.

This position is responsible for developing programmatic goals and processes for prescribed burning on private forestlands in Pennsylvania and for coordination of the Pennsylvania Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Program in consultation with the Pennsylvania Prescribed Fire Council and other partners.
The employee is responsible for developing technical program rules and processes for the Certified Prescribed Burn Manager program, providing outreach and education to private citizens regarding safe and effective use of prescribed fire on private lands, and developing a statewide process to continually improve the quality of this program. The position interacts with staff in Forest Districts, other state fire management agencies, and federal fire management agencies and interprets program policies and standards to cooperators and members of the public. The position serves as a point of contact for all issues related to the Certified Prescribed Burn Manager program and safe and effective use of prescribed fire on private lands within the Commonwealth.

Specific job duties include but are not limited to:

1. Serve as the program specialist for the Certified Prescribed Burn Manager (CPBM) program and the safe and effective use of prescribed fire on private lands.

2. Provide technical assistance, education and outreach to communities and private citizens on prescribed fires and related programs.

3. Serve as a leader or member of the Certification Review Board that reviews and evaluates candidates for CPBM by reviewing training, qualifications, and experience records.

4. Lead and assist with wildland fire training courses, including the CPBM training currently hosted by the PA Prescribed Fire Council.

5.Resonsible for the overall administration and oversight of sub-grants and/or passthrough grants, including monitoring for compliance with all applicable federal rules and regulations.

6. Attend meetings and trainings, prepare reports, and answer questions related to CPBM activities and prescribed fire in general.

7. Respond to wildfires and other emergencies as a firefighter, single resource, or function in a support position when requested, qualified, and available.

8. Function on prescribed fires as a firefighter or burn boss.

9. Provide technical expertise and assistance in the planning and implementation of prescribed fires as needed, qualified, and available.

10. Perform equipment and facility preparedness as necessary.

11. Assist the Division of Forest Fire Protection in other program areas as needed.

Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature.

Work is generally assigned by the supervisor and reviewed based on job completion or by time interval based upon the complexity of the assignment.

Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License

Experience:

Experience in prescribed and wildfire operations.
Must be Agency or Nationally Qualified as a Firing Boss (FIRB)

Licenses, registrations, or certifications:

1.   Class C Driver's License
 
2.   Pennsylvania Forest Fire Warden
 
3.   OTHER
 
4.   N/A
 
5.   N/A
 
6.   N/A

Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
 
 1. Ability to traverse uneven ground.
 2. Ability to understand the concepts of fire management.
 3. Ability to use mathematics to assist in the analysis of fire report data.
 4. Ability to communicate with public on wildland fire related topics.
 5. Ability to work non-scheduled hours.
 6. Ability to travel overnight for extended periods of time.
 7. Ability to serve as a firefighter in an operational capacity on wildland fires.
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