Wildland Fire Analyst Intern
Summer 2020
Wildfire Division – DNR Headquarters, Olympia, WA
Recruitment # 2020-04-9417
Exempt position: non-permanent, full-time (40 hours/week).
Three month duration: flexible to accommodate school start/end dates
Junior: $13.64 to $16.37 per hour
Senior: $14.32 to $17.76 per hour
Graduate student: up to $20.00 per hour
*DNR provides a $500/month (maximum of three months) housing stipend.
Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?
DNR is seeking one Wildland Fire Analyst Intern to work directly with our wildfire planning analysts and scientists on various projects related to fire suppression, fire danger, smoke management, and fire weather. The DNR Wildfire Program is the state’s largest on-call fire department with over 1,500 permanent and seasonal employees engaged in fire suppression across 13 million acres of private and state forest lands annually. Within the Wildfire Program, planning section staff provide scientific consultation, analysis, monitoring, and predictive capabilities to support the agency’s fire operations mission.
This unique internship will offer the selected candidate valuable, direct experience and the opportunity to work on current and planned projects or choose their own projects within the planning section’s program areas:
- [Fire Meteorology/Climate] Synthesize climate change impacts to agency fire suppression capabilities, investigate meteorological conditions leading to public smoke complaints or smoke intrusions
- [Fire Danger] Analyze fire occurrence trends across state lands, determine appropriate fire danger indices for Industrial Fire Precaution Level zones
- [Science/Tech Transfer] Conduct literature syntheses of wildland fire science and technology subjects and prepare non-technical reports for state fire leadership, develop a training program/material for implementing mobile data collection efforts for initial attack firefighting
- [GIS] Aggregate and analyze state and federal fire geospatial data for integration into corporate data systems, perform ad-hoc analysis for fire management, use scripting tools to automate data delivery and map production, enhance existing web GIS viewers and create meaningful data dashboards
- [Fire Environment Monitoring] Determine candidate sites for future fire detection camera installations, evaluate effectiveness of current fire weather station locations for fire danger applications
This intern will visit, under staff supervision, active wildfire incidents (fireline, incident bases, helibases) to learn more about fire operations and may also participate in daily statewide fire operations calls. At the end of the internship period, the successful candidate is expected to present a presentation to division staff on their experience as well as a report on their project.
Who are we looking for?
Required Qualifications
- Applicant should be a junior/senior undergraduate student or graduate student majoring in Natural Resources, Meteorology, Fire Ecology, Geography (GIS), Statistics, Computer Science, or related field and be returning to school in a following quarter/semester.
- Prior participation in scientific research or analysis projects (e.g., a professor’s research project, undergraduate thesis, substantial course project)
- A demonstrable interest in wildland fire
- Strong attention to detail and scientific writing skills
- Proficiency using mobile and desktop devices and basic computer applications
- Possess a basic knowledge (demonstrated by coursework or experience) of an applicable analysis toolkit in one or more of the following:
- Scientific programming/scripting (Python, R, etc.)
- GIS (ArcGIS software, ArcGIS Online, basic cartography)
- Wildfire modeling/planning (FireFamilyPlus, Behave, WindNinja, etc.)
- Data visualization/analysis software (Excel, Tableau, Power BI, etc.)
- Experience presenting technical information to diverse audiences
Desired Qualifications
- An advanced knowledge (demonstrated by coursework or experience) in one or more of the analysis tools listed above
- Coursework in:
- Fire ecology
- Fire behavior
- Climatology
- Climate change
- GIS
- Computer programming
- Statistical modeling/regression analysis
- Prior fire experience and/or NWCG coursework in fire behavior (S-190, S-290, etc.)
The Location
One of the world’s most scenic places, Washington State offers breathtaking discoveries for people who love natural beauty and outdoor recreation, from the Pacific Coast shores to the rugged Cascade Mountains to the rolling hills of the Palouse. Your office will be located in Olympia on the state capital campus, minutes from downtown and the South Puget Sound.
At DNR, we value public service, innovation and creative problem solving, safety and well-being, and leadership and teamwork. At DNR you’ll support the vision of a sustainable future by using your skills to protect and manage the state’s natural resources for both current and future generations. As a DNR employee, you’ll work with the public’s interest in mind as we manage more than 5 million acres of state-owned forest, range, commercial, agricultural and aquatic lands. But managing lands is only half of our story. We house the Washington Geological Survey, a dynamic program that is the primary source of geological products and services in support of decision making in Washington. We also protect other public resources such as fish, wildlife, water, and provide public access to outdoor recreation. Two of our largest and most important state-wide resource protection responsibilities are fire prevention and suppression, and overseeing forest practices.
We are nearly 1,500 employees strong and dedicated to making DNR a great place to work. Our mission is to serve Washington’s lands and communities; build strong and healthy rural communities; enhance forest health and wildfire management; strengthen the health and resilience of our lands and waters; and increase public engagement and commitment to our public lands and resources. In partnership with citizens and governments, we provide innovative leadership and expertise to ensure environmental protection, public safety, perpetual funding for schools and communities, and a rich quality of life. At DNR we approach our work through the lens of making Washington a better place environmentally, economically and socially for current and future generations.
What makes DNR a great place to work?
- Transitioning to a modern work environment
- Mobile work
- Infants at work program
- Commitment to organizational health and wellness
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council
- Leadership that empowers and supports employees
- Work/life balance
- Leadership development opportunities
- Educational aid and career development stipends
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
- Opportunities to participate in wildland fire suppression assignments
- Opportunities to stretch your professional skills
- A comprehensive benefit package that includes employer contributions toward health insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, sick leave and vacation days. Visit http://careers.wa.gov/benefits.html for more information.
Who May Apply
- This recruitment is open to anyone who meets the required qualifications for this position.
- Note: Students graduating in or before June 2020 should call or email for information on permanent employment opportunities. You can also find our current job openings at www.dnr.wa.gov/employment and www.careers.wa.gov.
Application Process
- To be considered you must apply online at www.careers.wa.gov (Click on the APPLY button above)
- Submit the following:
- A letter of introduction describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the position profile, required and desired position qualifications, and what you would like to gain from this internship (no longer than 1 page)
- Attach your resume – do not add it into the text of the application, it must be an attachment.
- An unofficial copy of your transcript(s)
- The names and contact information of three professional references. Professor references will be accepted in lieu of professional – you may attach a document, use the References text field in the online application, or include with resume.
- The first screening will be based on information contained in your candidate materials.
- Carefully review your application materials before submitting.
Questions? Please contact Josh Clark at (360) 902-1322, Josh.clark@dnr.wa.gov or e-mail us at DNRrecruiting@dnr.wa.gov.
By submitting the application materials you are indicating that all information is true and correct to the best of your knowledge. You understand that the state may verify information and that untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from applicant pool or dismissal if employed. This announcement is published by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Washington State Department of Natural Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities in a fair and impartial manner for all persons without regard to age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, creed, color, national origin, religion, genetic information, military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons with a disability who need assistance during the screening process or those needing this announcement in an alternative format may contact DNR Recruiting staff (360) 902-1350 or (360) 902-1128. DNR may be contacted using the Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) by dialing 711.
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