Aircraft Dispatch Coordinator, Wildland Fire Program Coordinator
Location: Southeast Region- East Wenatchee, WA
Salary: $5,398.00 – $7,254.00 Monthly
Review of applications is ongoing. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after 6/2/26. 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 Southeast Region. The Central Washington Interagency Communications Center (CWICC) is looking for an Aircraft Dispatch Coordinator to join our team. The person hired into this role will be responsible for providing timely and effective dispatching and coordination of aircraft, personnel, and equipment for fire suppression, as well as providing administrative support to the fire suppression program (i.e. fire reports, resource orders, record retention, cost tracking, rosters, smoke management, etc.). The incumbent of this position needs to have a wide variety of communication skills as they will interact with numerous levels of managers, supervisors, and employees within the DNR, as well as those within other agencies (US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Fish and Wildlife, rural fire districts, etc.) and the general public.
It is critical that the incumbent in this position has the confidence and ability to make independent decisions based on emergent situations and maintain their composure and professionalism while working in a potentially high-stress environment.
Responsibilities:
- Coordinating, leading, and dispatching multi-agency rotor wing and fixed wing aircraft for initial attack.
- Assessment and decision-making with regard to aircraft utilization on emerging and ongoing incidents.
- Utilizing Automatic Flight Following (AFF), IROC, and WildCAD for aviation resource tracking and communication.
- Monitors the need for Temporary Flight Restrictions.
- Work, communicate, and coordinate with neighboring dispatch centers, as well as agency SEAT, helicopter, smokejumper, rappel, short-haul, and tanker bases.
- Coordinate interagency aviation communications and preparedness.
- Represent CWICC at various interagency aviation briefings, preparedness meetings, workshops, and after-action reviews.
- Track costs for all CWICC-controlled aircraft.
- Ensure correct implementation of DNR and federal aviation agreements, including Exclusive Use and Call When Needed resources.
- Develop aircraft cost reports.
- Supervise 2-4 seasonal Aircraft and/or Initial Attack dispatchers.
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. It is important that you clearly communicate in your application material that your skills align with the position and qualifications.
- (2) two years of professional experience in the natural resource field, dispatching, communications, or business administration, or related field;
OR an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. - Incident Command System experience.
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) training.
- Experience with research and interpreting complex rules, legal documents, plans, and contracts.
- Knowledge of fire suppression principles/techniques and resource capabilities/limitations.
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.
- Bachelor’s degree in an applicable field of study, communications, or natural resources; OR any combination of education and experience.
- Initial Attack Dispatcher experience.
- Aircraft Dispatcher experience.
- Experience in wildland firefighting operations.