Wildfire Training Specialist

Role Responsibilities

Are you passionate about wildfire management and dedicated to developing the next generation of wildfire professionals? Join Alberta's Wildfire Management Branch as a Wildfire Training Specialist, where your expertise in both wildfire operations and adult education will directly influence the knowledge, skills, safety, and readiness of wildfire personnel across the province. This is a unique opportunity to combine operational experience with instructional leadership while contributing to the protection of communities, natural resources, and lives during Alberta's most critical wildfire events.

Reporting to a Senior Wildfire Specialist, the Wildfire Training Specialist is responsible for designing, developing, delivering, and continuously improving wildfire training programs that support operational readiness, staff competency, and succession planning across the Wildfire Management Branch. This role serves as a subject matter expert in adult learning and wildfire management, providing leadership in training development, stakeholder engagement, program evaluation, and wildfire operations support.
The successful candidate will work with Government of Alberta employees, Indigenous communities, contractors, national partners, and other stakeholders to develop innovative and inclusive training solutions that meet evolving operational needs and legislative requirements. During periods of heightened wildfire activity, this role may also support incident response operations and participate on Incident Management Teams.

Your key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Designing, developing, and delivering operational and position-specific wildfire training programs using classroom, field, simulation, online, and blended learning approaches.
• Evaluating, updating, and modernizing training curriculum, delivery methods, and learning technologies to ensure continuous improvement.
• Applying adult learning principles and instructional design methodologies to create effective learning outcomes, exercises, assessments, and evaluations.
• Building and maintaining collaborative relationships with stakeholders, subject matter experts, Indigenous communities, partner agencies, and operational staff.
• Identifying training gaps, researching solutions, and implementing training initiatives that support operational readiness and succession planning.
• Coordinating onsite training activities, facilities, instructors, equipment, and logistics to ensure successful program delivery.
• Supporting culturally appropriate training delivery that incorporates Indigenous perspectives and promotes inclusion.
• Monitoring emerging trends, legislation, policies, technologies, and best practices in wildfire management and adult education.
• Administering contracts, licensing agreements, memorandums of understanding, and external training service agreements.
• Developing business cases, scopes of work, budgets, audit criteria, and evaluation standards for training services.
• Designing and facilitating "Train the Trainer" programs to ensure consistent and effective training delivery.

Role Responsibilities Continued

• Mediating conflicts and providing guidance to students, instructors, and supervisors during training activities.
• Assessing learner performance and developing customized learning plans to support student success.
• Participating in national and international wildfire training initiatives, task teams, and collaborative projects.
• Supporting wildfire operations by participating in Incident Management Teams and maintaining operational qualifications.
• Mentoring and coaching wildfire personnel in a variety of operational and leadership roles.
• Contributing subject matter expertise to provincial initiatives, policy reviews, standard operating procedures, and wildfire management program development.
• Promoting a respectful, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplace culture that values diversity and accountability

Join Alberta's Wildfire Management Branch and help build a highly skilled, safe, and resilient wildfire workforce that protects Albertans and communities across the province.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

Agility:
Demonstrates adaptability by proactively managing change and risk, identifying alternatives, communicating impacts, supporting others through change, and taking decisive action in uncertain situations with contingency plans in place.

Drive for Results:
Demonstrates accountability by taking ownership of outcomes, monitoring performance, making decisions in the best interest of Albertans, and achieving results aligned with APS goals. 

Develop Self and Others:
Demonstrates a commitment to growth by aligning career and development goals, leveraging strengths, embracing challenges, providing constructive feedback, and supporting a diverse and high-performing team.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Qualifications

Minimum Recruitment Standard: 
A related two-year diploma in Forestry, Environmental Studies, or a closely related field, combined with four (4) years of related experience.

Equivalencies:
Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of: 
•    one year of experience for one year of education or
•    one year of education for one year of experience.

Assets:

• Experience working with Indigenous communities and incorporating Indigenous perspectives into training programs.
• Experience developing simulation-based, online, or blended learning solutions.
• Experience administering contracts, licensing agreements, or external training service providers.
• Knowledge of provincial and national wildfire training standards and initiatives.
• Experience participating in national or international wildfire training, emergency management, or interagency programs.
• Experience contributing to policy development, standard operating procedures, or organizational improvement initiatives.
• Advanced certifications in wildfire operations, incident management, instructional design, adult education, or leadership development.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointments to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

This is a temporary full-time position with an anticipated end date of March 31, 2027. The position is based on a 36.25-hour work week, Monday through Friday.

Due to operational requirements and the nature of the training schedule, the successful candidate may be required to work overtime and on occasional weekends.

Candidates may be required to complete a written assignment as part of the interview process.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

•    Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
•    Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
•    Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
•    Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
•    Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
•    Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.