Airtanker Base (ATB) Loader & Supervisor

Role Responsibilities

Are you ready for a dynamic seasonal experience in airtanker operations that blends stewardship, leadership, and direct expertise? Join us as an Airtanker Base (ATB) Supervisor or ATB Loader and play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of Alberta's wildfire response team.

Are you ready for a fast-paced and high-impact seasonal opportunity in Alberta’s wildfire response program?

Join our Airtanker Base (ATB) team as an ATB Loader or ATB Supervisor, both of which play essential roles in supporting the safe, efficient, and coordinated loading of firefighting aircraft across the province. Airtanker operations are dynamic, physically demanding, and require strong problem-solving under pressure. Agility and comfort working outdoors in all weather conditions, around aircraft and machinery, are critical for success in these roles.

Your attention to detail, collaborative mindset, and drive to deliver results, even during long and irregular work hours, are key. A strong focus on safety, professionalism, and adaptability, combined with effective communication to foster teamwork and collaboration, is vital to the operational success of the team.

This hands-on role places you at the front line of Alberta’s wildfire response. Whether loading aircraft, managing retardant and fuel systems, or maintaining safe and effective base operations, your decisions will directly support emergency response across Alberta’s forests. Airtanker Base locations include Pincher Creek, Springbank, Rocky Mountain House, Edson, Whitecourt, Lac La Biche, Slave Lake, Grand Prairie, Manning, Loon River, Fort McMurray, High Level and Rainbow Lake.

Here is a glimpse of a day in the job as an Airtanker Base Loader.

ATB Loader (Natural Resources 2):
ATB Loaders are critical team members responsible for safely loading aircraft with retardant, maintaining equipment and facilities, and supporting day-to-day operations. Loaders work closely under the direction of the ATB Supervisor, and often coordinate with aircrew, fuel contractors, and other staff.

Responsibilities:
Aircraft Loading & Retardant Operations

• Safely operate mixing systems, valves, hoses, and pumps to load aircraft with retardant or foam.
• Conduct retardant control tests, perform recirculation, and report inventory data.
• Maintain mixing systems and storage areas in clean, ready condition.

Base Maintenance

• Conduct daily facility and grounds upkeep, workshop cleaning, and janitorial duties daily.
• Perform general maintenance on assigned base equipment and systems.

Fuel Support

• Support aircraft refueling and fuel testing under the supervision of the ATB Supervisor.
• Record fuel volumes, perform quality checks, and report any irregularities.

Communication & Coordination

• Maintain clear, professional radio communication with aircrew and team.
• Participate in daily briefings and follow supervisor direction in high-pressure environments.
• Report daily to the ATB Supervisor for a briefing on the general fire situation and the plan of action.

ATB Supervisor (Natural Resources 3):

ATB Supervisors lead base operations, ensuring safety, task coordination, and operational readiness. Supervisors mentor Loaders, maintain base standards, and act as the primary contact for dispatch and aircrew.

Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise a team of up to three ATB Loaders and support seasonal onboarding.
• Assign and monitor tasks including loading, assisting in fuel handling and testing, maintenance, and janitorial cleaning of Airtanker base facilities.
  Perform general maintenance on supplied equipment assigned to the base.
• Uphold a safe and respectful workplace culture.

Operational Oversight

• Ensure retardant systems, fueling areas, and base infrastructure are functioning and compliant.
• Coordinate aircraft loading activities, scheduling, and site preparation.
• Maintain detailed logs for retardant usage, incidents, fuel records, and inspections.

Safety & Compliance

• Monitor OHS compliance and ATB safety protocols.
• Identify and correct unsafe conditions or behaviors.
• Serve as primary point-of-contact for base-level emergency or operational issues.

Airtanker Dispatching:

• Work with the Air Attack Officer assigned to the airtanker group to ensure clear directions are given and received.
• Ensure the airtanker group receives briefings upon arrival.
• Facilitate the group briefing upon arrival to the base location. 

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.

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

About Your Competencies

• Agility: Having the capacity to anticipate, evaluate, and swiftly adapt to shifting priorities, maintain resilience during uncertain times, and excel in a dynamic work environment.
• Building Collaborative Environments: Taking the lead in creating conditions and work culture that foster effective collaboration, enabling individuals to work together productively to achieve shared objectives. Demonstrating respect for others’ input and expertise and is willing to learn from others by encouraging open and considerate discussion of issues.
• Systems Thinking: Recognizing that tasks performed within the Alberta Public Service (APS) are part of a broader, interconnected environment. It is essential to comprehend that activities within one segment of the APS can have far-reaching impacts on other groups and projects, both within and outside the organization. Systems thinking helps us consider these wider consequences and connections.
• Creative Problem Solving: Having the ability to evaluate options and consequences in novel ways to develop innovative solutions and achieve desired outcomes.
• Drive for Results: Effectively setting goals to prioritize work and proactively seeking advice or guidance when needed. Recognizing program objectives and one’s own contributions through service delivery, performance, and interpersonal interactions to ensure future success.
• Develop Self and Others: Taking initiative to stay current on skills, approaches, and technologies in their field of work. Reflecting on own performance to understand success, participates in developmental activities, and contributing to team learning by sharing information, knowledge, and experiences.  

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:
Natural Resources 2 (NR2)
Airtanker Base (ATB) Loader

• Some high school education plus    some related experience (i.e. up to 12 months).

Natural Resources 3 (NR3)
Airtanker Base (ATB) Supervisor

• High school diploma plus some related experience (i.e. up to 12 months)
• Experience as an ATB Loader is preferred.

Equivalency: 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

Related experience includes: airtanker operations, aviation and aviation support; wildland firefighting or wildfire support positions; forestry or field logistics; natural resources, environmental stewardship; and emergency response.

Positions may require the ability to lift, bend, and perform physically intensive tasks as related to the ATB Loader and Supervisor roles.

Assets:

• Experience with loading airtankers.
• Experience with wildfire suppression activities.
• Proficient computer skills and use of Microsoft Office applications (Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexibility to work various hours based on operational needs to support the active wildfire season.

Additional Requirements:

The following conditions are not required at the time of application but must be provided prior to your start date.

• A valid, unrestricted Alberta Class 5 driver’s license or an equivalent Canadian license.
• For more information on determining license equivalencies, exchanging a non-Alberta license, or information on licensed driver training schools.
  • A minimum 3-year Driver's Abstract, showing a record of seven (7) demerits or less (obtained within 30 days of your commencement date and presented to management prior to commencement).
• A valid Standard First Aid certificate with CPR certification.
• A current Defensive Driving certificate.  

*All candidates must be 18 years of age or older as of March 1, 2026, or prior to their start date. Position start dates range from March 1 to April 30, 2026.

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

Notes

This competition is recruiting for seasonal Airtanker Base (ATB) Loaders and Supervisors in the forest areas listed below.

Positions may require availability for travel outside of the home area and are open to shift work, including evenings and weekends. Large fires regularly have longer shift hours, which could include having work hours shifted to work weekends, evenings, and overnight on occasions. Current work schedules are 5 days on/2 days off, 10 days on/4 days off, and 15 days on/6 days off.

Positions and Locations:

• Calgary Forest Area
• Edson Forest Area
• Fort McMurray Forest Area
• Grande Prairie Forest Area
• High Level Forest Area
• Lac La Biche Forest Area
• Peace River Forest Area
• Rocky Mountain House Forest Area
• Slave Lake Forest Area
• Whitecourt Forest Area

This position could require availability for export (travel outside of home area) to support wildfire operations at other airtanker bases.

What We Offer:

• Wage employees receive 11.6% in addition to regular wage earnings in lieu of paid holidays and vacation leave
  • 5.6% of regular wage earnings instead of paid holidays
  • 6% of regular wage earnings instead of annual vacation pay
• Shift differential and opportunity to work overtime, overnight, evening, and weekend shifts
• Premium Pay Allowances
  • Wage employees residing above the 57th Parallel (i.e., High Level Forest Area) are eligible for a biweekly Northern allowance of $241.38.
  • Wage employees residing within the Fort McMurray Forest Area receive a biweekly allowance of $478.17 (pro-rated for part-time employees).
• Free accommodations and meals may be available as determined by the Forest Area.

Application Information:

• Your resume should indicate date ranges (month and year) for all education and work experience, specifying if the experience was casual, part-time (PT) or full-time (FT), while highlighting applicable duties or achievements.
  • For example, Call Centre Representative: Apr 2019 – Aug 2019 (PT, 20 hours per week).
• 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.