Aircraft Pilot 2 - Lead Pilot (12-1309)
State of Alaska
FreshPosted Feb 17
✓ Fresh Listing
Posted: February 18, 2026 (1 day ago)
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Aircraft Pilot 1 - Wildland Fire Pilot (PCN 10-9624)
State of Alaska
Natural Resources
Location
Alaska, 99811
Salary
From $46.13
per hour
Type
Closes
March 12, 2026
Job Description
Summary
This job involves flying aircraft to help fight wildfires in Alaska, including scouting fires from low altitudes, leading other planes, and providing logistical support during the busy fire season.
Pilots will travel across the state to suppress fires and protect land and people.
It's a good fit for experienced pilots who stay calm under pressure, think quickly in dangerous situations, and are passionate about public service in a fast-paced outdoor environment.
Key Requirements
- Current FAA pilot licensure and qualifications for the assigned aircraft
- Ability to handle high-stress and emergency situations calmly
- Strong critical thinking and analytical problem-solving skills
- Effective decision-making in uncertain or risky conditions
- Knowledge of risk management principles for aviation and fire operations
- Willingness to travel throughout Alaska and work in dynamic, fast-paced fire environments
- Previous wildfire or aviation experience preferred, with training provided for qualified candidates
Full Job Description
The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, is recruiting for a Wildland Fire Pilot in Palmer, Alaska.
What You Will Be Doing:
The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Aviation Section is recruiting for an Aircraft Pilot 1 to provide support during Alaska’s busy fire season.
Travel throughout the state to support efforts to suppress Alaska’s wildfires.
Qualified candidates will be used primarily on tactical fire missions, which will include low level birddog/lead plane/ASM assignments as well as those requesting logistical support for preparedness and fire activity.
Previous fire experience is desired, but we are willing to train the qualified applicant.
Mission and Values/Culture:
The State’s Division of Forestry and Fire Protection provides fire protection services and related fire and aviation management activities on 150 million acres of land throughout Alaska, all while facing the challenges of a continually changing wildfire environment.
The goal of the DOFFP Fire and Aviation Program is to provide safe, cost-effective, and efficient fire protection services and related fire and aviation management activities to protect natural resources and human life on State, private, and municipal lands, in a manner commensurate with the values at risk.
Benefits of Joining Our Team:
- You will be a part of something greater than yourself
- You will have a sense of family and civic purpose
- You will gain useful knowledge within the fire and aviation industry
The Working Environment You Can Expect:
This Position is based in Palmer, AK.
Fire is a very dynamic and fast-paced work environment requiring great attention to detail and safety standards.
We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.
- Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).
- Critical Thinking: Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Analytical Thinking/Problem SolvingUses a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
- Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
- Risk Management: Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools used for risk assessment and mitigation, including assessment of failures and their consequences.
Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.
Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.
Requirements
Current FAA Licensure and class of Medical Certification as a Commercial Pilot or Airline Transport Pilot with ratings, including operating under instrument flight rules, appropriate to the category, class, and type of aircraft flown for the position;
AND
Applicable hours as PIC of appropriate category and class of aircraft predominantly flown by the position that includes sufficient flying time to safely and effectively operate aircraft in the geography, topography, and weather conditions equivalent to those predominantly encountered in the position’s Alaskan areas of operation.
Special Note:
As part of the examination process, the employing department will require successful completion of a flight check and approval from a certified flight instructor in the make and model of craft to be flown.
Qualifications
** Please read the information below carefully. **
At the time of application, the applicant must attach as individual documents the following items (If unable to attach documents, please fax or email the contact listed below):
- FAA Commercial Pilot's License with Instrument Rating.
- Class II Medical.
- Resume – please be sure to document prior fire experience.
If selected for an interview, the applicant must provide the following:
- Simulator training Certificates for the past 3 years.
- 3 Professional References.
- Logbook.
SPECIAL NOTICES
It is required that pilots hold a Commercial certificate, an instrument rating, a multi-engine rating, and a Class II medical.
Division of Forestry and Fire Protection Pilots must have a minimum of 1500 hours with 1200 hours PIC, 75 hours instrument, 100 hours in the last 12 months and 250 hours of Alaskan experience or similar.
It is desired to have 200 hours of multi-engine time.
It is the pilot’s responsibility to ensure the aircraft is properly prepared for the intended mission.
Ability to consistently operate aircraft in a safe manner in adverse conditions, following all the applicable Federal Aviation Regulations, Federal Interagency Aerial Supervision Guidelines, and Division of Forestry policies and procedures.
Must be able to follow Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR’S) and State policies delineated in the Air Operations Section of the Policy and Procedures Manual.
Must satisfy Pilot qualifications which meet or exceed current standards established by the interagency agreement with the U.S.
Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, including the listed minimums.
Application Notice
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions for applying are available on the Workplace Alaska How to Apply webpage (link). Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.
Supplemental Questions
For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions.
The State of Alaska (SOA) uses four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s competence in applying specific behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task.
The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.
Education
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application.
If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed.
Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education
Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above.
If using this education to meet minimum qualification requirements, you must demonstrate that the credentials have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in standard U.S.
education programs. Alternatively, an accredited U.S.
post-secondary institution must report that the other institution's transcript is given full value or that full value is recognized in relevant subject areas aligned with the post-secondary institution's curricula.
It is your responsibility to provide this evidence when applying.
Work Experience
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time.
Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met.
If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.
Note: Attaching a resume does not substitute for completing the application in full. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
Bargaining Unit
If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee.
Driver’s License Requirement
Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.
Firearms
This position requires the use or possession of a firearm or ammunition. In accordance with the federal Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 (PL 104-208), if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you may not hold this position.
A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is an offense that is (1) a misdemeanor under Federal or state law and (2) has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim.
If you have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, do NOT apply for this position.
Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.
EEO STATEMENTThe State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O.
Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.
Additional Information
If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the governmentjobs.com domain.
Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.
For assistance with your password, please visit the password reset page.
For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:
Douglas Burts
Chief Pilot
Phone: 907-761-6328
FAX: 907-761-6273
Email: douglas.burts@alaska.gov
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