Equipment Operator

VACANCY ANN#:   STOI-26-007

TITLE:                          EQUIPMENT OPERATOR

DEPARTMENT:         FIRE/FUELS MANAGEMENT

SUPERVISOR:           FIRE MANAGEMENT OFFICER / FUELS MANAGER

LOCATION:                WELLPINIT, WA

STATUS:                     REGULAR FULL-TIME

RATE OF PAY:           $24.75 - $25.17 PER HOUR

OPENING DATE:      FEBRUARY 11, 2026

CLOSING DATE:      FEBRUARY 25, 2026

INTRODUCTION:

This position is located on the Spokane Indian Reservation within the Fire and Fuels Management organizations. This position is specialized level wildland firefighter functioning primarily as an equipment operator and transport driver, as needed and qualified will serve as a member of hand crews, engine crews, or fuels crews performing wildland fire preparedness, suppression, and fuels management duties in adverse climate, fuels, and terrain conditions.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The Heavy Equipment Operator is responsible for operating and maintaining heavy equipment in a safe and effective manner.


• Heavy equipment may include trucks, front-end loaders, dozers, graders, skid steers, and other pieces of equipment. The Heavy Equipment Operator must also clean, maintain and secure all equipment. They must adhere to all traffic laws and requirements that the Department of Transportation.


• Provides assistance to the Fuels Management program with the planning, implementation, and monitoring of hazardous fuels reduction projects such as pre-commercial thinning, chipping, forest mowing and masticating, and prescribed burning.


• Assist Fuels Management staff with administration of Forest Work Contracts such as locating and marking fuels treatment unit boundary lines, posting bid advertisements, preparing bid packets, tagging treatment units, performing quality control inspections, and gathering treatment effectiveness data.


• Participates in fire and safety training techniques through classroom and on the job experience with crew proficiency checks and drills using safety sessions and fire critiques. In addition, practices methods of fire suppression in a safe efficient operation with the use of hand tools, equipment and vehicles used in fire line activities, Ensures own and others welfare and safety in all aspects of assignments.


• Perform daily safety and maintenance checks. Clean heavy equipment as scheduled and/or required. Ensure heavy equipment is safely secured during transportation. Advise the supervisor or their designee of any requirements for maintenance or repairs.


• Participate in routine maintenance. Practice workplace safety.


• Maintain inventory. Ensure access to houses, water supply and waste sites.


• Perform pre-winter, winter, spring, and summer maintenance on roads.


• Use equipment for snow removal.


• Perform other related duties.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have the ability to construct a fire line close to active fire or in areas where fire is expected to advance to.


• Able to build fire lines in very steep slope, rock terrain or sand soils.


• Must follow the direction of an Equipment Boss when required.


• May be required to have basic knowledge of cultural significant site or use caution in areas of known culture sites.


• Knowledge of advanced fire program requirements, strategies, tactics, and suppression methods used in containment and control of wildland fires in order to relay assignments to subordinate staff, accurately evaluate rapidly changing fire circumstances, determine when/if additional resources may be needed, or determine when circumstances warrant withdrawal of crew to safe location.


• Ability to perform duties under stressful and adverse operating conditions, such as long work hours, heavy workloads, emergency situations, adverse working, and environmental conditions.


• Working knowledge of advanced fire behavior including causes of fire, influence of temperature, humidity, wind, topography, slope and fuel moisture conditions, and fuels in order to know where to attack the fire, build fire line, where to be positioned to manage a wildland fire, and where to locate fuels treatments to reduce wildland fire risk.


• Must have or obtain CDL within 6 months.


• Qualified FFT2

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Qualified FFT1


• Qualified as ENGB

*Indian Preference Applies – Indian Preference grants preference to any enrolled member of a federally recognized Tribe.

*Safety Sensitive Drug & Alcohol Screening and Random Testing

Confirmation receipt of on-line application submission and interview status will be sent to all applicants e-mail address used when applying. Applicants are responsible to regularly monitor their e-mail for interview notifications.

Contact: Empero Corral or Kammi Rosenbaum

 (509) 458-6527  

 E-mail:   [email protected]

Applications Must Be Received In The Human Resources Department No

 Later Than 4:30 p.m. on the Closing Date

The Spokane Tribe Reserves The Right To Hire According To Its Indian Preference Policy

Applicants May be Subject To A Pre-Employment Drug Test Positions

All Positions With The Spokane Tribe Are Subject To A-90 Day Orientation