We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
PLEASE NOTE: For this selection process, our intention is to communicate with applicants by e-mail for screening/assessment purposes (including issuing screening results, and sending invitations for written tests and interviews).
Applicants who apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid e-mail address and make sure this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users.
As one of the largest protected swaths of boreal forest and the largest national park in the country, you can bet there’s a lot to the fire management program at Wood Buffalo National Park.
As a Fire Crew Leader for the park, you’ll support the team by supervising a small fire crew. Working together, you’ll respond to wildfires, carry out fuel management work, and play a role in prescribed fires as needed.
Additionally, you’ll assist in various projects as part of the resource conservation team related to natural and cultural resource management, vegetation management, incident response and management, including compliance.
You’ll work alongside and support, as needed, other areas within the Wood Buffalo National Park team.
This is a place of opportunity – to learn new skills, to try things you’ve maybe never done before, and to experience surreal landscapes.
You’ll be working for Wood Buffalo National Park, which is the largest national park in Canada, the world’s largest dark-sky preserve, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The park is a cultural landscape for Cree, Dene, and Métis peoples of the region. The park works with eleven Indigenous communities, who continue to use the land for activities like hunting, trapping, fishing, and medicinal plant and berry picking.
You’ll be part of a 20+ person Fire Management team that works together to advance fire science, carry out wildfire risk reduction work, respond to wildfires as necessary, collaborate with other governments and stakeholders, support the national fire program, and more.
You’ll work primarily outdoors, based out of the park’s operations compound or firebase. You can expect to travel into the park frequently, sometimes in helicopters or other small aircraft.
The work can be physically demanding and require you to work in remote locations of the park, sometimes in not great weather conditions and with little access to communications.
You will do work that matters and have tangible examples of the differences you and your team are making. There are many chances and possibilities for career growth within Parks Canada that will extend to you in this role.
You’ll be based in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, a community of 2,500 people. Fort Smith is connected to southern Canada by a year-round paved highway and is nestled on the eastern Alberta-NWT border. Major cities like Edmonton are a 13-hour drive away, while Yellowknife is a seven-hour drive north. Flights are available into and out of the community via Fort Smith’s local airline, Northwestern Air Lease.
Fort Smith is in Treaty 8 territory and the traditional territory of the Indigenous peoples of Salt River First Nation, Smith's Landing First Nation, and the Northwest Territory Métis Nation.
Parks Canada is a federal government agency responsible for protecting and presenting the outstanding natural and cultural resources found throughout Canada. We do this through a system of national parks, national marine conservation areas, and national historic sites across Canada.
A qualifying list will be established, and may be used to fill similar positions of various tenures (temporary, full-time, part-time).
A pool of qualified candidates will be established and may be used to staff similar term and/or permanent positions.
The results from this competition may be used to staff similar positions in the future on an indeterminate, term, seasonal or acting assignment basis.
Positions to be filled: 1
Your résumé.
Contact information for 3 references.
🎓EDUCATION
A secondary school diploma or acceptable combination of education, training, experience in a field related to the position and completion of the CIFFC S230 Crew Leader Course or equivalent.
Preference may be given to candidates with post-secondary education in natural resource management and CIFFC S230 Crew Leader course or higher level of fire training.
*Proof of education must be submitted with application. Failure to provide a copy of the certificate with your application will result in your application not being assessed further.
🔥EXPERIENCE
• Experience in fire management operations related to fuel management, prescribed fire and/or fire suppression;
• Experience working on the fireline;
• Experience in using and maintaining fire equipment;
• Experience working in remote areas for extended periods;
• Experience working in the forestry environment;
• Experience in supervision.
Preference may be given to candidates with experience in fire suppression, including mop-up and patrol on multiple fires of various sizes and complexities; experience in fireline construction using hand tools, power tools and water delivery systems and experience with aircraft use (both fixed and rotary-wing) in fire management operations.
English essential
Information on language requirements
🔥KNOWLEDGE
• Knowledge of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other related Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues;
• Knowledge of fire management strategies and tactics for both wildland and prescribed fires;
• Knowledge of key techniques and practices related to weather prediction, map and photo interpretation and fire behaviour prediction.
🔥ABILITIES
• Ability to maintain equipment in a state of readiness;
• Ability to deliver training to fire crew members;
• Ability to supervise staff while working under high stress;
• Ability to use a computer for recording and reporting incidents and/or accidents.
🔥PERSONAL SUITABILITY / LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES
• Personally connects with others;
• Makes things happen;
• Communicates effectively;
• Takes responsibility.
🔥OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• Willingness to wear a Parks Canada uniform and prescribed protective equipment;
• Willingness to work and/or travel under challenging conditions (including varied terrain, weather conditions, isolated locations and by various means of transportation) for extended periods of time;
• Willingness to work extensive and/or irregular hours including evenings, weekends and/or statutory holidays and overtime, when required;
• Willingness to travel extensively and to fly in small aircraft and helicopters;
• Willingness to obtain certification in the Intermediate Wildland Fire Behaviour course.
Reliability Status security clearance
• Valid Class 5 Driver’s License;
• Required to undergo and pass pre-placement and periodic medical checks, including Occupational Health Assessment for firefighters;
• Pass the WFX FIT wildland firefighter fitness test to the Parks Canada National Standard time of 14:30;
• When position is located in area classed as isolated and remote, a pre-employment medical examination of an individual and his/her dependants may be required;
• Possession and maintenance of St. John’s Ambulance Standard First Aid Certificate (or equivalent) and CPR certificate;
• Eligible to be “hover exit” certified in a helicopter;
• Certification for chain saw use;
• Completion of the CIFFC S230 Crew Leader Course or equivalent.
The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.
Information on employment equity
HOW TO APPLY
You must apply online.
1. ONLINE SCREENING QUESTIONS
All candidates must clearly demonstrate in the online screening questions how they meet the education and experience factors listed in both the essential and asset qualifications listed.
Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that these factors are met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. Provide concrete examples of WHEN, WHERE & HOW.
Failure to clearly demonstrate how you meet the Education and Experience factors may result in the rejection of your application.
Normally, applicants will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information.
Candidates will be asked to provide proof of their education credentials at a later date.
2. RESUMES
Resumes will be used as a secondary source to validate the experience described in the screening questions and/ or email - as appropriate.
3. REFERENCES
Three (3) references are required, including one from a recent* supervisor.
Recent* is defined as within the past two years.
4. CURRENT POSITION (FOR Government of Canada Employees) (if applicable)
Please identify clearly your substantive group and level and your employment status on your resume and/or application and/or email.
ASSESSMENT
∙ An interview will be administered
∙ A written assessment may be administered
∙ Reference checks will be sought
Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.
Parks Canada Agency considers applications from all individuals who have legal status to work in Canada. Please indicate in your application the reason for which you are entitled to work in Canada: Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status or work permit.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PLEASE NOTE: Our intention is to communicate with candidates via e-mail for competition purposes.
Please provide a valid e-mail address. It is the candidate's responsibility to provide any changes to their personal information to the contact indicated on this job advertisement.
The essential qualifications that are listed in the poster are mandatory. A pass mark will be established for each.
Successful candidate(s) must meet and maintain the conditions of Employment throughout their employment.
Persons who have received pay in lieu of unfulfilled surplus period, a Transition Support Measure (TSM) or an Educational Allowance and are re-appointed to the Parks Canada Agency are required to reimburse an amount corresponding to the period from the effective date of such reappointment or hiring, to the end of the original period for which the TSM and education allowance was paid. Please contact Wanda Burdett, Human Resources Manager, if you are one of these individuals to find out how this applies to your particular situation.
Persons who are in receipt of a Canadian Government Public Service pension and are considering this employment opportunity with the Parks Canada Agency, should contact the PWGSC Public Service Pension Centre (1-800-561-7930) in order to determine the impact of an appointment on their pension benefit entitlements.
The Parks Canada Agency is established as a separate employer in the Federal Public Service under the Financial Administration Act. Persons appointed to the Agency continue to be part of the Public Service. The Parks Canada Agency operates under its own human resources framework outside of the Public Service Employment Act and in line with values of fairness, competence and respect, and its operating principles.
In accordance with paragraph 8(2)(a) of the Privacy Act, information or material, whether provided directly by the candidate or otherwise obtained by the selection board, used during the selection process for the purpose of assessing a candidate may be used as part of the selection review and recourse processes. Such relevant information may be provided to third parties, such as other candidates or their representatives, who have a legitimate reason to be aware of that information.
We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.