DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE MANAGEMENT

Address:  1110 W. Washington, Suite 500
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Salary: $19.4691 - $29.0409 Hourly 

Grade: 20

Closing Date: December 22, 2024.

This position is responsible for data life cycle management for the departments Firewise and Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) programs. Provides expertise and makes recommendations on the development and application of geospatial analysis processes, protocols, and solutions to mission-critical resource management issues. Operates complex computer systems and software packages and develops procedures to produce intricately detailed maps and graphics for mitigation programs, planning documents, and a variety of other requirements.

This is a grant funded position.

• Assist with developing an online Geo-spatial portal that will house all of Arizona's Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) and show where each plans hazard mitigation areas are located.
• Will also assist communities with developing their hazard mitigation areas and producing maps for their CWPPs. Responsible for the organization and maintenance of resource information and data to facilitate analysis across multiple programs including Firewise, CWPP's, and hazard mitigation project data.
• Create GIS layers for the fire prevention group to show all Firewise sites and Fire Prevention activities across the state and include any relevant data. Assesses quality, compatibility, and limitations of various data used in a wide array of fire prevention and planning efforts.
• Develops data dictionaries, data models, and metadata for multi-disciplinary information and geospatial applications. Coordinates conversion of geospatial information and remote sensing imagery into GIS databases. Applies geographic and cartographic principles to the resolution of multi-disciplinary issues in geospatial database construction and map compilation.
• Assist fire incident response and community defense mitigation efforts as a GIS Specialist when necessary. Applies standard geospatial and cartographic principles to new situations and resolves novel or obscure problems. Manipulates and analyzes geospatial data to support fire management/planning decisions for multiple resource, jurisdictional and ownership units or a large geographical region.
• Drive on State business.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Mathematics, statistics, and spatial analysis methods (queries, reasoning, measurements, transformations, descriptive summaries, optimization, hypothesis testing)
• GIS and Remote Sensing data entry techniques and methodologies
• Current GIS desktop and mobile software and procedures
• GIS systems, spatial data and database management systems and development platforms
• Quality Control and Quality Assurance of GIS processes, data, and products

Skills in:

• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication
• Use of computers and applicable software
• Problem solving
• Excellent file-based and online cartographic and map production
• Strong customer support skills in the use of GIS data and applications
• Designing cartographic products following best practices and community standards and guidelines.
• Supporting current spatial systems, identifies and resolves problems with deployed systems.

Ability to:

• Perform spatial analysis
• Engage with internal and external customers to understand functional requirements, and contribute to completion of functional specifications
• Develop and maintain working relationships with internal DFFM personnel and with external government and private cooperators
• Balance, prioritize and organize multiple tasks
• Work collaboratively in teams and across organizations
• Synthesize feedback and adjust plans accordingly
• Display data and create advanced maps
• Manipulate complex geospatial aspects of data
• Operate and maintain GIS hardware software, plotter, GPS, mobile devices
• Adhere to State of Arizona and Department of Forestry and Fire Management Standards of Conduct, policies, procedures and practices.
• Drive on State business

Bachelor’s degree plus 1 – 2 years of GIS and analysis experience (or equivalent experience) – Intermediate GIS software training – (e.g., extensions)

A valid Arizona Driver's License.

Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The Arizona Department of Administration offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
Top-ranked retirement and long-term disability plans
10 paid holidays per year
Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program, learn more at hr.az.gov/family-leave-expansion).
Vacation time accrued at 4.00 hours bi-weekly for the first 3 years
Sick time accrued at 3.70 hours bi-weekly
Deferred compensation plan
Wellness plans
Tuition reimbursement eligible after one year of employment

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).

Participation is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria as defined in statute.

Enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

The current contribution rate is 12.29%

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Morgan Lee at mlee@dffm.az.gov for assistance.

The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by calling (602) 771-1457. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.