Deputy Director, National Fire Programs

Burnbot; Placerville (CA); On-site; USD 157,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Deputy Director of Fire Programs at BurnBot will lead the Fire Program from concept to full execution, overseeing both response and prescribed fire operations with national scaling ambitions. The role emphasizes field readiness, risk management, and coordination with federal, state, and local agencies while shaping deployment strategies.

This exempt, full-time position may base in Placerville, CA or other hubs, with roughly 25% administrative work and 75% field engagement, and a salary range

Qualifications

• 10+ years of wildland fire experience in federal, state, local, or private contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in wildfire suppression operations and prescribed fire planning and execution.
• Proven ability to build and scale operational programs from the ground up.
• Experience leading teams in complex, high-risk, time-sensitive environments.
• Ability to translate organizational strategy into field-level execution.
• Valid driver's license and ability to be insured under company policy (this role requires driving company vehicles and trailers to remote job sites).

Responsibilities

• Assist oversight of and provide leadership for BurnBot's integrated Fire Program encompassing both response and prescribed fire operations.
• Contribute to aligning fire operations with acreage, revenue, and organizational readiness targets.
• Develop Fire Program SOPs, operational playbooks, and go/no-go frameworks.
• Recruit, develop, and lead key program roles including Fire Operations Specialists, Fire Module Leaders/Crew, and Fire/UAS leadership.
• Assist planning towards achieving revenue targets, cost structures, and deployment economics for the Fire Program.
• Assist the operation of or be delegated oversight of a BurnBot-centric national dispatch and mobilization system spanning the full operational lifecycle: situational reporting, decision-making, deployment, and demobilization.
• Eliminate operational failures including miscommunication, incorrect equipment assignments, and logistics breakdowns.
• Assist the DFP to build and maintain regional readiness models encompassing personnel, equipment, and logistics infrastructure.
• Work to establish BurnBot as a credible, scalable prescribed fire operator with repeatable standards.
• Build and implement burn plan standards, technical review processes, and multi-region pilot programs leading to full-scale Rx operations.
• Work with the DFP to define and implement BurnBot's UAS program within fire operations.
• Integrate technology solutions across intelligence, ignition, and monitoring functions, ensuring all systems are operationally relevant and scalable.
• Work with the DFP and other Programs leadership positions to interface with federal, state, and local fire agencies.
• Ensure that BurnBot is aligned with existing state and national dispatch and contracting systems.
• Position BurnBot as a force multiplier that complements and extends existing workforce capacity.

Job description

The Deputy Director of Fire Programs at BurnBot will lead the Fire Program from concept to full execution, overseeing both response and prescribed fire operations with national scaling ambitions. The role emphasizes field readiness, risk management, and coordination with federal, state, and local agencies while shaping deployment strategies.

This exempt, full-time position may base in Placerville, CA or other hubs, with roughly 25% administrative work and 75% field engagement, and a salary range