Helicopter Pilot - Lassen County at CAL FIRE at CAL FIRE Bieber, CA

CAL FIRE; Bieber (CA); On-site; USD 87,000 - 114,000; Full time

Job summary

CAL FIRE in Bieber, CA seeks a Helicopter Pilot to serve in Lassen County. This permanent, full-time role involves operating helicopters in demanding environments and coordinating with a dedicated firefighting mission, with a base salary in the range of $7,754 to $10,232 per month.

Qualification details and the complete duties are provided in the internal Duty Statement. The position requires FAA rotorcraft certifications and an appropriate medical certificate, with pay supplements applicable

Job description

Helicopter Pilot - Lassen County at CAL FIRE job at CAL FIRE. Bieber, CA.

Deadline 10/26/2025

Working title - Helicopter Pilot

Monthly salary - $7754.00 - $10232.00

Job Code # 489927

Position # 542-212-1046-573

Deadline 10/26/2025

Job Description and Duties

For questions related to the duties of the position, please contact Assistant Chief Mark Rotlisberger by phone at [phone].

This position is located in Bieber, CA.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .

Working Conditions

May be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays.

Pilots a helicopter in single pilot operation under hazardous conditions, during day or night, such as: mountainous terrain, turbulent air, reduced visibility, confined areas, over water, with external loads (including Heli torch and other airborne pyrotechnical devices), to and from unimproved landing sites, at high altitudes, in high temperatures, in toxic smoke, with high gross weights at or near the performance limits of the aircraft, in close proximity to uncontrolled fire line, and in close proximity with other aircraft such as with other firefighting helicopters, air tankers, lead planes, news media helicopters, as well as general aviation and military aircraft.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Position Details

Job Code #: JC-489927

Position #(s): 542-212-1046-573

Working Title: Helicopter Pilot

Classification: FORESTRY FIRE PILOT

$7,754.00 - $10,232.00

New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions: 1

Work Location: Lassen County

Telework: In Office

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

Facility: Lassen-Modoc Unit

Department Information

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is California’s fire department and resource management agency. The organization is comprised of nearly 12,000 permanent and seasonal employees. The mission of the Department is to serve and safeguard the people and protect the property and resources of California.

When you join CAL FIRE, you join a family of employees that function as a team. You will build trust and friendship with your co-workers, as together you respond to emergencies and challenging situations. CAL FIRE provides employees with a variety of career choices and opportunities. We hope that you will consider a rewarding and challenging career with CAL FIRE!

Special Requirements

Possession of a valid Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Commercial Airman Certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter rating or a valid FAA Airline Transport Pilot's Certificate with a rotorcraft- helicopter rating.

Possession of a valid and current Class II Airman's Medical Certificate issued by an FAA authorized medical examiner.

Possession of a valid Driver's License of the appropriate class issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

Forest-firefighting experience with helicopters is desirable.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

This classification is eligible for the following pay:

$7754 - $10232 Base Salary (paid every month)

$2635 - $3478 Extended Duty Week Compensation (paid every 4 weeks)

$127,303 – $167,998 Annual Compensation

Employees in the classification are eligible for Pay Differential 506 and shall receive the incentives based on their helicopter pilot qualifications and/or Cal FIRE helicopter program responsibilities. These incentives shall be cumulative, depending on the qualifications and program responsibilities of the employee, the total of which shall not exceed 15% of base pay.

RATE

10% of base salary - S-70i Firehawk Helicopter and Night Flying Qualified

2.5% of base salary - Unit Instructor Pilot

2.5% of base salary - Flight Examiner

2.5% of base salary - Helicopter Instructor Pilot

2.5% of base salary - Maintenance Test Pilot

2.5% of base salary - Chief Pilot

This differential shall be considered compensation for the purposes of retirement contributions.

The State shall pay an Educational Incentive Pay (EIP) of $150 per pay period to all permanent employees in this classification who have completed 60 units from an accredited community college, college, or university. EIP shall be eliminated upon movement to a classification not designated R08.

In addition to the above pay items, employees are eligible for medical benefits (health, dental, vision) and may be eligible for other pay differentials.

Contact Information

The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Hiring Unit Contact:

Northern Region Hiring

[phone]

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:

Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator

[phone]

[e-mail]

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Bargaining Unit 8 Considerations

The Bargaining Unit 8 Memorandum of Understanding regarding Voluntary In-Class Transfer Policy (Inter-Unit) (Section 9.2) will be followed. The department may require 2 years of service in the employee's current assignment before eligibility for transfer.

Additional Information

Please include the position number 542-212-1046-573 on your STD 678.

Candidate may be selected by resume review.

Applicants are highly encouraged to complete a Recruitment Questionnaire, located at:

How To Get A State Job

Individuals must pass an open examination before applying for most job vacancies with the State of California.

Use the “exam/assessment search” function on the CalCareers website atto search for the examination you are interested in applying for. If the exam is currently being offered, you will need to follow the directions in the exam bulletin on how to apply for and take the exam. Not all examinations are offered continuously or at the time a job vacancy occurs.

Successful examination candidates are placed on an eligibility list. Candidates should refer to their examination results for specific list eligibility expiration dates and to re-take the exam when necessary. Once list eligibility has been established, you can search and apply for current vacancies in the classification to which you have established eligibility.

Candidates must also meet the minimum qualifications of the classification to be appointed into the classification they are applying for. Minimum qualifications can be found in the class specifications listed on the exam bulletin or on the CalCareers website. Application packages should include documentation and relevant experience that shows you have the required education and/or experience to meet the minimum qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.