Deputy Director of Fire Programs

• Location 125 Handley Road,Central Point, OR, 97502,United States
• Base Pay $ - $ / Year
• Employee Type Exempt (FT)

About Burn Bot

Burn Bot provides systematic fuels treatment services to prevent destructive wildfires. We're firefighters, scientists, engineers, prescribed fire practitioners, ecologists, and community members who are answering the call to scale fuel treatment capacity. Our modern fuel treatment system recognizes and supports conservation efforts with a clean, smoke-free process. We need technology to amplify our work forces with targeted use of synthetic fire to treat fuel loads 10x faster than previously possible.

The Role

The Deputy Director of Fire Programs assists the Director of Fire Programs (DFP) in being responsible for building and leading Burn Bot's Fire Program, encompassing both fire response and prescribed fire operations, from concept to full execution, and scaling strategy at a national level. The Deputy Director of Fire Programs will have direct oversight of select portions of the Fire Program vertical as delegated by the DFP.

The main focus of the Deputy position will be on operational readiness and deployment of Burn Bot fire program resources to achieve the mission of the company. The Deputy will serve with full authority for Fire Program decision making and oversight in the absence of the DFP.

The ideal candidate is a proven operational leader who can translate strategic vision into field-ready systems, lead high-performing teams in complex and high-risk environments, and establish Burn Bot as a credible, trusted force multiplier within the broader wildland fire community.

The Deputy Director of Fire Programs is expected to split their time approximately 25/75 between administrative responsibilities and field engagement, however this may fluctuate based upon the need for field operations oversight. This position is an exempt role with an annual salary range of $157,000-$180,000. Placement within the range depends on experience, certifications, and skills.

This role, while in the field a majority of the time, may be based in Placerville, CA, Medford, OR, or our South San Francisco, CA Headquarters.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Assist oversight of and provide leadership for Burn Bot'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

Operational Execution & Readiness

Assist the operation of or be delegated oversight of a Burn Bot-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 Burn Bot 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 Burn Bot's UAS program within fire operations

Integrate technology solutions across intelligence, ignition, and monitoring functions, ensuring all systems are operationally relevant and scalable

External Coordination & Partnerships

Work with the DFP and other Programs leadership positions to interface with federal, state, and local fire agencies

Ensure that Burn Bot is aligned with existing state and national dispatch and contracting systems

Position Burn Bot as a force multiplier that complements and extends existing workforce capacity

Required 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…