The Lookout Jobs page is a collection of Lookout Jobs, both paid and volunteer. Postings include lookouts for the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and others. FFLA volunteer lookout opportnities and from other programs may also be listed. The posting period typically begins December 1 and goes through spring time of any given fire season year.
If you have a Lookout Job you would like posted, please email the Webmaster for posting. Please describe the the position as best as possible and ensure you include the proper contact info. See also below for other Job resources.
Idaho - Salmon‐Challis National Forest Middle Fork Ranger District - Forestry Technician Lookout Posted - 3/17/2013
The Middle Fork Ranger District of the Salmon‐Challis National Forest will shortly be filling seasonal fire lookout positions. See beklow link for more information.
Idaho - Salmon‐Challis National Forest North Zone Fire Orgnization - Forestry Technician Lookout Posted - 3/12/2013 The North Zone Fire organization of the Salmon‐Challis National Forest will shortly be filling seasonal fire lookout positions. See beklow link for more information.
California - Pilot Peak, Groveland Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest. Posted - 2/25/2013
Pilot Peak, Groveland Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest. - GS-4 seasonal position Typical season is May-October. See below link for information about the lookout.
Apply through USA Jobs (link is at the top of this page)
Idaho - Sundance Lookout Volunteer Position Posted - 1/31/2013
Now open, a volunteer position for Sundance Lookout on the Idaho State Forest overlooking Priest Lake in the Selkirk Range of the Rocky Mountains, northern Idaho. Volunteers perform fire detection, communication, public education and maintenance duties while staying in the cabin for a week or two at a time. A 4wd pickup is provided and applicants must be able to drive a manual transmission over rough boulder-strewn access road.
For more information contact: Pam Aunan, Coordinator Priest Lake Area Idaho Dept of Lands paunan@idl.idaho.gov
Wyoming - Temporary Fire Position, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region (R2) Black Hills National Forest, WY - Bearlodge Ranger District Posted - 1/25/2013
The Bearlodge Ranger District will be advertising and filling a Temporary Position for the Sundance, WY office.
Submit applications for the following positions no later than February 24, 2013
No housing will be available for seasonal employees.
Forestry Technician (GS-4) Lookout; contact Chris Huhnerkoch of Trevor Papenfuss at 307-283-1361
Duties: Uses standard fire finders to locate observed smoke. Estimates distance to smokes and probable size and characteristics of fires. Determines map location of fires with reference to known landmarks. Reports azimuth, distance, location, volume, color, behavior of smoke, and other pertinent information by radio or telephone. Continues to observe the area and reports significant changes such as increased smoke, wind conditions, changes in color or volume of smoke, etc. Observes ground lightning strikes, thunderstorms, and build-up cloud formations and reports significant observations. Records and reports daily weather observations. Maintains records and log books. Makes minor adjustments and maintains lookout equipment. Maintains lookout station and grounds in a neat and orderly condition. Operates a radio communications center which connects other lookout stations and radio sets. Receives and relays messages and information received relating to weather forecasts, fire hazard conditions, fire emergencies, accidents, and location of work crews and personnel. Serves as key contact at a lookout station visited by large numbers of people during the fire season. Promotes the fire prevention program by explaining State and Federal laws, policies, and regulations, as well as fire prevention methods and procedures and fire hazard conditions.
Duty Location is Sundance, WY - OCR#: TEMPOCR-0462-04-LOOKOUT-DT
How to Apply
These appointments are temporary seasonal positions. The vacancy announcements will be posted on USAJOBS at www.usajobs.gov/in the near future. To apply for a job, there are four basic steps:
1. Create an account - Enter your profile information and create a resume. Please note that you do not need to create a "My Account" to search for jobs, but you must create an account to apply for jobs online.
2. Search jobs - Use basic search to enter in job and location keyword information from the USAJOBS home page or the advanced search function. Review the job opportunity announcements and note of those of interest. Carefully review the "Qualification and Evaluation" section to determine whether you will qualify for the position. You must identify Sundance, WY as locations specific to the above listed positions.
3. Apply for jobs - Carefully follow the instructions in the "How to Apply" section for each announcement. Submit any additional documentation to verify your qualifications such as transcripts, SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action, and/or Veterans' Form DD-214. You may store up to five uploaded or "resume builder" created resumes.
4. Manage Your Career - Log into your account to obtain application status for positions for which you have applied. Contact the agency for specific follow-up questions or those related to the particular job. The agency contact information is listed on the right hand side of the announcement.
If you are interested in working as part of the Bearlodge Ranger District and would like more information, please feel free to call Chris or Trevor 307-283-1361.
Oregon - Department of Forestry Additional "Open Continuous Roster" Postings Posted - 1/24/2013
There may be no openings at any of these lookouts this coming season. Call the contact numbers to verify.
Medford Unit: There are three lookouts at the present time that are staffed on the Medford Unit. They are Soda Mountain Lookout (43 mile drive from Central Point), Round Top Lookout (33 mile drive from Central Point), and White Point Lookout (48 mile drive from Central Point). It is recommended you have a four wheel drive vehicle to get to all three lookout towers as the roads are primitive. You will have to provide your own transportation to these lookouts, with the mileage being paid for one trip up and back each week. You may stay at the lookouts during your work days, but must stay elsewhere on days off. There is a small refrigerator, small cook stove, and bed provided in each lookout tower. Round Top and White Point do not have electricity, Soda Mountain does have electricity. The normal work shift varies and may not be full time, with the hours changing throughout the fire season. Persons hired may serve as a relief lookout staffing multiple looks each week. The person who staffs lookouts will work by themselves with very little personal contact.
If you have any questions please contact Tyler McCarty at 541-664-3328.
Grants Pass: There are two lookouts at the present time that are staffed on the Grants Pass Unit. They are Little Grayback Lookout (15 mile drive from Cave Junction), Sexton Lookout (9 mile drive from Merlin). It is recommended you have a four wheel drive vehicle to get to both lookout towers as the roads are primitive. You may need to provide your own transportation to Sexton lookout, with the mileage being paid for one trip up and back each shift. You may stay at the lookouts during your work days, but must stay elsewhere on days off. There is a small refrigerator, small cook stove, and bed provided in each lookout tower. Little Grayback does not have electricity, Sexton does have electricity. The normal work shift varies and may not be full time, with the hours changing throughout the fire season. Persons hired may serve as a relief lookout staffing multiple looks each week. The person who staffs lookouts will work by themselves with very little personal contact.
If you have any questions please contact Karl Witz or Tim Swink 541-474-3152.
Apache Maid Lookout, Coconino N.F. Arizona Posted - 1/23/2013 ***THIS POSITION IS NOW FILLED***
Announcement Number: TEMPOCR-0462-04-LOOKOUT-DT
THE POSITION Forestry Technician (Lookout), GS-0462-04 The Red Rock District of the Coconino National Forest looks forward to welcoming someone new to our Fire Prevention and Detection family. A dream Fire Detection job has become vacant in the beautiful Sedona/Mogollon Rim area of Arizona on Apache Maid Lookout Tower. Built in 1961, the Apache Maid Tower is an R-6 Flat Model with a 12 X 12 cab which was fully renovated this year. The tower has a unique history having been built by a Forest Service partnership with the Beaver Creek Watershed Study. The tower overlooks a stunning landscape of ponderosa pine and in the lower elevations, beautiful grasslands, pinyon, juniper, and amazing vertical cliffs of the Wet Beaver Creek. The tower receives a myriad of visitors during the summer; we are seeking an individual with seasoned expertise in the detection wildland fires, ability to identify changing weather patterns, skilled knowledge of fire behavior and fire prevention education. Incumbent must be skilled in emergency radio operations. Apache Maid Tower rarely has vacancies and look to fill this position with someone willing to come back every year.
DUTIES Serves as a Lookout in the detection of wildland fires and assists with fire dispatch through operation of radios, telephones, and other necessary equipment to exchange information for fire weather and other forest suppression activities. Reports smoke and fires, giving location, estimated size, distance and other pertinent information utilizing specialized equipment such as a fire finder, topographic maps, compasses and geographical references. Comprehensive understanding of fire weather and fire behavior including: understanding of weather systems, cloud formation/buildup, thunderstorm identification and safety associated with lightning activity and how it effects in the wildland fire environment. Reads simple weather instruments, records and reports wind direction, wind speed, temperature, humidity, and fire weather information. Keeps dispatcher and fire officials informed of current weather, reports lightning, severe weather fire weather conditions and changing fire behavior. Communicates with natural resource managers and all risk emergency responders during incidents utilizing handheld and base radios, signal mirrors and telephones. Records observations; tracks location of crews and personnel on daily basis and during fire and all risk incidents, emergencies or accidents. Serves as point of contact to guests for general forest information, participates in forest and region wide educational events and assists in education and prevention of human caused fires for the protection of natural resources. Responsible for general maintenance, organization and upkeep of fire detection tower; reports and mitigates hazards and safety concerns through chain of command and maintains daily log, records and training requirements.
THE SETTING The Coconino National Forest consists of four Ranger Districts covering approximately 1.8 million acres. The Forest is located in Northern Arizona and is characterized by a broad plateau of ponderosa pine and many rocky slot canyons of the Mogollon Rim transitioning to the Upper Sonoran desert areas of the Verde Valley. The Red Rock Ranger District is situated in the Verde Valley and its “red rock country” is world renowned for its sensational red sandstone mountains, cliffs, spires, buttes, and mesas of Sedona, Arizona. Diverse vegetation is found within the District; mixed conifer canyons exist at higher elevations, ponderosa pine forests and pinyon/juniper woodlands dominate the mid-elevation sites, and desert shrub and grasslands are present at the lower elevations. Numerous riparian areas and perennial rivers and creeks are also present on the District. The Verde River runs north to south through the valley and is fed by numerous tributaries; Sycamore Creek, Oak Creek, Dry and Wet Beaver Creeks, West Clear Creek and Fossil Creek.
DUTY STATION This position is supervised by a combined Coconino/Prescott N.F. Fire Management and lies within the Red Rock District. The District is located in the south half of the Coconino National Forest and covers approximately 550,000 acres. The incumbent’s primary duty station will be the will be Apache Maid Lookout Tower within the Red Rock Ranger District. The administrative office is a secondary duty station and is located one mile south of the community of the Village of Oak Creek, approximately eight miles south of Sedona, Arizona.
APPLICATION PROCESS The Forest Service has a new hiring system; applicants must apply online through USA JOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov
You will need to create a user profile, input your work history and upload your resume and other required forms. Job announcement numbers will be determined at a later date. Periodically check back with the website for position announcements.
Positions may be filled as a temporary appointment up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year which can be extended 1 additional year. These are temporary positions with varying tours of duty (work schedule) and may include weekend work. Some positions may have irregular and protracted hours of work. Tours of duty include full-time or less than full-time. Considerable travel may be required. Relocation expenses (transfer of station) are not authorized. The Office of Personnel Management has delegated to the Forest Service the authority to make Temporary Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project for Temporary Employment. Under this project, any U.S. Citizen may apply.
For Additional inquiries please contact Fire Prevention Specialist, Olivia Rahman Phone: (928)567-1152 Email: ocrahman@fs.fed.us
Oregon - Department of Forestry "Open Continuous Roster" Postings Posted - 1/14/2013
John Day Unit: There are two lookouts that will be staffed for the next couple of years. Ritter Butte Lookout approximately 10 miles from Long Creek and 47 miles from John Day, on Hwy 395 between Long Creek and Dale. It is recommended you have a vehicle you can use to commute to the lookout (it is only ½ mile on gravel road to lookout from highway). You will have to provide your own transportation to the lookout, with the mileage being paid for day trips from the Long Creek Guard Station daily, five days a week. You may be able to stay at the guard station in Long Creek during your 5 work days, but must stay elsewhere on days off. There is a small refrigerator, microwave, and futon at the lookout. The lookout has electricity. The normal work shift is 5 days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with Sunday/Monday off. The person who staffs the lookout will work by themselves with very little personal contact. If you have any questions please contact Angie at 541-620-4360.
Tamarack Lookout is approximately 47 miles from Heppner, OR. This position is the result of a cooperative partnership between John Day Unit and USFS–Heppner Ranger District. It is recommended you have a vehicle you can use to commute to the lookout (high-clearance). You will have to provide your own transportation to the lookout, with the mileage being paid for travel in for days on and travel out for days off (you will work 5 days a week, unless fire emergencies have developed). Ideally, you would provide a trailer or camper for housing at the lookout. Commuting daily is not recommended. The lookout has no electricity. The normal work shift is 5 days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with Thursday/Friday off. The person who staffs the lookout will work by themselves with very little personal contact. If you have any questions please contact Angie at 541-620-4360.
Prineville/Sisters Units: There are three lookouts at the present time that are staffed. Gerow Butte and Foley Butte which are roughly 25 miles from Prineville with Hinkle Butte being about 6 miles from Sisters. It is recommended you have a four wheel drive to get to Gerow and Foley Buttes, as the roads are primitive. You will have to provide your own transportation to these lookouts, with the mileage being paid for one trip up and back each week. You may stay at the lookouts during your 5 work days, but must stay elsewhere on days off. There is a small refrigerator, small cook stove, heater and bed provided at each lookout. The Prineville lookouts do not have electricity and are behind locked gates. The normal work shift is 5 days a week and 0930-1800 and will work at least one day of the weekend. The cabin on Foley Butte is 52 ft above the ground with Gerow Butte's cabin being 62 ft. and Hinkle's cabin is about 25 ft. The person who staffs the lookouts will work by themselves with very little personal contact. If you have any questions please contact Bart at 541-416-6813.
Klamath Unit: There are three lookouts at the present time that are staffed on the Klamath Unit of the Klamath-Lake District. They are Parker Mountain (36 mile drive from Klamath Falls), Chase Mountain (20 drive miles from Klamath Falls), and Hogback Mountain (8 drive miles from Klamath Falls). It is recommended you have a four wheel drive vehicle to get to all three lookout towers as the roads are primitive. You will have to provide your own transportation to these lookouts, with the mileage being paid for one trip up and back each week. You may stay at the lookouts during your 5 work days, but must stay elsewhere on days off. There is a small refrigerator, small cook stove, heater, and bed provided in each lookout tower. Chase Mountain and Hogback Mountain Lookouts have electricity, Parker Mountain Lookout does not. The normal work shift is 5 days a week with the hours being 9:00-18:00. The person who staffs lookouts will work by themselves with very little personal contact. If you have any questions please contact Jacob Barnett at 541-883-5694.
Yellowstone Nat'l Park, Wyoming Posted - 12/26/2012
The National Park Service is looking for temporary employees to work as fire lookouts in Mammoth, WY (Yellowstone National Park)
Job Title:Forestry Technician (Fire Lookout) Department:Department Of The Interior Agency:National Park Service Job Announcement Number:NPS-FIRE-2013-026
SALARY RANGE: $14.31 to $14.31 / Per Hour OPEN PERIOD: Friday, December 14, 2012 to Thursday, January 03, 2013 SERIES & GRADE: GS-0462-04 POSITION INFORMATION: These are full time excepted service temporary seasonal positions; Not to Exceed 6 months. - The length and actual dates of employment may vary depending on the position.
More info and to apply, go to the USAJOBS link here -
Monjeau lookout, Lincoln N.F. New Mexico Posted - 12/5/2012
Open lookout position in Ruidoso New Mexico on the smokey bear ranger district on the Lincoln national forest. The job would start in early March 2013 and applications can be prepared on usajobs. For any further information please contact me at 575-937-4865 or email ncordova02@fs.fed.us. The lookout job is a seasonal 1039 job with the USFS. Monjeau lookout is a highly visited area on the forest, so the lookout would also make lots of public contacts along with looking for smoke reports. The lookout would have opportunity to live on the district compound and commute to the tower daily.