PILOT, FIRE SERVICES - FIRE EMERGENCY

Position/Program Information

FIRE DEPARTMENT

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

OPEN COMPETITIVE - FIRE EMERGENCY

EXAM NUMBER :
30211A-FR

APPLICATION FILING PERIOD:

The application filing period will begin on July 7, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) - Continuous. We will keep accepting applications until the position is filled. The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.

The LA County Board of Supervisors has unanimously ratified a Proclamation of Local Emergency in response to the windstorms and wildfires , including the Palisades and Eaton Fires, that have devastated communities across the County. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to assist the County in mobilizing resources and support needed to help our residents recover and rebuild. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The County of Los Angeles Fire Department is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Pilot, Fire Services vacancies related to this unprecedented natural disaster.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

During your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Pilot, Fire Services position.

DEFINITION :
Pilots twin-turbine powered aircraft in aerial fire fighting, medical/rescue and related activities.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS :
Positions allocable to this class report to a Senior Pilot, Fire Services and are responsible for piloting departmental aircraft daily to assigned locations for stationing and ready response to emergency and non-emergency dispatch alarms involving County service flights, transportation of fire control workers on fires, fire related work and fire break maintenance, transportation of medical personnel to medical emergencies, and transportation of injured persons or patients to hospitals. During fire emergencies, positions in this class are responsible for accurately communicating information obtained from aerial surveillance of fire activities and conditions, and for carrying out the line chief's directive which may involve such tasks as transporting fire control workers, dropping fire retardant chemicals or water in assigned fire suppression target areas, effecting rescues, and transportation of logistical materials to the fire line. Incumbents in these positions may be engaged in prolonged periods of flying under hazardous conditions. Incumbents must be able to exercise judgment and make quick, accurate decisions involving rapidly varying flight conditions. Incumbents in these positions must exercise working knowledge of the operation of the aircraft used; the specific requirements for flying over mountainous terrain; safety precautions for loading, carrying, and discharging water and retardants; Federal Aviation Regulations; air traffic rules; and departmental policies and procedures.

Essential Job Functions

• Operates twin-turbine-powered aircraft over mountainous or hilly terrain to give assistance to fire fighting activities below.
• Transports personnel and equipment in fire areas during fire suppression activities.
• Uses a variety of helicopter accessories in fire suppression work including aerial drops of fire retardants.
• Drops hose in fire areas.
• Patrols mountains to detect fires, lost or missing aircraft, missing persons, or for related purposes.
• Reseeds burnt-over areas from the air.
• Functions as a ground vehicle operator during required personnel manning changes at remote deployment sites.
• Attends in and out-of-state Department training and meetings requiring operating a Department vehicle, privately owned or rented vehicle.
• Operates Department refueling vehicle during normal operations.

Additional Job Functions:

• Conducts pre-flight and post-flight inspections in accordance with manufacturer and/or organization approved checklists.
• Conducts ground and in-flight tests.
• Performs single-pilot operations.
• Transports essential personnel and equipment.
• Communicates with Air Traffic Control.
• Communicates with supported ground units.
• Operates a variety of helicopter mission equipment.
• Completes appropriate FAA and Fire Department documentation.
• Participates in briefings.
• Participates in periodic and annual flight evaluations and ground crew training, mandated departmental continuing education, FAA medical recertification, and flight simulation training.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS :
Four thousand logged (4,000) hours of flying time in helicopters, including experience in power-off-auto rotational landings. Fifteen hundred (1,500) hours of this time must have been flown in mountainous terrain at altitudes over 4,000 feet on map survey work, power line patrol or construction work, fire control work, rescue operations work, or similar assignments requiring take-offs and landings with maximum loads on unimproved landing areas under adverse weather conditions.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATE(S):
A valid Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter Rating issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)* -OR- A valid Commercial Pilot certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter Rating issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)*.

A current and valid First Class (1) -OR- Second Class (2) Aviation Medical certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)*.

LICENSE:
A valid Driver License** is required to perform job-related essential functions. Successful candidates for this position will be required to obtain a current California C Driver License upon appointment.

You MUST meet the above requirements in order to be appointed to fill any vacancies related to this recruitment.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
IV - Arduous: This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
*License/Certificate Information:
Applicants for this position are required to include copies of the required license at the time of filing or within fifteen (15) calendar days of submitting their on-line application.

**Successful applicants for this position will be required to obtain and present a copy of their driving record before being appointed. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant's driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
A valid Commercial Pilot certificate with Helicopter Instrument Rating issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Experience as a Pilot in Command (PIC), not including logged time as an instructor.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT :
During your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. Those who achieve a passing score for this evaluation will be considered for permanent employment.

APPLICATION & FILING INFORMATION :
Applications must be filed online only and will be reviewed for interview consideration on an ongoing basis. If you have not been contacted within 60 days and the recruitment remains open or reopens for filing, we encourage you to submit a new application. This will allow you to reaffirm your interest and update any relevant information.

Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add Diego.Gonzalez@fire.lacounty.gov , Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com , and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

You have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance before the posting closes as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty , you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE :
The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly show that you meet the Minimum Requirements. Please fill out your application and supplemental questionnaire completely and correctly to receive full credit for any related education, training, and job experience. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your actual job title, beginning and ending dates, description of work performed, total number of hours worked (full or part time). Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for this job. Your application will be rejected if it is incomplete. We may reject your application at any time during the selection process.

AVAILABLE SHIFT :
Any Shift - Appointees must be willing to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

BACKGROUND CHECK AND MEDICAL EXAMINATION INFORMATION :
Candidates who are extended a conditional offer of employment will be required to complete a criminal background check, including a fingerprint scan, followed by a medical examination. A candidate with a conviction history which has a direct and adverse relationship with the duties of the Pilot, Fire Services position may have his or her conditional offer of employment rescinded and be removed from the certification list pursuant to Civil Service Rule 6.04.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER :
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES :
For applicants who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Refer to their website for more information : http://lacountylibrary.org

NO SHARING OF USER ID, EMAIL AND PASSWORD :
All applicants must file their application using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI) :
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The County of Los Angeles Fire Department is committed to promoting Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst various groups of people. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices .

Department Contact Name: Fire Examination Section
Department Contact Phone: (213) 466-5500
Department Contact Email: Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov
Analyst Contact Phone: (213) 466-5500
Analyst Contact Email: Diego.Gonzalez@fire.lacounty.gov
T eletype Phone: (800) 735-2929
California Relay Services Phone : (800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

• 

• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

Show more