Aviation Officer - Safety

***APPLY BY: Until Filled***

Are you an aviation safety professional ready to bring your expertise to work that directly protects the pilots and aircrews of one of the largest state-run aerial firefighting operations in the country?

As Aviation Officer - Safety with CAL FIRE, you'll step into a working-level aviation safety role at CAL FIRE's Aviation Management Program. This position is built for an experienced aviation safety officer who understands flight safety, safety management systems, and aviation operations at a technical level, and who's ready to bring that expertise to work with real mission stakes in one of California's most operationally significant aviation programs.

This role is ideal for a safety officer who thrives on hands-on safety work with real operational impact. You'll conduct aviation safety inspections and audits, participate in incident and near-miss reviews, support safety management systems (SMS) work, contribute to pilot safety training, provide safety oversight across CAL FIRE aviation bases, coordinate with pilots, aircrews, and program staff on safety matters, and serve as a boots-on-the-ground safety presence across the aviation program. Strong safety technical foundation, clean documentation habits, and the ability to hold direct safety conversations with pilots and aircrews are central to the work.

This position is located at McClellan Airport in Sacramento County and is a permanent, full-time aviation safety role. This is an "Until Filled" recruitment, which means applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis without an artificial closing date. Expect the operational tempo of a busy fire aviation program during California's fire seasons, with the professional responsibility that comes with aviation safety work at a state-level program.

This isn't a paperwork safety role. Aviation safety at CAL FIRE is real, technical, and directly connected to whether pilots and aircrews go home at the end of every mission. This is a chance to bring your safety expertise into the working-level role where the safety work actually gets done.

Why CAL FIRE?

• Competitive monthly salary ranging from $8,440 to $10,938
• Annual compensation ranging from $101,280 to $131,256
• State benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement
• Permanent, full-time aviation safety career opportunity
• Working-level aviation safety role in one of the largest state-run aerial firefighting operations in the country
• Coordinated aviation safety recruitment alongside the Aviation Safety Program Manager position
• Career pathway from Aviation Officer II to Aviation Officer III within CAL FIRE aviation
• Direct impact on the safety of pilots and aircrews across CAL FIRE aviation operations
• Mission driven team culture focused on service, readiness, and protecting the pilots and aircrews who protect California from the air

About Sacramento County and McClellan Airport

Sacramento County is home to CAL FIRE's Aviation Management Program at McClellan Airport, one of the most recognizable fire aviation bases in the country. The location gives aviation safety professionals a strong mix of urban convenience, aviation community, and proximity to some of California's best outdoor escapes.

With a lower cost of living than the Bay Area or Southern California, easy access to Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada, the Northern California coast, and the wine regions of Napa and Sonoma, Sacramento County is a strong fit for aviation safety professionals who want mission-critical work and a quality of life that isn't dominated by commute time.

Popular cities and communities include:

• Sacramento
• Folsom
• Elk Grove
• Roseville (Placer County, adjacent)
• Davis (Yolo County, adjacent)