Job Posting: Helicopter Pilot

Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

JC-489946
-
Helicopter Pilot
FORESTRY FIRE PILOT

$7,754.00 - $10,232.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/26/2025

Job Description and Duties

For questions related to the duties of the position, please contact Assistant Chief Jesse White by phone at (530) 528-2503 or by email at Jesse.White@fire.ca.gov.

This position is located at the Vina Helitack Base in Vina, 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.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-489946
Position #(s):
542-215-1046-VAR
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:
2
Work Location:
Tehama County
Telework:
In Office
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
Facility:
Tehama-Glenn 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.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 10/26/2025

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
CAL FIRE Northern Region Hiring
Attn: CAL FIRE Northern Region Hiring - FFP
135 Ridgway Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
CAL FIRE Northern Region Hiring
Attn: CAL FIRE Northern Region Hiring - FFP
135 Ridgway Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

  • Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
  • Resume is required and must be included.
  • Other - Authorization to Release Information Form (PO-299).  This form may be found at: https://www.fire.ca.gov/-/media/D817B8E27D8049C3BC35297686467FB9
  • Other - Copy of your valid Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Commercial Airman Certificate with Rotorcraft – Helicopter rating or valid FAA Airline Transport Pilot’s Certificate with Rotorcraft – Helicopter rating.
  • Other - Copy of your valid and current Class II Airman’s Medical Certificate issued by an FAA authorized Medical Examiner.
  • Other - Official Flight Record indicating at least 50 hours as Pilot in Command in Helicopters in the past year.
  • Other - Scanned copy of your pilot logbook.
  • Other - If applicable, a copy of your most current California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), United States Department of the Interior (DOI), or United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) pilot card.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

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
(707) 576-2275

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
(916) 767-8359
ReasonableAccommodations@fire.ca.gov
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 542-215-1046-VAR on your STD 678.

Candidate may be selected by resume review.

 

Applicants are highly encouraged to complete a Recruitment Questionnaire, located at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HLYSH8V

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 at www.jobs.ca.gov to 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.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job