Deputy Chief of Emergency Services

JOB SUMMARY

The Black Rock City Deputy Chief of Emergency Services’ primary responsibility is to support the Chief of Emergency Services in maintaining Public Safety in Black Rock City - enacted through leadership and oversight of the planning and operational aspects of the Black Rock City Emergency Services Department and partnered Fire and ALS provider(s). Sections include Planning and Logistics; Branches include Medical, Fire, Crisis Intervention, and Communications. 

This is a temporary, full time, exempt role. Applicants in the San Francisco (Bay Area) or Reno, Nevada will be prioritized. We will consider exceptional remote candidates beyond these geographical parameters.  Working hours will be based on Pacific Time.

The role follows a seasonal schedule aligned with our business cycle:

February–November: Standard 40-hour workweek

December–January: Reduced schedule of approximately 30 hours per week

The deadline to apply for this role is 5:00 pm Pacific on September 2, 2025.

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

PERCENTAGE OF TIME SPENT

Administration 70%

• Participate in the ongoing development of all BRC Emergency Services sections and branches, supporting the Chief of ESD in the fulfillment of the event's Public Safety function.
• Work collaboratively across all BRC Emergency Service branches, sections, and providers to ensure best practice, including full legal compliance and fit-for-purpose operational practices. 
• Support integration of all Emergency Operations across BRC as well as within and between event cooperator agencies and contractors.
• Participate in interagency relations for the Emergency Services Department, including event cooperators, both county and statewide.
• Assist in the development and management of the four ESD budgets.
• Assist in year-round follow-up of health and safety investigations and complaints.
• Act as a public health subject matter expert for the Burning Man Project year-round.
• Assist BMP in the development of health and safety policies, procedures, and guidelines for all BMP properties.
• Maintain communication with volunteers, coordinate information,  training and education sharing. 
• Work to empower volunteer and co-worker participation in the Department, fostering compassionate and caring involvement in Emergency Services.

Operations 25%

• Assist in the investigation and resolution of identified health and safety issues, including, but not limited to, structural safety, communicable disease, legal actions, potential compliance and regulation violations, personnel, and gaps in ESD or BRC policy and procedure.
• Analyze daily ESD incident logs on playa for potential health and safety issues requiring attention.
• Attend all cooperator meetings (pre- and post-event) with a focus on enhancing collaboration and fostering ongoing personal and professional trust between cooperators and BMP staff.
• Attend the Burning Man event in Gerlach, NV, and ensure the operational branches and sections of ESD run smoothly and efficiently.
• Attend meetings as requested year-round and on the playa. Provide information and promote open discussions between all parties.

Other Functions and Responsibilities (5%)

• Perform other duties as assigned.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

• Documentation - Drives the creation, publishing, and maintenance of process documentation related to assigned duties.
• Teaching – Takes a leadership role in the acculturation and training of staff. Teaches live or e-learning classes, as requested. Promotes a culture of teaching and learning throughout the community.
• Mentoring - Mentors subordinates in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and experience that will allow them to advance in the organization. Aids, encourages and inspires their team.
• Training development - Collaborates with the education team to develop training materials in their area of expertise, as requested.
• Learning – Pursues ongoing learning in their area of expertise, working to stay current on emergent knowledge, skills, and processes. Participates in conferences, forums, and networking events, where appropriate.
• Speaking – Represents Burning Man as a subject matter expert and culture-bearer, as requested.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED 

• Experience supporting multiple concurrent operations in an EMS setting.
• Must be willing to travel and relocate to Nevada in August and early September
• Lead by example, motivate, and have excellent interpersonal skills
• Must have a professional demeanor in verbal and written communications.
• Strong ability to multitask.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and motivated.
• Ability to communicate effectively with different departments and personality traits.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure in high-stress situations.

PREFERRED

• A minimum of five years of experience in a leadership or management role in an EMS setting.
• A minimum of two years of experience interfacing with government agencies and supporting a broad range of compliance requirements.
• A minimum of two years of experience in budgeting and financial management.
• Emergency incident or emergency medicine experience
• Experience of the Burning Man event and/or Burning Man culture.
• A combination of education and experience in the field of emergency management. 
• FEMA ICS 300 and 400
• Other relevant FEMA certifications
• Experience with volunteer management

Note: If you have gained the necessary experience to succeed in this role and have acquired this experience in other ways, we encourage you to apply and share all relevant experience in your application.

REQUIRED LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Valid driver’s license and a good driving record. 
• FEMA ICS 100, 200, 700, 800.
• Must have / or obtain within 5 months of hire:
  • IS-15.B: Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies
  • IS-775: EOC Management and Operations

COMPENSATION: 

Individual compensation decisions are dependent on a variety of factors, including prior experience and geographical location. 

The anticipated salary range for this position is $95,000 to $105,000 annually.

As an exempt role, compensation is based on the annual salary rather than hours worked in a given week. The seasonal schedule provides predictable intensity during peak months and additional flexibility during lighter months — while maintaining the full annual salary.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Off-playa:  Work is primarily sedentary in nature; no special demands are required.
• On-playa: Work is primarily sedentary but will also include the need to find and meet with department representatives who may not be in the vicinity therefore, this could include walking or using some form of transportation.  Some of the work will be in outside weather conditions and exposed to fumes or airborne particles, as well as possible extremes in temperature.

NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS:

• Burning Man Project celebrates the importance of creating a diverse environment and enthusiastically encourages Black, Indigenous, Peoples of Color, LGBTQIA+, Immigrant, women, and people with disabilities, of all ages, to apply.
• Burning Man Project provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
• Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.