About us

As a department our purpose is to help the community to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from the impact of fire and emergency events.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is the primary provider of fire, rescue and emergency management programs and services throughout Queensland. The department encompasses the Fire and Rescue Service, disaster management services, the Rural Fire Service and the State Emergency Service, and also supports other volunteer groups providing emergency response to Queenslanders.

QFES is one department with many services, many capabilities and many partners.

Purpose of role

The Sustainable Development Unit contributes to the department by ensuring the state's interests regarding bushfire hazard, risk and resilience under Queensland’s State Planning Policy are addressed within state and local planning instruments. This includes advising on referred development proposals that interact with bushfire hazard areas, including vulnerable services, essential services and major infrastructure services. The team is also responsible for the provision and publication of up-to-date bushfire prone area mapping needed to support implementation of the Queensland's land use planning and building frameworks with respect to bushfire hazard.

Reporting to the Executive Manager, you will be a key member of the team responsible for creating and maintaining Vegetation Hazard Class and Bushfire Prone Area mapping products by spatial analysis of vegetation data, satellite imagery, fire weather and climate data in partnership with internal and external collaborators. You will also participate in field surveys needed to calibrate vegetation and bushfire hazard models, and undertake other tasks as needed to support QFES role in the effective implementation of Queensland’s State Planning Policies and frameworks regarding bushfire hazard.

Key requirements

Mandatory requirements

• Tertiary qualification in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based discipline, or scientific discipline.

Highly desirable requirements

• Knowledge of and/or experience using GIS and spatial analysis tools including ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online or QGIS.
• Knowledge of and/or experience working with regional ecosystems and related vegetation mapping products and remote sensing imagery.
• Knowledge of and/or ability to acquire knowledge of bushfire science and its application for land use planning and building decisions.
• Knowledge of and/or experience conducting data management and analysis, creating scripted workflows, preferably using Python.

Special requirements

• It is expected that the incumbent may participate in an out-of-hours on-call roster during emergency operations. This may require work outside of normal hours (e.g. night shift), including weekends, working extended hours and may include deployment to other parts of the state or interstate.

Your key accountabilities

Your part in the ongoing success of our department, in supporting key frontline services will see you responsible for a variety of work, including, but not limited to:

• Manage the development, maintenance and publication of vegetation hazard class, bushfire prone area, fire weather, climate change and associated mapping products, and site data needed to support the implementation of relevant frameworks with respect to bushfire hazard.
• Contribute to scientific, research and spatial analytical knowledge used in the development and review of bushfire hazard and related vegetation mapping to ensure validity of information for statutory land use planning and building decisions.
• Contribute to the planning and management of projects relating to vegetation and bushfire hazards, and associated mapping, ensuring program deliverables meet desired timeframes, outcomes and budget allocations.
• Provide high level bushfire, emergency management and service delivery advice to senior management and stakeholders regarding bushfire mapping products and/or issues to support effective land use planning and decision-making.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders relating to bushfire hazard and risk, issues and initiatives to support program delivery and achieve quality outcomes.
• Prepare and review complex reports, briefs, submissions and correspondence relating to bushfire hazard and associated data sets in accordance with departmental requirements and governance.
• Represent the department on committees, forums and working parties regarding data sets and procedures used to produce and/or verify information and associated geospatial products.
• Participate within a dynamic work environment, fostering teamwork and observing human resource activities including actively participating in performance and development programs.

Capabilities

To determine your suitability for the role, you will be assessed on the following Leadership Competencies for Queensland behavioural profiles that link to the “key accountabilities” for this role:

Leadership Competency Stream – Individual Contributor (leading self)

Vision

• Stimulates ideas and innovation
• Leads change in complex environments

Results

• Builds enduring relationships
• Drives accountability and outcomes

Accountability

• Fosters healthy and inclusive workplaces
• Demonstrates sound governance

Once you join us we will want you to exemplify the QFES shared values of:

• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Courage
• Loyaly