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Job Description
Description
Are you passionate about safety and eager to make a difference in your community? Consider becoming our next Assistant Fire Marshal! This rewarding role offers the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals dedicated to fire prevention and safety education
The City of Palo Alto is seeking an organized, highly motivated professional to serve as Assistant Fire Marshal. As Assistant Fire Marshal, you will help plan, oversee, and expand numerous programs and activities within the Fire Prevention Bureau alongside the Fire Marshal. If you are looking to grow your leadership skills and contribute to an evolving department, apply for this opportunity!
About the Department
We are a professional team dedicated to safeguarding and enriching the lives of anyone, anytime, anywhere, with compassion and pride. We are focused on meeting our community's needs and aim to mirror our community through diversity and inclusion opportunities. Our outstanding fire department is comprised of highly trained professionals who are always prepared to respond effectively to emergencies. We take pride in handling various situations, from structure to wildland fires, medical emergencies to hazardous materials, and technical rescue to code enforcement and fire investigations. Our team is also made up of administrative professionals who are key contributors to the success of PAFD. If you'd like to learn more about the Palo Alto Fire Department, click HERE .
Ideal Candidate
This newly established role represents an exciting opportunity to shape the future of our Fire Prevention division and our hazardous materials programs. The ideal candidate is a committed professional who has a deep understanding of fire prevention, hazardous materials, and fire investigation programs. They should demonstrate strong leadership by effectively guiding and supporting team members, fostering professional growth through regular feedback and performance evaluations, and providing thoughtful input on hiring, development, and personnel decisions. The candidate should have the ability to evaluate processes, workflows, and procedures to identify opportunities for efficiency and resource utilization. They should also be committed to continuing education to maintain a level of knowledge consistent with job requirements.
A cornerstone of this role will be leading the review and comprehensive revamping of our Hazardous Materials Ordinance, ensuring our regulations are robust, relevant, and fully equipped to protect our community for years to come. This position also serves as the City’s designated liaison to the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health in our capacity as a Participating Agency under the County CUPA, coordinating program implementation, CERS reporting, joint inspections and enforcement, and participation in CUPA/PA audits and policy alignment. Also learn more about our Fire Department Strategic Plan and the exciting work that is ahead!
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Plan, manage, supervise, and participate in the work assignments and activities of the Hazardous Materials Inspector, fire investigators, and other assigned personnel on a daily basis.
- Oversee and direct the development, organization, coordination, and implementation of the hazardous materials and fire investigation programs.
- Complete, direct and oversee complex inspections and investigations of facilities storing or using hazardous materials to ensure compliance with codes, ordinances, and regulations.
- Assist the Fire Marshal with the development of the budget for the Fire Prevention Bureau.
- Coordinate with local, State, and Federal agencies to ensure inspection, plan review, investigation, enforcement, and regulatory consistency.
- Coordinate and initiate training for the hazardous materials inspectors.
- Other duties as assigned by the Fire Marshal.
The candidate should have:
- Knowledge of methods and technology for the safe storage, use and handling of hazardous materials.
- Knowledge and ability to interpret and analyze local, state and federal laws, codes and ordinances involving environmental protection; the Uniform Fire and Building Codes; California Title-19; principles of supervision to make appropriate recommendations for changes or amendments where necessary.
- Ability to develop creative and practical solutions to complex and difficult problems; to elicit the cooperation of others; negotiate solutions to complex problems.
- Ability to maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities.
- Ability to effectively deal with personal danger which may include exposure to fire encompassed surroundings, hazardous materials, dangerous persons, dangerous animals; hazards of emergency driving; hazards associated with traffic control and working in and near traffic; and natural and man-made disasters.
To see full job description click HERE .
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience:
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:
- Two years of experience as an Inspector and fire investigator.
- College level fire science courses in fire prevention and hazardous materials.
Special Requirements:
- Possession of a valid California Driver’s License.
- Possession of California State Fire Investigator Series certification (for example: Fire Investigator (2017) certification (Fire Investigation 1A, 1B and 1C) and California Penal Code 832 within one (1) year of employment.
- An Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree in Chemistry or Fire Science.
- Completion of State Fire Academy Fire Investigator Series.
- 5 years plus of Hazardous Materials experience (including inspections)
- Direct supervisory experience
Supplemental Information
Working Conditions
Work is performed both in an office setting and in the field. There may be exposure to noise, dust, flammable and combustible materials, and potentially hazardous environments while performing investigations. Work involves physical exertion, including standing, stooping, reaching, crawling, and climbing. Manual dexterity, clear, understandable speech, and visual acuity are required.
Tentative Schedule (may be subject to change:
Application Opens: Friday, October 31st
Application Closes: Thursday, November 20th @ 11:59 P.M.
First Round Interviews: Tuesday, December 2nd
Chief's Interview: week of December 15th
For any questions you can contact Senior Recruiter Ana Dean at 650-329-2254 or at ana.dean@paloalto.gov.
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO). In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both perspective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
See our Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Compensation Plan HERE.
Closing Date/Time: 11/20/2025 11:59 PM Pacific -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Palo Alto
Show moreThe Community
The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-NewsCity Government
Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.
Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.
Join an Award Winning Team
Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.
Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."
Contact Us
Phone: 650-329-2376
Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov
Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map
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