Equipment Operations Team Leader

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), is hiring an Equipment Operations Team Leader to lead the Forestry Division’s fire equipment manufacturing, maintenance, and design; alongside administering policy, personnel and budget activities.

This recruitment will be headquartered at the LeMay Forestry Center in Tomahawk with responsibilities statewide. Occasional travel within the state and regionally is required.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies.

Find a meaningful and rewarding career with the DNR! The DNR excels at protecting and managing natural resources while supporting the economy and the well-being of our residents. We strive to hire, develop, and retain a talented workforce representative of the people of Wisconsin we serve. We offer training and career growth opportunities, a comprehensive benefits package, and are searching for people with diverse backgrounds to join our dynamic and team-oriented environment.

This position provides leadership and management of the Equipment Operations program, talent development and supervision to program specialists locally and statewide, and program performance management. This position serves as the technical expert and thought leader for the Department in equipment development, maintenance, vehicle assembly, fabrication and automotive and equipment repair; setting the pace for the Department and Division through leadership, innovation, adaptation, best practices, quality control and program communications and partnerships. Customer and partner groups include forestry and non‐forestry DNR staff, citizens, citizen groups, tribal governments, industry leaders, and governmental and educational representatives.

For a sample detailed position description.

Starting pay is $40.00 - $43.00 per hour ($83,200.00 - $89,440.00 annually).

These positions are in Natural Resource Program Supervisor classification within Pay Schedule/Range 81-03. A 12-month probation period may be required.

These positions are not represented by a collective bargaining unit. Pay on appointment will follow the provisions of the State of Wisconsin Compensation Plan.

The State of Wisconsin offers an exemplary benefits package with:

• Generous paid time off, including at least 3 1/2 weeks of vacation/personal time, nine paid holidays, and ample sick time that rolls over each year with no cap.
• Excellent and affordable health insurance options (starting at $34/month for single and $83/month for family coverage).
• Other great insurance options (dental, vision, life, and more).
• A top-notch retirement program and optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
• A Well Wisconsin program, offering wellness tools and rewards to employees and spouses.
• A free and confidential employee assistance program that offers employees and their household members tools, resources, and professional consultation services.
• For more info, see our Total Rewards Calculator.

Probation: A 12-month probationary period may be required.

Driver License Requirement: The selected candidate must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license throughout employment and meet the requirements of the State of Wisconsin Fleet Vehicle Policy. The candidate must be at least 18 years of age with 2 years driving experience. Candidates with three (3) or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents in the past two (2) years, or who have an OWI/DUE violation within the past year are not eligible to drive state vehicles.

Background Checks: The Department of Natural Resources conducts criminal background checks on final applicants prior to job offer. Please note that a criminal charge or conviction on your record will not necessarily disqualify you from state employment. In compliance with the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, the DNR does not discriminate on the basis of arrest or conviction record.

Eligibility to work in United States: The Department of Natural Resources does not sponsor work visas at the time of hire or anytime during employment. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required Employment Eligibility Form I-9 upon hire.

Irregular Work Schedule: This position may need to work nights and weekends during fire suppression season in case of need for emergency response.

Physical/ Environmental Factors:
Physical requirements include talking in front of and within groups, sitting for periods of time, lifting and carrying 5 to 50 lbs. Environmental factors include working indoors in an office setting, production fabrication and maintenance shop setting and independently traveling to offices around the state. Outdoor work will occur with monitoring and performing equipment tests and periodic field and vendor visits.

Travel: Occasional travel within the state and regionally is required

Please make sure to address and describe EACH of the following qualifications applicable to your experience within your resume and/or letter of qualifications to be considered for this position:

Required qualifications include experience in ALL the following criteria:

Experience related to equipment fabrication, metal fabrication or vehicle assembly

OR

Experience related to vehicle mechanics, such as small engines, motorized recreation vehicles, automobiles, trucks, heavy equipment, or marine, etc.

Preferred Qualifications Include:

Experience managing a vehicle shop for small engines, motorized recreation vehicles, automobiles, trucks, heavy equipment, or marine

Experience developing policies, procedures or other initiatives related to quality assurance or improvement

Associates degree or higher in automotive technology, mechanical design, industrial engineering, or related

Professional supervisory duties

Experience providing leadership within a work setting to a team of people, including assigning work, assessing work performance or mentoring/coaching others

If viewing this posting on an external site (such as really.com, etc.), please visit Wisc.Jobs and search for this Job ID: 17451 to complete your application for this posting. Current state employees, including those with Career Executive status, must apply through STAR ESS. Former permanent classified state employees must apply through Wisc.Jobs.

The steps to apply online are quick and easy! Your resume and letter of qualifications are used during our evaluation process to determine your eligibility for further consideration. Submitted materials will be evaluated by a panel of job experts and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. It is critically important that your application materials clearly describe your experience related to the stated job qualifications. Please review our helpful tips for developing your resume and letter of qualifications and what should be included. References are not required at the time of application but will be required upon successful completion of the interview process. Once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any updates to the application or any materials submitted.

For technical troubleshooting related to the Wisc.Jobs site, please view the Frequently Asked Questions. For questions regarding the application process, please contact Andrew Wenninger at andrewj.wenninger@wisconsin.gov or 608/419-6009.

Disabled Veterans: Qualified veterans with a 30% or more service-connected disability are eligible for non-competitive appointment to permanent positions in classified civil service under s 230.275 WI Stats. Email the HR contact listed in this announcement for information on how to apply under this provision.

The State of Wisconsin is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to applicants of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. central standard time on Monday, April 14, 2025.