Salary: $79,564.83 - $103,434.28 Annually
Location : Austin, TX
Job Type: Full Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 25-10067
Department: Emergency Services
Opening Date: 07/09/2025
Closing Date: 9/9/2025 11:59 PM Central
Job Summary Conducts operations within the Fire Investigation Division, the Fire Prevention Division or Fire Inspection Division. Reports to an Assistant Fire Marshal or Fire Marshal.
Distinguishing Characteristics: This is the third in a series of five fire marshal-related job classifications within the Public Safety/Emergency Management job family. This classification is distinguished by the years of experience related to Fire Safety and Prevention. Available for emergency response at all times when in geographic area. Emergency operations require working under difficult conditions. This classification requires a flexible work schedule to meet the needs of the department, including frequent evenings and weekends.
Duties and Responsibilities - Ensures 24-hour fire coverage of on-duty and on-call personnel. Conducts analysis of fire and explosion scenes to determine origin and cause. Documents and takes photographs of scene, makes sketches, gathers and preserves evidence. Conducts interviews with witnesses, suspects and those with interests in the property. Takes written and sworn statements. May be responsible for an Arson Canine Program and provides housing, training and upkeep of arson dog. May assist in Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Program by counseling and training juvenile offenders.
- Initiates and completes assigned investigation and case reports and related documents. Conducts follow-up investigations. Prepares affidavits for arrest warrants, search warrants and subpoenas and executes them. Prepares cases for presentation to prosecutor's office. Testifies before grand jury, justice of the peace court, state and federal courts.
- Directs, manages and supports emergency operations in fire protection, rescue, aviation, law enforcement, hazmat, homeland security, and emergency management. Instructs classes on fire protection. Makes public presentations related to fire prevention education. Maintains assigned County vehicle and equipment.
- Schedules and responds to citizen requests for fire inspections. Conducts Plan Reviews. Performs inspections of homes, businesses, schools and other structures. Detects fire hazards and makes recommendations for corrections. Performs timely follow-up inspections to insure compliance. Performs inspections of County-owned and leased facilities in conjunction with Risk Management and Facilities Management. Maintains records and reports of inspections.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management, Criminal Justice, Fire Science or Fire Protection/Engineering Technology or a directly related field AND three (3) to five (5) years experience in public safety (law enforcement, fire protection, fire inspector/prevention) for a government agency;
OR,
Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements: Basic Certification issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).
Intermediate TCFP Arson Investigator Certification issued by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.
Intermediate TCFP Fire Inspector Certification issued by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.
Valid Texas Driver's License.
Preferred: Intermediate, Advanced or Master's and Instructor Certification issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).
Advanced or Master's TCFP Arson Investigator and TCFP Fire Instructor Certification issued by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.
Certification to the technician level in compliance with 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.120.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of: - Fire inspection procedures, including NFPA 101, International Fire Code, NFPA 13 and NFPA 72.
- Law enforcement and arson investigation procedures.
- Texas Penal Code, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and of the Incident Command System (ICS).
- Appropriate response to emergency situations.
- Policies, practices, procedures and terminology.
- Federal, State, Local, and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
- Supervisory principles, practices and techniques.
- Budgetary and fiscal process.
- Online computer searching.
- Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and variety of software packages.
- Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
Skill in: - Interviewing.
- Meeting emergencies.
- Researching, analyzing, compiling, preparing and presenting technical data/information and reports.
- Explaining complicated technical problems in simple non-technical language.
- Problem-solving and decision-making.
- Using handguns and other firearms.
- Both verbal and written communication, including presentations.
Ability to: - Instruct, advise and supervise subordinates and plan, assign and coordinate activities.
- Work independently.
- Maintain accurate logs.
- Read and comprehend technical publications.
- Communicate effectively.
- Work calmly, effectively, and decisively in emergency situations.
- Reason and make judgments and decisions.
- Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
- Perform in a stressful environment, while maintaining a professional manner.
- Work on a wide variety of tasks simultaneously and produce timely and tangible results.
- Utilize online resources.
- Work as a team member within a diverse organization.
- Research, compile, analyze, interpret and prepare a variety of memorandums or reports.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with County employees and officials, representatives of outside agencies, public safety agencies, attorneys, emergency services professionals and the general public.
Work Environment & Other Information Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 50-100 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions. Must be available to work in inclement weather. Subject to contact with dust, dangerous machinery, noise, fumes, potential harm, vibration, communicable diseases, and hazardous chemicals. May be subject to performing physically challenging work in environmentally adverse and dangerous conditions.
Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.
Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday. Works some holidays, Works some nights, Works some weekends
Location: Granger Building; 314 W 11th Street Austin TX
Department: Emergency Services
Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.
This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position. Benefits Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.
FY2025 Travis County Benefit Guide
In this valuable you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.
Credit Union Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.
Deferred Compensation Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.
Direct Deposit Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.
Employee Assistance Program Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.
Employee Organizations Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.
Employee Health & Wellness Clinic Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.
Holidays An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.
Insurance Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.
The following benefits are employee paid:
- Dental
- Vision
- Supplemental Life, AD&D
- Dependent Life
- Short Term Disability
- Long Term Disability
- Long Term Care
New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.
Longevity Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.
On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.
Parking A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.
Personal Holidays Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:
January - March
3 personal holidays
April - June
2 personal holidays
July - September
1 personal holiday
October - December
None
New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.
Retirement Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.
Sick Leave Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.
Parental Leave Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.
Tuition Refund Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.
Vacation Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:
0 to 5 years
4.0 hours per pay period
6 to 10 years
4.5 hours per pay period
11 to 15 years
5.0 hours per pay period
16 to 20 years
5.5 hours per pay period
21 plus years
6.0 hours per pay period
Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.
Workers' Compensation The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.
