Salary : $79,124.24 - $102,861.20 Annually
Location : Jacksonville, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: Bear Creek
Department: Emergency Services
Opening Date: 07/15/2026
Closing Date: Continuous

Job Description

The Bear Creek District Chief is a senior leadership position responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating emergency and non-emergency operations for Bear Creek Fire Station. This role provides operational oversight, ensures effective incident command, and supports the Fire Chief Division Chief in managing departmental programs, personnel, and resources. This position ensures operational readiness, effective deployment of resources, compliance with applicable regulatory and professional standards, and continuous organizational improvement. Serving as second-in-command, the District Chief acts on behalf of the Fire Division Chief when designated and serves as Incident Commander when required.

Position Responsibilities

• Facilitates a safe work environment where employees are treated with respect, dignity, and compassion.
• Manages performance and completes annual performance evaluations for direct reports.
• Provide command and leadership during major incidents by assessing conditions, implementing strategic and tactical plans, and directing multi-company emergency responses (fire, EMS, hazardous materials, rescue, and other incidents) while coordinating incoming resources and maintaining operational control until relieved by the Fire Division Chief.
• Participate in recruitment, selection, and performance evaluations.
• Provide coaching, training, and professional development for staff.
• Ensure compliance with county policies, safety standards, and applicable regulations.
• Assist in budget development and monitor expenditures for assigned divisions.
• Analyze performance metrics for continuous improvement.
• Represent the department at county, regional, and state meetings; engage in public relations and community outreach.
• Monitor industry trends and recommend improvements in equipment, technology, and operational methods.
• Conduct operational studies and recommend procedural changes for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Assist in the development of departmental policies and standard operating guidelines (SOGs).
• Attends meetings to provide leadership, operational updates, and guidance on policy, programs, and emergency response activities.
• Provides guidance and oversight for the inspection, maintenance, testing, and repair of all fire apparatus and operational equipment to ensure operational readiness and reliability.
• Assists with overseeing lifecycle management of apparatus, equipment, and facilities to ensure reliability and compliance.
• Oversees the development, delivery, and evaluation of training programs for career and volunteer personnel.
• Maintain documentation systems that support state reporting and internal audits.
• Ensure required training certifications, safety documentation, and compliance records are complete and auditable.
• Provides leadership, guidance, and administrative support to volunteer members to ensure operational readiness and compliance with department standards.
• Facilitates onboarding, orientation, and mentoring processes.
• Coordinate the development of pre-incident plans.
• Performs assigned functions as a Disaster Ready Team (DRT) member.
• Performs additional tasks as required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Position requires considerable knowledge of and skills in fire-rescue methods and techniques. Ability to plan, assign and coordinate activities performed in varied emergency response work; ability to effectively coordinate service training and staff development programs; ability to perform duties in accordance with established fire command techniques, and standing orders; work with a diverse socio-economic population; respond quickly and calmly in emergencies and stressful situations; communicate effectively in a tactful and firm manner with the public; ability to express ideas effectively, orally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, officials, medical agencies, volunteers and the general public. Knowledge of incident command principles, and emergency response strategies.

Physical Requirements:

This work requires the regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, walking, sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions, frequently requires reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and lifting and occasionally requires climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and tasting or smelling; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather), working near moving mechanical parts, working in high, precarious places, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to extreme cold (non-weather), exposure to extreme heat (non-weather), exposure to the risk of electrical shock, working with explosives, exposure to vibration, wearing a self-contained breathing
apparatus and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g., business office, light traffic).
Education, Experience, and Special Requirements

Associates degree with coursework in fire science, fire administration, fire protection technology, public administration, or related field and a minimum of four (4) years of progressive fire service experience at the rank of Fire Captain or higher; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred:
Experience as Battalion Chief or Assistant Chief
Bachelor's degree

Special Requirements:
Must possess and maintain:

1. North Carolina Firefighter Level II
2. Hazardous Materials Responder Level 1 (NFPA 472 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120, IFSAC)
3. Emergency Vehicle Driver (NFPA 1002, IFSAC)
4. Driver Operator - Pumps (NFPA 1002, IFSAC)
5. Fire Officer Level II (or state-recognized equivalent)
6. Fire Instructor Level 1 (NFPA 1041, IFSAC)
7. NIMS 100, 200, 300, 700, 800 (NFPA 1561)
8. NC EMT
9. Blood-borne Pathogens Training (NFPA 1581 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.130)
10. NC Class "B" or CDL "B" driver's license
11. NC TR General (or ability to obtain within 18 months of employment)
12. Public Fire Education 1 (within the first 12 months of employment).
13. NC Fire Investigation Technician certification (within 12 months of hire).

Salary will be determined based on qualifications, internal equity, budget, and market considerations.

If applicable, your final transcript showing the date your degree was awarded and/or any required certificates or licenses listed in the application must be uploaded with your application, even if you are a current employee or we have received it with a previous application.
Regular Onslow County employees have the ability to participate in a wide array of employee benefits including:

Health Insurance
Health Insurance is provided by Cigna and covers a wide variety of healthcare services.

Dental Insurance
Dental insurance is provided by Delta Dental to full-time employees and covers a percentage of basic to major dental procedures, including orthodontia for children and adults.

Vision Insurance
Vision insurance is provided by MetLife to full-time employees and covers a variety of materials (contacts and glasses frames/lenses) and an annual eye exam.

North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System
Eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the retirement system and must contribute 6% of their gross salary each pay period. Once eligibility requirements are met, employees will be able to receive monthly payments for life based on their salary, age, and years of service credit.

NC401k
The County contributes 1% of employees' gross salary into the 401(k) account regardless of the employee's deferral amount. In addition, the County matches employee deferrals up to an additional 4%.

Vacation Leave
Regular full-time employees earn 13.5 days of vacation leave per year. With each 5-year increment of employment, vacation accrual increases.

Sick Leave
Regular full-time employees earn 12 days of sick leave per year.

Paid Holidays
County employees receive paid holidays annually. The Board of County Commissioners approves and may adjust the schedule as deemed necessary.

ComPsych Mental Health Services
The County provides Mental Health and Life Services through ComPsych to help employees and their families with personal, family and job-related problems such as counseling, crisis support, work-life resources, legal and financial consultations, and organizational support tools.

Supplemental Benefits
County employees are also offered a variety of supplemental benefits such as Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, 457b Deferred Compensation Plan, and MetLife Supplemental Plans.

For more information, please visit and click on the Benefits tab.
01

Which of the following best describes your highest level of completed education?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate
• None of the above

02

How many years of supervisory experience do you possess?

• No experience
• less than 6 months
• 6 months to 2 years
• 2 years to 5 years
• 5 years or more

03

How many years of firefighting experience do you possess?

• None
• less than 6 months
• 6 months to 2 years
• 2 years to 5 years
• more than 5 years

04

Please list all current certifications you hold related to your application.
05

Onslow County's Core Values are REACH- Resilience, Excellence, Accountability, Customer Service, and Honesty. Which of these values resonates with you the most and why?
06

Do you possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

07

Based on your review of the position requirements, are you able to perform the position duties with or without reasonable accommodation?

• Yes
• No

08

Have you uploaded your final transcript showing the date that your degree was awarded and any required certificates or licenses? This must be done even if you are a current employee or we have received it with a previous application.

• Yes
• No

Required Question