Area Officer – Rural Preston
Position: Area Officer (Rural) – Preston
Location: Bunbury (Southwest Regional Office)
Salary: WA Fire Service EBA 2023, $138,695
Unit/Division: Operations, South West Region Admin
Work Type: Permanent – Full Time
Closing Date: 20 January 2026 4:00 PM (WST)
About the Role
The Area Officer (Rural) Preston is an operational position based in Bunbury at the Southwest Regional Office. The role reports to the District Officer (Rural) Wellington and is responsible manager for the Shires of Capel, Dardanup and the City of Bunbury.
Other responsibilities include the effective management of human, physical, financial and information resources to achieve prevention, preparedness, response and recovery outcomes for the community of WA, advisory support to volunteers and Local Government, training and assessment in relation to emergency service volunteers, and the development of regional fire mitigation and management plans, including facilitation of prescribed burn operations.
Key Responsibilities
* Manage human, physical, financial and information resources for prevention, preparedness, response and recovery outcomes.
* Provide advisory support on policy, finance, operations, and mitigation to volunteers and Local Government.
* Deliver training and assessment for Bushfire Brigades and Volunteer Fire & Emergency Services Units.
* Develop and support regional fire mitigation and management plans, including prescribed burn operations.
Position Pre‑Requisites
* Possession of a Western Australian Medium Rigid Driver's License.
* Accredited Level 1 Incident Controller or Endorsed DFES Level 1 Incident Controller in hazards relevant to fire.
Eligibility To Apply
You must be an Australian citizen or hold permanent residency.
National Police Certificate
A current National Police Certificate (less than 3 months old) must be provided prior to commencement.
Choice of Super
Employees appointed permanently may only remain with their existing GESB Superannuation account or join the Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Fund.
Employment Conditions and Additional Information
Employees may be required to work or travel outside normal business hours, participate in an on‑call roster, attend emergency incidents, and undertake regular intrastate travel (by air and/or road).
Benefits of Working With DFES
* Opportunities to assist during statewide emergency incidents.
* Great work/life balance through flexible working and leave arrangements.
* Long service leave after 10 years.
* Paid parental leave and other attractive leave options.
* Access to salary packaging options.
* Professional career development opportunities.
DFES Supports Diversity and Inclusion
People from culturally diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal Australians and people with a disability are encouraged to apply. DFES may prioritise recruitment decisions based on the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA).
Application Instructions
Application must be submitted online. Select 'Apply for Job' at the top or bottom of the screen and follow the instructions.
Include: evidence of pre‑requisites, a maximum two‑page statement addressing essential criteria Three, Four, Five and Six in the attached Job Description Form, and a comprehensive CV with two referees.
If you have any support or access requirements, advise us at application time. All information provided is private and confidential and will only be used for reasonable adjustments. Please contact us at (contact).
Any late, emailed or proforma applications will be rejected.
Important Note
* All Essential Criteria listed in the Job Description Form will be assessed during recruitment.
* Referees may be contacted at any stage.
* Ensure documents saved as MS Word (.docx) or PDF.
* An executive search may be undertaken as part of recruitment.
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