Job Information
Burning Man Rangers - DPW Ranger in Gerlach, Nevada
JOB SUMMARY
The DPW Ranger will work with DPW Ranger Leadership and DPW Leadership to provide a safe, supportive environment for the Burning Man staff and community in the Gerlach area during the season from late July to mid October.
This is a temporary, full-time , non-exempt role, based in Gerlach, NV
This position spans three contracts running consecutively :
July 26 - Aug 15, 2026.
Aug 16 - Sept 19, 2026.
And Sept 20 - Oct 10, 2026
An ideal candidate would be available for all three contracts, but there may be options to work one or two of them, depending on need. Contracts can automatically proceed from one to the next if the expectations of the role are being met and the employee / team leadership are comfortable with the work performed up to that point.
The deadline to apply for this role is 5:00 pm Pacific on March 31, 2026.
DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Ranger Duties (85%)
Monitor one or more radio channels diligently throughout the shift, as well as any other established communication channels (Slack, Phone, Text, etc)
Maintain a state of readiness to respond to incidents, either through direct requests or dispatch from team leadership
As directed by the DPW Ranger Team Leadership, help to maintain and support the general environment and overall security, safety, well-being, and functionality of the DPW Staff in Gerlach, Black Rock Station, Black Rock City and the surrounding areas. This could include working with staff, Gerlach residents, vendors or visitors to address safety issues, respond appropriately to incidents, mediate disputes, or resolve conflicts
Anticipate issues, stay current with operational concerns of the team, track evolving situations, and work with the DPW Ranger Leadership and other team members as necessary to accomplish the mission.
Assume responsibility for time and task completion. Stay in contact with the DPW Ranger Leadership, logging work and documenting notes to standards shared by the manager; proactively approach work, ask questions, raise concerns, and provide feedback in a timely manner
Help greet and direct Ranger volunteers and other visitors and inform them of protocols, procedures, rules, and how to best utilize available resources
Report any property incidents, safety issues, or concerns to the DPW Ranger Leadership
Help to maintain the functionality, cleanliness, and safe operation of the NVO/DPW Ranger operational areas
Support the start-of-season and end-of-season processes to adequately prepare for Summer Ops and Winter storage; capture details of any repairs or maintenance needed
Other Functions and Responsibilities (15%)
Perform other duties as assigned
Assist with Ranger logistics and admin tasks as required by the Ranger Operations Leadership
Abide by the rules and codes of conduct as described in the DPW Ranger Protocols, Ranger Manual, the NVO and DPW Manual, and Ranch Protocols at all times, both on and off shift
Set a personal example of conduct for all guests and newcomers to the Gerlach area
Maintain environmental and social awareness; practice discretion as necessary and escalate issues if needed
LEARNING AND TEACHING
Documentation - Assists in the creation and maintenance of documentation related to their assigned duties
Knowledge sharing – Helps acculturate and educate junior staff in Burning Man culture and business processes
Training development - Collaborates with the education team to develop training materials in their area of expertise, as requested
Learning – Pursues ongoing learning in their area of expertise, working to stay current on emergent knowledge, skills, and processes. There will be training and acculturation opportunities as a part of this crew, and Rangers will be expected to keep pace
QUALIFICATIONS
REQUIRED
Must be a Black Rock Ranger in good standing, with minimum 2 years of Ranger experience in BRC
Communicates clearly and concisely through face to face, radio, and written correspondence
Tailors communication to the receiving party with appropriate professionalism
Must have the ability to remain calm, effective, and focused on assigned tasks in stressful situations
Experienced and comfortable with using 2 way radios
Solid honest and ethical foundation with a dedication to the Burning Man principles and behavioral standards.
Must be reliable; must fulfil obligations
Openness to change in procedures, plans, and approaches to meet the needs of emergent situations
Able to accept and act on feedback in the moment
Able to deal patiently and effectively with various personalities and offer feedback to others
Instills and applies order and cleanliness to the work environment and pays careful attention to detail in handling important information
Physically able to lift up to 50 pounds safely
Willing to work in a dusty, dirty environment
Able to follow directions through to task completion
Adaptable; able to switch from project to project quickly and easily
A team player who is also able to work independently
Effectively manages own time; highly organized, able to prioritize, detail-oriented, and motivated
Able to keep all personnel and sensitive information confidential
Capable of thriving and providing aid in extreme environments: wide ranging temperatures, high winds, dust and low air quality, with low to zero visibility at times
Able to work varying shifts as needs require, and able to respond to emergencies at odd hours of the day
Able to adjust schedule seasonally to work at the Burning Man event held in Nevada
Must have attended Burning Man at least 4 times and be very familiar with the culture
Able to work within a team environment, communicating effectively and resolving team struggles as they arise
Ability to adjust schedule seasonally to work at the Burning Man event held in Nevada.
PREFERRED
Four years (or more) experience working as a Ranger in Black Rock City
Qualification as a Black Rock Ranger Troubleshooter
ICS training and/or experience operating as Incident Commander
Knowledge of basic First-Aid, CPR, or Emergency Responder interventions
Green Dot training or equivalent experience
Familiarity with safe practices relating to light off-road driving
Handy experience in any trades such as carpentry, welding, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical
Able to safely operate power tools
Possession of, or willingness to pursue a CPR certification through on the job training
Note: If you have gained the necessary experience to succeed in this role and have acquired this experience in other ways, we encourage you to apply and share all relevant experience in your application.
REQUIRED LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS
Valid driver’s license and a good driving record.
COMPENSATION:
Individual compensation decisions are dependent on a variety of factors, including prior experience and geographical location. The anticipated pay rate for this position is $17 to $20 per hour.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT
Off-playa: Work will include walking, driving, or other forms of transportation. Some of the work will be outside in high desert weather conditions, and may occasionally be exposed to fumes or airborne particles. May require lifting up to 50 pounds repeatedly. May require activity near stressful emergency situations such as injuries, vehicle accidents, or dysregulated people.
On-playa: Work will include walking, driving, or other forms of transportation. Some of the work will be outside in high desert weather conditions, and may occasionally be exposed to fumes or airborne particles. May require lifting up to 50 pounds repeatedly. May require activity near stressful emergency situations such as injuries, vehicle accidents, or dysregulated people.
This position requires periods of heavy lifting, bending, kneeling, squatting, and climbing. This position will be physically demanding, and requires individuals with good physical health, and endurance.
NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS:
Burning Man Project celebrates the importance of creating a diverse environment and enthusiastically encourages Black, Indigenous, Peoples of Color, LGBTQIA+, Immigrant, women, and people with disabilities, of all ages, to apply.
Burning Man Project provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
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