Looking for a role where your leadership directly shapes safety, readiness, and performance every single day? In this position, you’ll oversee the Fire Department’s daily operations, guide and motivate a large team of firefighters, drive training and emergency response strategy, manage operational and capital budgets, support code compliance, and help shape long-term succession and asset management plans. If you’re ready to step into a role that challenges you and lets you make a real impact, apply today!

What will you be doing!

• Holding responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Fire Department.
• Providing the leadership necessary to motivate all fire department personnel to perform to a high standard.
• Developing strategies and tactics to successfully react to and conclude all emergencies and minimize the loss of lives and company assets.
• Supporting the development, management and review of annual operational budgets and capital budgets.
• Developing and maintaining of fire department succession plans and asset management plans.
• Ensuring training is challenging, focused, and outcome driven.
• Assisting the Director to ensure code compliance with the CNL license and provincial and national codes.
• Reviewing and approving timecards and expenses for direct reports and all staff.
• Planning and managing the Fire Department budget.
• Managing hiring in compliance with CNL staffing process and in consultation with Human Resources Services.
• Other duties as assigned by your manager.   
   

What we are looking for:

• Education 
  • Bachelor Degree in fire science, fire administration, business administration, public administration, or a related curriculum.
  • NFPA 1041 Fire Instructor Level II
  • NFPA 1403 Live Fire Training Evolutions
  • NFPA 1031 Fire Inspector II 
  • NFPA 1035 Level II
  • NFPA 1033 Fire Investigator
  • NFPA 1021 Fire Officer Level IV
• Experience 
  • Ten (10) years of experience in fire service positions, at least five (5) of which must have included administrative or supervisory responsibilities.
  • Fire service experience must include work in positions which would provide background in fire prevention and investigation, fire training, and related areas of fire department operations and management.
  • Leadership experience within a fire department or an emergency response organization.
  • knowledge of modern techniques and methods as applied to the administration of firefighting and prevention activities, Training, License Conditions, Codes, Standards and Regulations gained through 15 years’ experience in the profession, including a minimum of 5 years as a Deputy Chief Officer.
  • Incident Command training and experience.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
  • Interpersonal skills, abilities to comprehend or be cognizant with a broad range of technological and/or business issues.
  • Ability to understand and effectively communicate (verbally and in writing) sensitive information to senior management in the organization and to external agencies and organizations.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with Union Representatives to resolve management/Union conflicts.
  • Proven ability to organize information, plan and assess issues, and take action within broad organization objectives dealing with a variety of diverse technical, complex organizational, and economic challenges.
  • Highly developed analytical, organizational, negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Security Clearance Eligibility Required
  • Level 2 Secret requires a minimum of 7 years of verifiable history in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and/or the United Kingdom. CNL implements security screening in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's “Standard on Security Screening” and the “Policy on Government Security.” 
     

Working Conditions:  

• Working schedule: Five (5) days per week, seven and a half (7.5) hours per day for a thirty-seven and a half (37.5) hour work week. 
• The Fire Chief role has a wide range of responsibilities and covers many aspects. These not only include physical hazardous environments but challenging work relations/human performance ones:

Why CNL?

Does the idea of working with a dynamic team across Canada to advance nuclear science and technology for a clean and secure world excite you? At CNL, we’re reinventing ourselves to be industry leaders—pioneering solutions to the problems that matter most.

From building the next generation of clean nuclear and hydrogen energy technologies, to developing targeted cancer treatments, to continuing our global leadership in environmental remediation—we are driven by impact, innovation, and purpose.

What We Offer: A Total Rewards Package

We believe in taking care of our people. Here’s what you can expect as part of our team: 

• Paid time off: vacation, sick, personal, and floater days
• Benefits effective Day One – no waiting period 
• Tuition support to help you keep learning and growing 
• A defined-benefit pension plan for your future security

Do Our Priorities Resonate with You? 

• Delivering clean energy for today and tomorrow 
• Restoring and protecting the environment 
• Contributing to the health of Canadians

If so, you’ll feel right at home at CNL! 

Located in the heart of the Ottawa Valley, our Chalk River site offers a beautiful natural setting with forests, lakes, and wildlife, right at your doorstep. Surrounded by welcoming communities such as Deep River, Petawawa, and Pembroke, you’ll have access to unparalleled outdoor adventures and a fantastic work-life balance.

Please note: This is a fully on-site position based at our Chalk River Laboratory in Ontario.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

At CNL, we are committed to fostering an environment that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion. We celebrate and welcome employees, stakeholders, and partners of all backgrounds and identities. Click here to read all about it!

We are proud to uphold a workplace culture grounded in our Core Values: 

• Respect
• Teamwork 
• Accountability 
• Safety 
• Integrity
• Excellence

These values drive our employment practices and ensure meaningful career development opportunities and accommodations for all employees.

CNL is an equal opportunity employer. If you require accommodation during any phase of the hiring process, please let us know via jobs@cnl.ca. All requests will be handled with confidentiality.

CNL operates on sites located on the traditional lands, waterways and ceded and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples. CNL recognizes and affirms all First Nations, Métis communities and Inuit in this land we now know as Canada. We acknowledge, respect and seek to better understand Indigenous history, rights and title on the lands where we work and develop projects. We honour and respect the importance of the relationship between Indigenous peoples and their lands, waters and territories.