Rangers - NVO Ranger

JOB SUMMARY

The NVO Ranger will work with NVO Ranger Leadership and NVO Leadership to provide a safe, supportive environment for the Burning Man staff and community in the Gerlach area during the season from early May to November.

This is a temporary. full-time, non-exempt role, based in Gerlach, NV consisting of two separate contracts running consecutively, the first during pre-event from May 1st to August 15th, and the second contract running from August 16th to November 1st, 2026.
 

[Note: Our ideal candidate(s) would take both of these consecutive contracts, but that is not required. If a candidate can only commit to working pre-event or post-event that is an acceptable option. Shorter, partial season contracts will also be considered on a case by case basis]

 The deadline to apply for this role is 5:00 pm Pacific on March 16, 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 NVO Team Leadership, help to maintain and support the general environment and overall security, safety, well-being, and functionality of the NVO 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 NVO Ranger Leadership and other team members as necessary to accomplish the mission.
• Assume responsibility for time and task completion. Stay in contact with the NVO 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 NVO 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 fulfill 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 $18 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.