Range Safety Officer

The FiRST Center is the newest regional public safety training facility serving all jurisdictions in the south metro and Greater Minnesota area. This premier, state-of-the-art facility, dedicated to advancing the skills of law enforcement, fire services, and emergency responders, features 40,000 square-feet of physical training areas for fire, police and EMS; classrooms and meeting space; virtual training; firing range with vehicle access; a tactical training room; and more.

The Range Safety Officer (RSO) is responsible for maintaining a secure and professional environment for all firearms range participants. This role serves as the primary authority on the firing line, ensuring that all guests strictly adhere to safety protocols, range rules, and legal regulations. The ideal candidate is a vigilant, detail-oriented professional with a deep understanding of firearms mechanics and a commitment to public safety.

Key Responsibilities

• Safety Oversight & Enforcement: Actively monitor the firing line to ensure all established procedures are followed. This includes identifying and correcting safety violations, managing emergency cease-fire protocols, and evacuating individuals from hazardous areas if necessary.
• Inspections & Quality Control: Perform rigorous safety checks on weapons, ammunition, and personal protective equipment (PPE). You will also inspect range equipment and lighting before and after use to ensure everything is in peak operational condition.
• Operational Management: Direct lane assignments and manage the flow of participants. Responsibilities include collecting range fees, processing waiver forms, and issuing range passes.
• Maintenance & Reporting: Troubleshoot equipment malfunctions and perform necessary cleanup of the range facilities. Document any equipment damage or safety incidents through formal reports.

Visit the FiRST Center for more information.

Recruitment Schedule
Applications, including resumes, must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2026.  

First interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of August 10, 2026. Additional information will be provided to candidates selected to interview. Interview schedules may be subject to change.

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1. Enforce all safety protocols and posted range rules to ensure adherence to established firing procedures.
2. Maintain a safe firing range environment by identifying and correcting safety violations, evacuating individuals from dangerous areas, and initiating emergency cease-fire protocols as needed.
3. Conduct safety checks, including ammunition, weapons, and personal protection equipment.
4. Inspect range equipment prior to and following use, including clean up and documenting damage or incident reports.
5. Manage range assignments and lane usage.
6. Troubleshoot range equipment and lighting. 
7. Collect range fees, waiver forms and issue range passes. 
8. Other duties as assigned.

Schedules and other conditions
This position will work a varied schedule, which may include evenings and weekends to provide for proper supervision of maintenance functions, response to user/member requests, and monitoring contractual services.

Knowledge/skills/abilities

• Read, interpret, explain, and apply laws, policies and regulations.
• Firearms, ammunition and shooting safety regulations.
• Safe firearms procedures.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers and the public.

Physical requirements and working conditions

This work requires the regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, walking, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, tasting or smelling, pushing or pulling and repetitive motions, frequently requires stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and lifting and occasionally requires climbing or balancing; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, assembly or fabrication of parts within arm’s length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work frequently requires exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment and occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to the risk of electrical shock and wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus.

• High school diploma or equivalent. 
• Must not be prohibited from possessing firearms per Minnesota State Statutes.

Desired Qualifications

• Certified Firearms Instructor and/or Range Safety Officer from a recognized training provider.
• NRA range safety officer training.
• Certified or formerly certified law enforcement armorer.
• Certification in Advanced First Aid/COR or First Responder.