Wildland Firefighter - Regional Aviation Officer
Forest Service
Posted: January 13, 2026 (2 days ago)
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Forest Service
Department of Agriculture
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salary
$112,824 - $168,420
per year
Type
Closes
This job involves assisting in the leadership of wildland fire protection efforts for the U.S.
Forest Service, including planning fire detection, preparing teams, coordinating responses, and managing regional operations in Utah.
It requires hands-on experience in firefighting and program oversight to handle high-stakes situations like emergencies and budgets.
A good fit would be someone with proven leadership in fire management, strong organizational skills, and a background in natural resource protection who thrives in dynamic, team-based environments.
This position is located within the Pacific Northwest Region, Region 6.
Incumbent serves as an Assistant to the Director of Aviation and Fire Management with primary responsibility for planning, organizing and directing activities in wildland fire protection systems, including fire detection, readiness, preparation, coordination, incident organization, and management of activities within the Region.
For additional information contact regional representative: Jason Heinz at Jason.heinz@usda.gov In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement.
For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Wildland Fire Schedule Qualification Standards.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements.
Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GW-13: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-12 grade level.
Examples of Specialized Experience: Prepared detailed plans, goals, objectives, requirements and criteria for complex or high value management processes and systems such as developing staffing standards for all aspects of wildland fire program functions.
Coordinated and directed programs during critical fire situations establishing priorities for all firefighting resources. Developing, coordinating and implementing a full fire program budget.
Effectively managing and utilizing available dollars taking into consideration changing priorities.
For the GW-14: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-13 grade level.
Examples of Specialized Experience: Prepared detailed plans, goals, objectives, requirements and criteria for complex or high value management processes and systems such as developing staffing standards for all aspects of wildland fire program functions.
Coordinated and directed programs during critical fire situations establishing priorities for all firefighting resources. Developing, coordinating and implementing a full fire program budget.
Effectively managing and utilizing available dollars taking into consideration changing priorities.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary firefighter position under 5 USC 8336 (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Prior wildland firefighting experience is required.
There is no age limit for entry into secondary positions. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent depends upon his or her individual work history.
To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.
This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Major Duties:
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