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Posted: January 13, 2026 (2 days ago)

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Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Fire Management Fuels Planning Specialist)

Forest Service

Department of Agriculture

Fresh

Salary

$83,639 - $108,738

per year

Closes

January 22, 2026

Job Description

Summary

This job involves leading planning efforts to manage wildfire risks in forests by analyzing fuels, weather patterns, and fire history to create safe treatment plans that protect natural and cultural resources.

The role is with the U.S. Forest Service in Bishop, California, and focuses on using data and expertise to guide fire prevention projects while following laws and policies.

It's a good fit for someone with a background in environmental sciences or natural resources who has hands-on experience in wildland firefighting and enjoys technical analysis in outdoor settings.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
  • One year of specialized experience at GW-09 level or equivalent, including managing wildland fire planning, data collection on fire hazards, fuels, and weather, and developing fuels treatment alternatives
  • Prior wildland firefighting experience required for firefighter retirement coverage eligibility
  • Ability to review and validate complex data for accuracy and defensibility in fire management analyses
  • Expertise in providing guidance on resource objectives and ensuring compliance with laws, regulations, and policies
  • Strong analytical skills for evaluating fire effects on natural and cultural resources and modifying management plans

Full Job Description

These positions are located on a USDA Forest Service Unit within Region 5, Pacific Southwest Region.

The incumbent serves in a key fire management position in a field fire management organization as a Fire Management Specialist (Fuels Planner).

See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Section for location representative details.

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 Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Basic Requirement 0401 Series: Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related discipline appropriate to the position being filled.

-OR- Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.

Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GW-11 Level: You must have one-year specialized experience equivalent to the GW-09 in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as: Managed and applied wildland fire planning processes, information, and procedures using highly specialized analytical and technical tools; Performed data collection and evaluation of fire hazard risk, fuels, historic fire occurrence, fire effects, climatology and weather; Reviewed and validated data for adequacy, appropriateness, and accuracy; Ensured data used in analyses is timely, accurate, and defensible within established standards; Provided expertise in the development of resource objectives and guidance for implementation of projects and programs; Developed fuels treatment alternatives to support management decisions while adhering to applicable laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines.

-OR- 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled such as biological sciences, botany, ecology, horticulture, climate sciences, natural resource management).

-OR- An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).

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. Major Duties:

  • Duties listed are at full performance grade GW-11 level.
  • Reviews complex fuels management plans and environmental documents and determined the effects of fire on natural and cultural resources.
  • Evaluates, and modifies fire and fuels management plans for technical adequacy.
  • Provides analysis for wildland fire risk assessments incorporating wildland/urban interface considerations into fire management plans.
  • Participates in pre and post burn fire effects and fuel treatment monitoring.
  • Performs analysis of fire and its use and/or exclusion for smoke management programs to ensure compliance with air quality standards.
  • Identifies training needs and participated in prescribed fire and fuels management, and wildland fire training for fire suppression.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 1/13/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/13/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: 26-FIRE-P2R5-SFMPLSP-11DH