Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Fire Management Officer)

Full Job Description

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement.

Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority This Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Fire Management Officer) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0456-12 working in the following location(s): Los Banos, California In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below.

This position has been identified as one of the key fire management positions under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard.

This position has been categorized as a Unit Fire Program Manager - Moderate Complexity and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position.

Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found here: Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM).

To meet IFPM requirements, you must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required at time of referral, but may be required to obtain and maintain currency if selected): A.) Moderate Pathway #1: Primary Core: Task Force Leader (TFLD) AND Secondary Core: Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3) OR Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Type 2 (RXB2) OR B.) Moderate Pathway #2: Primary Core: Helibase Manager (HEBM) AND Secondary Core: Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3) To meet additional IFPM training requirements, as a "condition of employment", you must complete the following within one year of the entry on duty date: Fire Program Management (M-581) Note: For this announcement, IQCS Master Records showing HEB1 or HEB2 will be determined as meeting the HEBM Selective Placement Factor requirement.

Please submit and upload a new IQCS Master Record for future announcements. In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required.

Only experience and education obtained by 03/30/2026 will be considered. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Please be sure to include this information in your resume.

No assumptions will be made about your experience.

Minimum Qualification GW-12: One year of specialized wildland fire management experience equivalent to at least the GW-11 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates your ability to: maintain oversight of a Firefighter Safety Program; supervision of a Fire staff; experience with policies and procedures for fire suppression and preparedness; coordination with aircraft operations and acquisitions; monitoring Fire training programs; reviews and evaluates fuels management and prescribed fire burn plans.

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.

*Applicants must meet all minimum qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement.

Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage - Applicants for this secondary administrative fire fighter position under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C.

8412 (d), must possess knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of wildland firefighting as demonstrated by direct wildland firefighting experience.

In order to receive credit, you must provide a written description of your experience in wildland firefighting.

Education without hands-on wildland firefighting experience does not meet this requirement.

Periods of wildland firefighting experience, gained through militia and rural fire departments, can also be credited. Wildland fire is defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland.

Two distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fires as follows: Wildfire: Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires.

Prescribed Fires: Planned ignitions. This description includes only fire line experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages.

Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience.

Physical Demands: Normally the work is sedentary but often requires physical exertion while overseeing fire suppression activities including walking over rough, steep, uneven terrain in all types of weather.

The incumbent is faced with emergency situations at all hours and must respond quickly.

The position may require long shifts or multi-day assignments under primitive living conditions during emergencies.

During the fire season, extended fire assignments away from the unit may be required under very stressful conditions. Working Conditions: Although work is generally performed in an office setting.

Field work involves exposure to temperature extremes, both from weather and fire conditions where falling trees and the presence of smoke and/or dust create hazardous conditions.

The nature of fire suppression work requires that protective clothing (boots, bard hats, etc.) be worn during fire assignments.

The incumbent must exercise a variety of safety practices and precautions for the well-being of self and of others. Major Duties:

As a Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Fire Management Officer) your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Responsible for directing most phases of fire management programs for designated Federally managed lands within a geographic zone to include fire management planning, aviation management, training and workforce planning, fire preparedness, fuels management and fire prevention, dispatching, suppression, post-suppression, as well as all hazard and emergency response activities.

Serves as the technical authority in fire management and air operations with a diverse multi-dimensional fire management program, with full program and operational integration with other agency fire management at the highest level and throughout the fire organization.

Facilitates collaboration for the development of local/annual operating plans and provides staff technical direction in the execution of master plans throughout the organization.

Develops and negotiates complex local interagency agreements.

Coordinates strategic implementation of complex fire management activities in a rapidly changing environment for allocation of resources, equipment, and aircraft.