Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Forest Fire Management Officer - Moderate Complexity)
Forest Service
Posted: January 14, 2026 (1 day ago)
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Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Interior
Location
Dolores County, Colorado
Salary
$48,424 - $62,955
per year
Type
Closes
Base salary range: $26,979 - $35,074
Typical requirements: 6 months general experience. Some college or vocational training.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This job is for a wildland firefighter working with the Bureau of Land Management in rural Colorado areas like Dolores, Gunnison, and Montrose, where you'll help prevent, control, and put out wildfires on public lands.
It involves hands-on work like operating equipment, conducting rescues, and managing fire hazards in challenging outdoor environments.
A good fit would be someone physically fit, under 37 (or a qualifying veteran), with some prior experience in firefighting or related fields, who enjoys teamwork and outdoor adventure.
This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement.
Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.
These positions are located in, Dolores, Gunnison and Montrose, CO. Information about these locations can be found by clicking on the location name listed.
Minimum Qualification Requirements:In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the minimum qualification requirement(s); please be sure to include this information in your resume.
No assumptions will be made about your experience. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.
To qualify for a GW-04, you must meet at least one of the following: Experience: 6 months of general work experience, which can be any work experience AND 6 months of specialized work experience equivalent to the GW/GS-03 level duties.
Examples of specialized work experience may include the following: controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade forest fire control, prevention, or suppression work rescue operations detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards operation of fire communications equipment when it requires specialized knowledge of firefighting techniques, equipment, and procedures to prevent and manage fires controlling hazardous materials incidents developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention Education: Successful completion of a 2-year course of study above high school, from an accredited college or university, in Fire Training, Fire Science, Fire Technology or in other related fields.
A combination of the education and work experience described above.
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.
Selective Placement Factor(s): This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element.
Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.
1.) This position is a Primary Firefighter position and is subject to a maximum entry age (MEA). The MEA is the date immediately preceding your 37th birthday.
Applicants must not have reached age 37 at the time of appointment, unless proof is provided of prior Federal service in another primary covered position, or you are a preference eligible veteran.
If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday.
You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement.
Failure to provide this documentation with your application may result in loss of consideration.
Please refer to the Required Documents section for further guidance on what documentation is required to meet this requirement.
If over the MEA and you are not a veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted prior to employment.
Acceptable proof consists of SF-50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments and copies of approved letters based on individual claims.
You must meet all qualification and selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
Physical Demands: Arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping and twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity.
Work Environment: Forest, range, and desert environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with thick tangled vegetation, smoky conditions, etc.
Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and may fall below freezing.
Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material.
This is a primary firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). The position is subject to maximum entry age (MEA) requirements.
The MEA for this position shall not exceed age 37. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. See Required Documents Section.
FACT SHEET for Fire Positions: Information on Special Retirement. Major Duties:
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