Wildland Firefighter

Full Job Description

These positions will be located at a USDA Forest Service Unit.

The purpose of these positions is wildland fire suppression/management/control, as a firefighter on an engine, hotshot, helitack or hand crew.

Other wildland fire related duties might involve fire prevention, patrol, detection, or prescribed burning. See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION for Regional contacts.

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.

Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GW-03: Applicants must have minimum six (6) months experience of any type of work that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of a Wildland Firefighter position, or general experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the Wildland Firefighter occupation; OR Successful completion of a one (1)-year of related education or appropriate firefighting training may be substituted for experience on a month-for-month basis.

Firefighting training obtained as part of a high school curriculum-may be substituted for the six (6) months of general experience required for a GW-03; OR an appropriate combination of experience and education.

Examples of general experience may include: Performed farm/ranch labor, such as feeding and tending livestock or general maintenance of farm/ranch facilities; Worked in a greenhouse or nursery moving, watering, and tending plants and performing other general labor tasks; Fed and watered animals, such as in a laboratory, pet store, or zoo; Any work experience, paid or unpaid.

Unpaid experience, for example, may be regular volunteer work, such as at a park, community sports league facilities, etc.

For the GW-04: Applicants must have six (6) months of general work experience or military service that demonstrated the ability to follow directions and to read, understand, and retain a variety of instructions, regulations, and procedures and that otherwise demonstrates the ability to perform or learn to perform the duties of the position.

AND six (6) months of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-03 in the federal service or equivalent; OR Successful completion of a two (2)-year course of study in an accredited college or university in Fire Training, Fire Science, Fire Technology or other related fields of study is qualifying for GW-4; OR an appropriate combination of experience and education.

Examples of general experience may include: Performed farm/ranch labor, such as feeding and tending livestock or general maintenance of farm/ranch facilities; Worked in a greenhouse or nursery moving, watering, and tending plants and performing other general labor tasks; Fed and watered animals, such as in a laboratory, pet store, or zoo; Any work experience, paid or unpaid.

Unpaid experience, for example, may be regular volunteer work, such as at a park, community sports league facilities, etc.

Examples of specialized experience may include: Performed natural resource support work, e.g., forestry, range, park technician, wildland firefighter, or similar jobs; performed routine support assignments in a forestry specialty area, e.g., wilderness, timber, fire prevention/control, etc.

Primary firefighter positions include the following age requirements: Under age 37 -OR- less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Permanent Federal Service worked in a primary or secondary firefighter/law enforcement position -OR- a veteran preference eligible, older than age 37 and is requesting a waiver to the maximum age requirement -OR-currently occupy a permanent position with primary fire fighter retirement coverage.

For those who do not currently occupy a permanent Federal position covered under primary fire fighter retirement, you must be under age 37; less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Permanent Federal Service in a primary or secondary firefighter/law enforcement position; or a veteran preference eligible, older than age 37 and requesting a waiver to the requirement.

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 primary/rigorous position covered under the special retirement provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) for the Civil Service Retirement System and of 5 USC 8412(d) for the Federal Employees Retirement System.

WORK CAPACITY TEST (WCT) for Wildland Firefighters: This position participates in wildland firefighting activities.

Based on the type of work performed, TAKING and PASSING the WCT at the ARDUOUS level is a condition of employment.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Selective Placement Factor for Promotion to GW-05: This position has been identified under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) or Forest Service Fire Program Management (FS-FPM) and is subject to selective placement factor requirements contained in the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard and Guide when filling this vacancy.

IFPM or FS-FPM selective placement factors are made up of a primary and secondary National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) core Incident Management Qualifications and Required Training.

Additional Requirement for Promotion Eligibility to the Full Performance GW-05 grade level: Successfully complete the Primary NWCG Core Requirement of Fire Fighter Type 1 (FFT1) -AND- Successfully complete the NWCG Course S-290 Wildland Fire Behavior.

Major Duties:

• Duties listed are at full performance GW-05 level.
• Serve on a wildland fire crew assigned to an engine, handcrew, or helitack module to suppress the full range of difficulty and complexity of fires.
• Patrol areas of controlled fires to mop-up by searching out and extinguishing any remaining burning material.
• Conduct structure defense operations in the urban interface and/or point protection in remote settings.
• Move dirt, chop brush, fell small trees, etc., to construct fireline.
• Perform resource management activities such as fuels, recreation, timber, or reforestation.