Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management) - Direct Hire Authority

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 position is a Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management) GW-0456-11 working in either Spokane Valley, WA or Wenatchee, WA for the U.S Wildland Fire Service.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below. Only experience and education obtained by 03/03/2026 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 For the GW-11 level: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-09 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent; Examples of specialized experience include: assist with developing, reviewing and evaluating fire management plans for ecological soundness and consistency with land management goals and objectives; analyzing fuel loadings and determining appropriate fuel treatment methods; performing land use planning and environmental coordination to determine if resource objectives were achieved; assist with analyzing the ecological role of fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management.

OR At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-10 level, or higher, outside of the Federal service; Examples of specialized experience include: developing, reviewing and evaluating fire management plans for ecological soundness and consistency with land management goals and objectives; analyzing fuel loadings and determining appropriate fuel treatment methods; performing land use planning and environmental coordination to determine if resource objectives were achieved; analyzing the ecological role of fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: There is not an option to qualify for the 0456 series utilizing education at the GW-11 grade level.

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: Work in the office is primarily sedentary.

Field work does require frequent physical exertion, involving walking over rough terrain, sometimes for extended periods, and working under occasionally inclement (hot, cold, snow, wind, etc.) weather conditions.

Working Conditions: Work is performed in both an office and field setting with field work.

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

The nature of fire management work requires that protective clothing (boots, hard hats, etc.) be worn.

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

As a Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management) - Direct Hire Authority your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Directs all aspects of the fuels mgmt.

program including planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation.

Develops and implements short-term fire management objectives and strategies based on the effects and behavior of prescribed fire.

Analyzes, evaluates, and makes recommendation on all sections of the Fire Management Plan pertaining to prescribed fire and fuels treatments.

Leads the development and coordination of cooperative agreements to facilitate multi-agency projects. Exercises delegated supervisory authorities and responsibilities 20% of the time.