Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Smokejumper Loft Manager)
Forest Service
Posted: January 13, 2026 (2 days ago)
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Forest Service
Department of Agriculture
Location
Kernville, California
Salary
$84,061 - $127,474
per year
Type
Closes
This job involves leading and overseeing aviation operations for wildfire fighting and forest management in California's national forests, including coordinating flights for fire detection, suppression, and other projects while ensuring safety and managing contracts.
It's a supervisory role that supports fire management officers in running complex programs.
A good fit would be someone with hands-on wildland firefighting experience, strong leadership skills, and knowledge of aviation safety who enjoys working in outdoor, high-stakes environments.
This position is located within a USDA Forest Service unit.
This position serves as a principal assistant to one or more Forest Staff Officer(s) or Forest Fire Management Officer(s) on USDA Forest Service Region 5 in directing the complex aviation management program of the Fire & Aviation Operations on one or more Forest Service units.
For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Jose Gonzales at jose.gonzales@usda.gov 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-11: You must have one-year specialized experience equivalent to the GW-09 in the Federal service.
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).
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.).
Examples of specialized experience include experience assisting with providing oversight and management of aviation activities including fire detection, suppression, use of fire retardant, aerial non-fire projects.
Conducting contract management, safety training and risk assessment for aviation programs. Assisting with providing technical and administrative supervision for aviation programs.
For the GW-12: You must have one-year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-11 grade level.
Examples of specialized experience include providing leadership in management and administration program on aviation activities including fire detection, suppression, use of fire retardant, aerial non-fire projects.
Conducting contract management, safety training, and risk assessment for aviation programs. Performing technical and administrative supervision for aviation programs.
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 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.
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:
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