Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management)

Summary This position is located within a National Forest. The position is located on a fire crew as a crewmember within the fire management organization. The incumbent serves in a key fire management position in a field fire management organization performing Prescribed Fire/Fuels Management work. Duties Serves on prescribed fire and fuels projects in positions as per the IFPM minimum qualifications at the low complexity level. Provides routine technical guidance on fire protection and prevention issues. Technically administers routine aspects of the prescribed fire/fuels plan, ensuring that preparation, ignition, holding, mop-up, and rehabilitation are completed to the standards specified. During the implementation of prescribed fire plans, fuels projects, and wildland fire monitoring plans, assists in monitoring fire behavior, evaluating fire effects, identifying potential problems and making basic recommendations. Assists in conducting field reconnaissance of prescribed fire/fuels treatment units, summarizes field findings and makes basic recommendations on appropriate prescriptive criteria for meeting program objectives. Provides for training needs to support prescribed fire and fuels management programs. Participates in wildland fire and safety training in the techniques, practices, and methods of fire suppression and in the safe, efficient operation and use of tools, equipment, and vehicles used in fire suppression activities. With emphasis on those used for the particular function assigned. Participates in preparedness reviews, proficiency checks and drills, safety sessions, and after-action reviews. Ensures own and other's welfare and safety in all aspects of the assignment. Supports wildland fire suppression activities. Operates a variety of motor vehicles to transport equipment, supplies, crew members, etc. Uses specialized firing equipment. Performs as a Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist for low complexity fuels management program as per the rating factors contained in the IFPM Complexity Analysis. Assists in resolving problem situations encountered when performing a wide variety of nonstandard fire planning assignments. Conducts routine project assessments which determine the presence or absence of hazardous wildland fuels. Information on fuel conditions and predictions of fire behavior are collected through a variety of methods, including field surveys, computer modeling, and specific literature searches. Results are reported to the Prescribed Fire/Fuels Specialist and used in the determination and prioritization of prescribed fire and mechanical treatment projects. Reviews project plans and makes recommendations on appropriate levels of monitoring. Provides basic assistance in establishing study plots to assess fire and fire suppression impacts on the ecosystem. Participates in the development and refinement of plot characteristics, frequency of visits, subjects to be measured, and data storage and analysis techniques. Participates in drafting prescribed fire/fuels management plans following the interagency template. This involves reviewing fuel treatment alternatives and may include preparing segments of a plan to support objectives of the fire management program. Updates and uses a database to model and analyze fire behavior and fire effects observation data. Ensures data quality. Ensures proper data storage and archival procedures are followed. Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a US Citizen or US National. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing. Must be 18 years of age. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-Verify. Some Fire positions may have Conditions of Employment such as: a valid state driver's license; a commercial driver's license (CDL); pre-appointment and random drug testing; or a physical or medical examination. This is a Test Designated Position. You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. Appointment is based on a negative result. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice. Incumbent is subject to medical screening and must meet the Federal Wildland Firefighter Medical Standards for arduous duty wildland firefighting. Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable). Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignment. Must pass the appropriate level of the Work Capacity Test for Wildland Firefighters. 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. Successfully completed the Primary NWCG Core Requirement of Engine Boss (ENGB) OR Crew Boss (CRWB) OR Firing Boss (FIRB) OR Helicopter Manager (HMGB). Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4). Qualifications 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. In order to be considered for this position, copies of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record (or equivalent training documents) which contain documented proof of the certification or attainment of the IFPM Selective Placement Factor for this position MUST be attached to your application. Red cards are not acceptable documentation. GW-07: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GW-6 grade level in federal service or equivalent. GW-07: Education cannot be substituted for this grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: Performed suppression operations and instructed others during initial attack or assisting with prescribed burns; Gave formal talks and informally provided information on fire prevention laws, rules, and regulations; Issued various permits and ensured users were following rules and regulations. Selective Placement Factors Successfully completed the Primary NWCG Core Requirement of Engine Boss (ENGB) OR Crew Boss (CRWB) OR Firing Boss (FIRB) OR Helicopter Manager (HMGB) -AND- Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4). 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. 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, which means you must maintain the required level of physical fitness in order to remain in the position. The Arduous fitness (Pack) Test requires completing a three (3) mile hike within forty-five (45) minutes, while carrying a forty-five (45) pound pack. You are strongly encouraged to consult with your physician and begin training immediately if applying for this position. This announcement constitutes the required 30 days advanced notice for testing requirements. In accordance with USDA Department Regulation 4430-792-2, this position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the USDA Drug Free Workplace Program and subject to pre-employment drug testing. All applicants selected for this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Incumbents of this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis on an ongoing random basis, after appointment as directed. To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Additional information PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is being used to fill positions for FY2026 Temporary Employment Hiring season. The expected start date for this position will be between June 28, 2026 to October 4, 2026. By selecting the "Location Negotiable" option during the application process, implies your willingness to be considered for any official duty location listed on this announcement and/or those duty locations not listed for this Regional announcement. Pay rates vary depending on location. The salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S. See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates. This position is temporary, has a Not-to-Exceed date and will be filled for up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year, however an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or lack of funds. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other groups within the Region who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in any of the geographic location(s) listed on the announcement. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligible must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered. If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay. This position is not eligible for telework. Availability of government housing and federal day care facilities will vary by location. Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.