Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Wildland Firefighter (Fire Effects and Fuels Monitoring) - Direct Hire Authority
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Summary
In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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. In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required. Only experience obtained by 10/30/2026 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. Selective placement factor: The following selective placement factors have been identified to be required for this position. You must have possessed the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required): Requirements for this position are: A.) Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) B.) Prior experience with Wildfire Operations. Minimum Qualification: GW-07 For the GW-07 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-06 level in the federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: experience as a member of a fire monitoring or wildland fire crew. The applicant must possess experience leading or assisting in leading others in the field (e.g., any fire crew, field data collection crew, etc.); executing fire management activities in fire suppression, fuels management, fire effects and fuels monitoring, and post-fire such as: measuring and documenting vegetation and fuels information; identifying plant species; collecting and reporting fire behavior and weather data; evaluating initial fire situations and identifying potential hazards; performing fuels, prescribed fire, and/or post-fire operations. 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. This position is covered by the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d) as a Primary/Rigorous Firefighter. Applicants must be 18 years of age but not have reached their 37th birthday by the closing date of this announcement. These positions are covered by the special enhanced annuity retirement provisions for Federal Firefighters and Law Enforcement officers and have a mandatory retirement age of 57. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has prior Federal service in documented special retirement covered position(s) sufficient to count toward 20 years of covered service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. Applicants must submit proof of their previous and/or current status in the Fire Fighter or Law Enforcement special enhanced annuity retirement system. Physical Demands: The work requires arduous physical exertion for prolonged periods. Activities include running, walking, and climbing over uneven or steep terrain; bending, kneeling, stooping, reaching, pulling, and twisting; and prolonged standing. The work also requires recurring lifting and carrying of equipment and supplies weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items. The work requires sufficient strength, stamina, agility, and dexterity to safely perform wildland firefighting and related duties. Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily outdoors in remote and rugged environments under a variety of terrain, weather, and fire conditions. The employee is exposed to hazards associated with wildland firefighting and field operations, including fire, smoke, falling or rolling material, uneven terrain, extreme temperatures, dust, noise, and other environmental hazards. The work may require extended assignments in remote locations with limited facilities and primitive living conditions. The hazardous nature of the work requires the use of personal protective equipment, including flame-resistant clothing, boots, gloves, and head protection. Work may require travel by fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft. Probation Period Con't: The probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: - your performance and conduct; - the needs and interests of the agency; - whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your [probationary period -OR- trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Major Duties
As a Wildland Firefighter (Fire Effects and Fuels Monitoring) - Direct Hire Authority your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Performs wildland fire suppression and post-fire actions. Collects and records fire behavior, fuels, weather, and effects data. Conducts prescribed fire and fuels monitoring using established protocols. Manages and maintains monitoring equipment, tools, vehicles, and data systems. Provides field leadership, training, and guidance to crew members.
Requirements
Salary Range Information: Marblemount, WA: $70,325-$91,425 El Portal, CA: $62,855-$81,753 Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Direct Deposit Required. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Selectees must pass a pre-employment medical examination and may be subject to post-employment medical examinations to determine if they are maintaining the fitness standards for this position. This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position. The position may require the incumbent to obtain and maintain a commercial driver's license (CDL). Official U.S. Wildland Fire Service uniform is required. A condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a [1-year probationary period] during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. (continued below) Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov. You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position. Must meet the maximum age requirement. See qualifications section for more information. You may be required to work evenings, weekends and overtime. You may be required to travel overnight away from home. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. The position may require the incumbent to meet additional qualification and training requirements specified in applicable interagency wildland fire standards and guides and/or as part of your training plan. The incumbent is subject to medical examination and must pass the work capacity test for arduous positions. The incumbent must posess FFT2 (Firefighter Type 2) certification.
Required Documents
You must submit a complete application package. The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/30/2026. Resumes must show relevant experience and other information. Your resume MUST list your education and/or work experience including (1) the dates that include month/year (mm/yy) of each employment, along with (2) the number of hours worked per week, and (3) work experience duties listed under each job entry. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly show how long you were working in each grade level. Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. No assumptions will be made about your experience and/or education. You are welcome to submit a cover letter. Resumes must also include name and how to best contact you, including email address and phone number. Do not include the following types of information in your resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume and/or OPM Resume Writing Tips. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following supplemental documentation as applicable: CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location. Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Proof of Age: As this is a covered primary fire position, your application package MUST include official government issued documentation (SF-50, driver's license, etc) indicating your date of birth. If over the maximum entry age (MEA), and you are not a Veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted (i.e. initial primary covered SF-50, copies of approved coverage letters based on individual claims, and any additional SF-50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments if a break occurred). If over the MEA and you are a Veteran, you must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation. Failure to submit required documentation may result in loss of consideration.
How to Apply
Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13072403. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 10/30/2026, 11:59pm ET to receive consideration. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please refer to the contact information listed at the bottom of the announcement. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.