Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Airtanker Base Manager)

Summary

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority This Wildland Firefighter position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0456-6/7/8 working in the following location(s): Roswell, New Mexico

Duties

As a Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Airtanker Base Manager) your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Serves as a crewmember at an airtanker base. Ensures ramp operations are conducted in a safe manner, including parking, loading, and movement around the aircraft. Ensures safe operations of aviation and ground support activities including radio and hand signal communication, aircraft movement, fueling, retardant mixing and loading, and vehicle movement on the ramp. Works with wildland support aircraft performing duties such as aircraft start-up, loading, taxiing and parking. Compiles data for daily summaries and yearly reports. Monitors and assesses aviation operations and base activities for compliance with established policy, guidelines, and regulations to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective aviation operations. Participates in daily informational briefings to aviation resources assigned to the base and providing daily risk assessments for planned and anticipated operations. Performs day-to-day administration of aircraft contracts and signs for receipt of services. Contributes to direction and oversight of airtanker/SEAT Base Operations. Leads aviation firefighting personnel by directing their activities when supporting suppression actions or by serving as a situational leader on an airbase by directing the work of a small crew of aviation firefighters or vendors. In the absence of the air base manager, serves as a point of contact with airport management, contractor's representatives, public affairs, and various federal, state, and local entities, pertaining to aviation operations at the base. Oversees the mixing and loading of fire chemicals to ensure that individual aircraft weight limitations are not exceeded, and effective product is delivered. Coordinates with other air bases to identify needs, and to administer contract requirements.

Qualifications

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 is an administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission, and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE. Candidates must possess Primary/Rigorous wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days, and hours per week at which the work was performed to be considered. Applicants must have documented prior primary firefighting experience, with substantial service defined as either: At least one full fire season working in a primary wildland firefighting role (e.g., Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumper, Wildland Fire Modules or Fire Suppression Crews, etc.) with a federal, state, tribal, local, or private-sector organization; - OR - At least 14 days of on-the-ground fire line experience (cumulative or consecutive). Prior primary wildland fire experience must be clearly documented in your resume. Note: an IQCS Master Record or equivalent document will not be used to determine or calculate prior primary wildland fire experience eligibility for this requirement. 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. In addition to the requirements described above, you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: For the GW-06 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-05 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience having done at least one of the following: Assisted in providing facility maintenance, oversight and/or procedures for repairs and improvements; Assisted higher level personnel with contract preparation and/or administration; and/or Used specialized airtanker equipment and ensured equipment is in proper working order. For the GW-07 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-06 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience having done at least one of the following: Assisted in the safe loading of fire-retardant materials into air tankers. Provided facility maintenance, oversight and/or procurement for repairs and improvements. Assisted in administering aircraft and retardant contracts. For the GW-08 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-07 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience having done at least one of the following: Assisted in planning, scheduling and monitoring all flights out of a base for resource and fire related projects; assisted in preparing and directing the implementation of airtanker base operational plans; assisted in administering aircraft and/or fire-retardant contracts. In addition to the minimum qualification requirements, you must also meet the Selective Placement Factor for this position: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified. GW-08 level only: You must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management (qualifications to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required): A.) Aircraft Timekeeper (ATIM) OR; B.) Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT) You must meet all qualification and selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the 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: Long irregular hours are required, much of it occurring during periods of fire operations. Frequent standing, waling and long periods outside in high temperatures and direct sunlight may be required while working around multiple arriving and departing aircraft. Activities in and around moving aircraft and other equipment require constant monitoring and alertness for hazardous conditions and safety of personnel. Working Conditions: Majority of activities are performed in an airbase environment, both inside and outdoors. Extreme variations in temperature and climactic conditions are common. Work requires use of safety equipment including hearing and eye protection and high visibility clothing. The work involves exposure to operating aircraft that result in high noise levels and exposure to turning propellers, prop wash, jet intake areas and jet blast, and flying dues and debris.

Education

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

Requirements

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. 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. A condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Subject to frequent extended travel up to 75% of the time particularly during fire season, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority

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/13103072. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 11/13/2026, 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.