Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management)

Summary

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority This Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0456-8/9 working in the following location(s): Alturas, California Barstow, California Bishop, California Lee Vining, California Lone Pine, California Needles, California Ridgecrest, California Topaz, California Ukiah, California

Duties

As a Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management) - Direct Hiring Authority your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Operations & Preparedness: Supports prescribed fire and fuels treatment operations, including planning, ignition, holding, mop-up, rehabilitation, monitoring, and documentation while following safety standards and regulations. Fuels Management & Monitoring: Conducts field surveys, reconnaissance, and pre/post treatment monitoring to assess fuel conditions, fire behavior, treatment effectiveness, and progress toward management objectives. Planning & Analysis: Develops routine project plans and schedules, evaluates fuels and fire effects data, assists with treatment prescriptions and monitoring plans, and uses modeling tools to support project prioritization. Fire Management & Training: Participates in fire prevention, suppression, prescribed fire, post fire activities, equipment operations, and structured classroom/field training. Program Coordination: Assists with fuels program planning, budgeting, contract administration, smoke management, interagency coordination, and evaluation of treatment strategies and Fire Management Plan components.

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. Selective Placement Factor(s): 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. 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 fireline 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. This position has been identified as one of the key fire management positions under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard. This position has been categorized as a (insert IFPM title and complexity level if appropriate) EXAMPLE: Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist - HIGH Complexity, and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found here: Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM). To meet IFPM requirements, you must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required at time of referral, but may be required to obtain and maintain currency if selected): For the GW-08 - (CURRENCY REQUIRED) Engine Boss (ENGB) or Crew Boss (CRWB) or Firing Boss (FIRB) or Helicopter Manager (HMGB) -AND- Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4) For the GW-09 - (CURRENCY REQUIRED) Engine Boss (ENGB) or Crew Boss (CRWB) or Helicopter Manager (HMGB) -AND- Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) If selected at the GS-08, you must meet the IFPM training requirements above for the GS-09 as a condition of employment before being eligible for promotion to the GS-09 grade level. In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required. Only experience and education obtained by 11/09/2026 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 Qualifications For the GW-08 level: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-07 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes all of the following: Examples of specialized experience include: Assisted preparation and implementation of prescribed fire plans; Assisted evaluating treatments, monitoring methods and new technologies; Assisted with conducting fuels management surveys to document types of hazardous fuels. For the GW-09 level: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-08 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes all of the following; Examples of specialized experience include: Planned and/or implemented prescribed fire or managing wildfire to ensure resource objectives can be met from a fire management standpoint; Developed and/or implemented initial attack incident management strategies and tactics to meet the stated resource objectives; Implemented mitigation measures during wildland fire activities to protect sensitive habitats, endangered species, sensitive plants, or cultural values. *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, ad working under occasionally inclement (hot, cold, snow, wind, etc.) weather conditions. The incumbent must be in good physical condition in order to safely perform field activities. The incumbent must be able to perform duties in areas of uncontrolled wildfire where hazardous conditions exist. The incumbent must be able to fly as a passenger in helicopters and single engines fixed wing aircraft 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 varier of safety practices and precautions for the well-being of self and of others.

Education

IMPORTANT - There is no education substitute for experience at the GW-0456-08 or GW-0456-09 grade levels. Position Information: **PLEASE NOTE - these positions are covered under the new GW pay table specific to Wildland Firefighters. The salary listed in the announcement is for the RUS pay table: GW RUS Pay Table. *BLM Alturas Field Office, Alturas, CA, covered under the GW RUS Pay Table. *BLM Barstow Field Office, Barstow, CA, covered under the Los Angeles- Long Beach, CA Pay Table. *BLM Bishop Field Office, Bishop, CA, covered under the GW RUS Pay Table. *USFS Mono Ranger Station, Lee Vining, CA, covered under the GW RUS Pay Table. *USFS Mt Whitney Rager Station, Lone Pine, CA, covered under the GW RUS Pay Table. *BLM Needles Field Office, Needles, CA, covered under the Los Angeles- Long Beach, CA Pay Table. *BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, Ridgecrest CA, covered under the Los Angeles- Long Beach, CA Pay Table. *BLM Topaz Interagency Fire Station, Topaz, CA, covered under the GW RUS Pay Table. *BLM Ukiah Field Office, Ukiah, CA, covered under the GW RUS Pay Table. *Agencies and Offices listed above indicate where the position will be stationed - All selections will be employed by US Wildland Fire Service. In order to be considered for any duty location, ensure desired locations are selected. Applicants will not be considered for locations not selected. PCS entitlements authorized for positions at Alturas and Ukiah only. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area.

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. Official U.S. Wildland Fire Service uniform is required. 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. 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. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Subject to frequent extended travel 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/13084970. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 11/09/2026, 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.