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Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management)- Direct Hire Authority
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Based on Alaska data
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What they do
A Firefighter responds to fire alarms and other emergency calls. Puts out fires and rescues people from buildings. Responds to medical emergencies and assists with search and rescue efforts and industrial or hazardous waste accidents. Provides fire prevention programs or inspections in the community. May be specially trained to fight forest fires.
$66,618 / year median in Alaska
+7% projected growth
Job Description
Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management
This experience may come from serving in a permanent, temporary, seasonal, or comparable private-sector, Tribal or other government role on an Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumpers, Wildland Fire Module, or Fire Suppression Crew, etc. This experience has been documented in my work history/experience blocks on my resume.
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/13046799 . Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 09/09/2026, 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. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming
- Direct Hire Authority Department of the Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior U.
DIRECT HIRING AUTHORITY
will be used to fill this position. Veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. All qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration for this position. Duties As a Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management- Direct Hire 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 FireManagement Plan components. Requirements Conditions of employment 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 wear a uniform and comply with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) fire uniform standards. 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. A condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a [1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial 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. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.Qualifications Basic Qualification Requirements:
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. This means I have worked directly on the fireline performing tasks such as containing, controlling, suppressing, or managing wildland fires.This experience may come from serving in a permanent, temporary, seasonal, or comparable private-sector, Tribal or other government role on an Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumpers, Wildland Fire Module, or Fire Suppression Crew, etc. This experience has been documented in my work history/experience blocks on my resume.
- OR•At least 14-days of on-the-ground fireline experience (cumulative or consecutive).
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. 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. 1. 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 Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist- Low Complexity, and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position.
- 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.
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, and 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 engine 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 variety of safety practices and precautions for the well-being of self and of others. EducationIMPORTANT
•PLEASE NOTE:
There is no qualifying education for the 0456 series at this grade level. Additional information This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GW-09. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied. Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on an RPL, you may be given priority consideration.PCS INFORMATION
- No PCS entitlements authorized
Telework:
This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.Additional Vacancies:
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.Reasonable Accommodation:
The USWFS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process. Applicants are ineligible for this position if ANY time they have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside or the applicant receives a pardon.Cost of Living Allowance:
In addition to the yearly salary, this position is entitled to a cost-of-living allowance (COLA) as determined by https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/nonforeign-areas/#url=COLA-Rates .This allowance is subject to annual review, adjustment, and rate decrease.Probation/Trial Period Con't:
The [probationary or trial] 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.
- OR•trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
- You must provide a copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other equivalent documentation which verifies you meet the required NWCG minimum qualifications for this IFPM position.
CTAP/ICTAP
Documentation:
documentation verifying yourCTAP/ICTAP
eligibility- this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location.
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/13046799 . Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 09/09/2026, 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. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming
CTAP/ICTAP
eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application.For more information visit:
http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. Agency contact informationNSPS TEAM
Email OHCNSPS@ios.doi.gov Address Office of the Secretary 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 US Next steps Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official. You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated. If you were not referred and/or have questions or concerns regarding your rating determination or referral status, in the interest of time, please submit your inquiry in writing within seven (7) calendar days of receiving a Notice of Results and Referral notification email. Inquiries may be submitted to contact listed on this announcement. Be sure to include the announcement number to assist our team in reviewing your inquiry. Office of the Secretary of the Interior The U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) , an organization within the Department of the Interior (DOI), responds to wildfires and promotes fire-resilient landscapes across more than 500 million acres of public and tribal lands nationwide. The USWFS has full program authority and coordinates the DOI wildland fire management program in its entirety. It ensures coordination within DOI, the Bureaus it serves, other federal agencies- particularly the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
- as well as non-federal agencies, state foresters, tribes, and a variety of stakeholder groups representing volunteer firefighters.