Hybrid Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Engine Captain) at Department of the Interior

Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Engine Captain)

Department: Department of the Interior

Location(s): Alturas, California, Apple Valley, California, Bakersfield, California, Banning, California, Bishop, California, Cedarville, California, Doyle, California, Lee Vining, California, Onyx, California, Ridgecrest, California, Riverside, California, Susanville, California, Taft, California, Topaz, California, Whitethorn, California, Yucca Valley, California

Salary Range: $57098 - $93895 Per Year

Job Summary: Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. We expect to fill many vacancies at the following Bureau of Land Management Districts: Central California District California Desert District Nothern California District This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at:https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/#url=Fact-Sheet

Major Duties:

• Directs the operation of a wildland fire suppression, monitoring, and post-fire activities.
• Starts pump engine, primes pump, adjusts engine speed and pump valves, lays hose, uses appropriate nozzle.
• Maintains specialized wildland firefighting equipment.
• Conducts and participates in crew proficiency checks and drills, safety sessions, and fire critiques.
• May serve as Initial Attack Incident Commander on wildland fires and all risk incidents.
• Gather and consider information such as weather, topography, fuel types, and fire behavior to respond to wildland fire incidents.
• Positions and deploys personnel and equipment to protect values at risk.
• Reviews work daily, weekly, or monthly, assuring all standards are met.
• Hears and resolves minor complaints.
• Provides for module safety and welfare and implements training as needed.

Qualifications: Selective Placement Factors: 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 position is subject to the Interagency Fire Program (IFPM) Standard and Guide selective placement factors. This position requires the following qualifications - Currency Not Required: For the GS-6: Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) -AND- Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (S-290) For the GS-7: Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) -AND- Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (S-290) Commerical Driver's License: You will be required to obtain a Commerical Driver's License (CDL) with Class A, B or C endorsement within one year of employment. An extension may be granted upon supervisor approval. Specialized Experience Requirements: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. For the GS-6: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-05 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: experience as a member within a fire crew/module assisting in the driving and operating of a wildland fire engine, assisting in the positioning of the engine; starting the pump engine, priming pump, adjusting engine speed and pump valves, laying hose, and using appropriate nozzles; responsible for keeping engine in a full state of readiness. Monitors fire behavior, fire effects, and fire weather. Collects fuels characteristics such as fuel loading, tree stand density, fuel moisture, and maintains records. Maintains and operates specialized equipment, including emergency repairs. For the GS-7: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-06 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: experience leading and directing a fire crew/module in fire suppression, prescribed fire, fire monitoring, and post-fire activities. Mentoring, instructing, and leading crewmembers by planning for and directing fire crew/module operations while recommending and implementing strategies and tactics of the module under evolving incidents with heightened situational awareness. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. This is a primary firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c)(CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). The position is subject to maximum entry age (MEA) requirements. The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37 unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian firefighter experience 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 will result in loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age 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. 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 fire: Wildfire - An unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. Prescribed Fire - 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: Arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping and twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity. Work Environment: Forest, range, and desert environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with thick tangled vegetation, smoky conditions, etc. Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and may fall below freezing. Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material. Employee must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements, dust and smoke, poor bivouac and eating situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. Firefighters may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the work requires that personal protective equipment be worn (e.g., boots, hard hat, gloves, flame resistant clothing). Work may require travel by fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft.

How to Apply: THIS IS AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH USAJOBS. Your application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time by 11/18/2025. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the HR Office at Katherine Pomaville at [email protected]. If applying on-line poses a hardship for you (i.e. you do not have access to the Internet) you must contact us prior to the closing date of the announcement for an alternative method of applying. PLEASE NOTE: If you have access to a public library, State Job Service Office, etc., you should use these resources to apply online. You must follow the steps described below to complete the application process: YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBS. Your profile must contain a current resume for submission. See Required Documents section for what to include in your resume. INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is an available tool when you login to your USAJOBS account. Review the Appointment Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you selected. You must provide proof of your eligibility to be considered. You must submit a resume and also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. The eligibility portion of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this announcement. You may choose more than one eligibility. You must provide proof of your eligibility and will only be considered for the questions that you answer "yes". Please note, your eligibility will be based solely on the selections you have indicated in this section. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim to be considered. You may choose more than one eligibility in this section. To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12751436 To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. FOLLOW UP. Check your application status before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to ensure that a complete application (including a resume, on-line questionnaire, and applicable supplemental documentation) is received by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 11/18/2025 . NOTE: Technical problems may take at least 1 business day to resolve; therefore, you are highly encouraged to complete the application process prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2025-11-18