Engineering Equipment Operator (Wildland Fire)

US Office of the Secretary of the Interior; Twin Falls (ID); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Office of the Secretary of the Interior advertises an Engineering Equipment Operator (Wildland Fire) for field locations in Burley, ID; Shoshone, ID; Vernal, UT; and Winnemucca, NV. Direct-Hire authority applies and selective factors include NWCG qualifications and MEA constraints for veterans and active personnel.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications by the closing date, provide all required documentation, and be prepared for physically demanding, outdoor work under

Qualifications

• Experience shown on resume must demonstrate the skill level with heavy equipment and safety procedures for wildland fire operations.
• NWCG qualifications are required for eligibility (hourly or weekly hours must be specified on resume).
• Applicants must meet age, service, and documentation requirements as described in the vacancy announcement.

Skills

Dozer Operator (DZOP)

Heavy Equipment Boss (HEQB)

Job description

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority

This Engineering Equipment Operator (Wildland Fire) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, WG-5716-10 working in the following location(s):

• Burley, ID
• Shoshone, ID
• Vernal, UT
• Winnemucca, NV

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.

1) 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.

2) 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):

• Dozer Operator (DZOP) and
• Heavy Equipment Boss (HEQB)

3) You must be able to perform the work of the position without more than normal supervision.

In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required.

Only experience and education obtained by 11/24/2026 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 Qualification

OPM Job Qualifications System for Trades and Labor Occupations will be used in determining applicant's qualifications. There is no specific length of training or experience required; however, applicants must demonstrate through experience shown on their resume, that they possess the skill level that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of an Engineering Equipment Operator (Wildland Fire) without more than normal supervision.

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 Effort: Varying degrees of physical effort are required to perform the different types of work present in this position. Wildland firefighting duties typically require arduous exertion such as extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping, twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, etc. Heavy physical effort is used to operate engineering equipment by constantly reaching, bending, turning, and moving hands, arms, feet, and legs to handle controls to operate the equipment and attachments. Considerable strain is caused by the constant vibration of the equipment and the requirement for more frequent adjustments under more adverse operating conditions. When repairing heavy mobile equipment and/or motor vehicles, you will work in tiring or uncomfortable positions for long periods of time.

Working Conditions: Work is accomplished in both an indoor and outdoor setting. When working in the field, extreme temperatures are common in weather and fire. Smoke and dust conditions are frequently severe. You are exposed to injury due to the possibility of overturning equipment or being overrun by wildfire. The incumbent is subject to noise, vibration, dust, dirt, fumes from the motor and exhaust, and smoke from wildfires. Work demands conformance to safety requirements including the use of a variety of personal protective equipment such as hardhats, goggles, Nomex clothing, gloves, heavy leather boots, respirator and other items.