Firefighter

U.S. Department of the Interior; Grand Coulee (WA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uniform allowance

Job summary

U.S. Department of the Interior — Bureau of Reclamation is hiring a Firefighter in Grand Coulee, WA. You will operate and drive structural fire apparatus to incidents, perform firefighting, rescue, and EMT-B medical care, and maintain equipment and station readiness.

The role includes ongoing training, potential travel, and the need to pass medical and fitness requirements before appointment. A uniform allowance is provided, and DEA/Selectivity requirements apply.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Background investigation and favorable adjudication required.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.

Responsibilities

• Operate and drive complex structural fire apparatus to emergency scenes.
• Perform structural firefighting, rescue, and HAZMAT response in hazardous environments.
• Provide EMT-B level emergency medical care, assessment, and victim extrication.
• Maintain fire apparatus, equipment, tools, and station readiness.
• Participate in ongoing fire, rescue, HAZMAT, and EMT training and assist others.

Skills

Attention to detail

Customer service

Flexibility

Integrity/Honesty

Interpersonal Skills

Learning

Self-Management

Stress Tolerance

Teamwork

Occupational Judgement

Assessment-Decision Making

Reading Comprehension

Job description

Summary

You will serve as a Firefighter for the Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Interior (Interior Region 9-Grand Coulee Power Office). This is a structural fire position. You may be required to travel overnight away from home ocassionally. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Major Duties

• Operate and drive complex structural fire apparatus (pumpers, aerial trucks) to emergency scenes.
• Perform structural firefighting, rescue, and HAZMAT response in hazardous environments.
• Provide EMT-B level emergency medical care, assessment, and victim extrication.
• Maintain fire apparatus, equipment, tools, and ensure station operational readiness.
• Participate in ongoing fire, rescue, HAZMAT, and EMT training and assist in training other firefighters.
• Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• You will be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required upon onboarding.
• This is a Test Designated Position.
• 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.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards.
• A uniform allowance will be provided.
• Must pass the Work Capacity Test for certain Fire Program Management (FPM) positions.
• Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and pass a medical examination given by an authorized government physician.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• Less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Permanent Federal Service worked in a primary firefighting or law enforcement position.
• -OR- A veteran preference eligible, older than age 37 and is requesting a waiver to the maximum age requirement.
• -OR- Under age 37
• The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.
• All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions.
• Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.
• As 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.

Evaluations

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of any additional assessment(s) required for this position. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job. You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to detail Customer service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Occupational Judgement Assessment-Decision Making Occupational Reading Assessmeng-Reading Comprehension In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the USA Hire Assessment, if required. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

What to Expect Next

Please refer to your USAJOBS account for application status; the Human Resources Office cannot respond to individual status inquiries. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application. You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/29/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessment(s). IFSAC or Pro Board Certifications. All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable. Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

Benefits

Additional Information Continued: This probationary 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. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that the appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Other Information

WORK CAPACITY TEST (WCT) for Firefighters: This position participates in firefighting activities. Based on the type of work performed, TAKING and PASSING the WCT at the ARDUOUS level is a "condition of employment." The Arduous fitness (Pack) test requires completing a three (3) mile hike within forty-five (45) minutes, while carrying a forty-five (45) pound pack. You are strongly encouraged to consult with your physician and begin training immediately if applying for this position. This announcement constitutes the required 30 days advanced notice for testing requirements. To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case‑by‑case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Physical Demands/Work Environment: The work involves extended periods of heavy moving and lifting. Generally, the work requires recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, and positioning of patients, victims, fire hoses fire extinguishers, and other equipment. Must wear protective clothing and equipment weighing up to 100 pounds, while working in extreme heat and cold under adverse conditions, such as fire and smoke. Must maintain alertness, self-control, and emotional stability to work in conditions of stress, confusion, panic, and physical injury and even death that frequently occurs at major disasters. Climbs ladders and works at various heights. Must pass the firefighter physical examination and successfully participate in the ongoing Firefighter Physical Fitness Program. The incumbent is exposed to fires, emergency medical scenes, and other dangerous situations, including exposure to possible burns and other effects of smoke inhalation, heat, falling materials, explosions, toxic materials, infections, contagious diseases, and other dangerous substances. Subject to injury while dealing with frightened fire/medical victims. Hazards may exist while operating or riding fire or medical vehicles under adverse conditions.