Firefighter

City of Fayetteville; Sands Township (MI); On-site; USD 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Fayetteville Fire Department is seeking applicants for both certified and non-certified firefighter roles. Starting salary for inexperienced/entry level is $45,000/year, with higher starts for certified-inexperienced ($46,700) and lateral hires ($48,400–$52,310).

A full process includes exams, panel interview, and drug screening, with an academy beginning in early 2027. Applicants must meet age, work eligibility, driving and driving record requirements, and progressive certification timelines

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years of age on/before the specified date.
• Eligible to work in the United States.
• No felony convictions; limited misdemeanor convictions acceptable.
• Valid driver\'s license; if out of state, obtain NC license within 30 days of employment.
• No license loss in the past year; driving record must meet City standards.
• In good physical condition; willing to submit to drug screening and full physical.
• Must meet NC EMT certification standards within one year of employment.

Skills

Physical fitness

Valid driver\'s license

Meet physical demands

Drug screening willingness

Education

NC Firefighter II certification

Hazardous Materials Operations certification

State of North Carolina EMT certification

CPR certification

Job description

The Fayetteville Fire Department is currently accepting applications for certified and non-certified applicants.

Starting salary for inexperienced/entry level Firefighters: $45,000/year.

Position Requirements

• Must be 18 years of age on or before September 25, 2026.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.
• Must have no felony and limited misdemeanor convictions.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and, if out of state, be able to obtain a North Carolina driver's license appropriate for vehicle operating within 30 days of employment.
• Must have no loss of license within the past year and an acceptable driving record in accordance with the City of Fayetteville Driving Standard.
• Must be in good physical condition as required by the essential job functions and be willing to submit to drug screening and a complete physical (upon conditional offer of employment and while employed).
• Must be able to meet standards for NC EMT certification within one year of employment.

Certified-Inexperienced Requirements

• Must meet all previously identified position requirements.
• Must possess a NC Firefighter II certification (must meet ProBoard/ IFSAC accreditation).
• Must possess Hazardous Materials Operations certification (must meet Proboard/IFSAC accreditation).
• Must possess a current State of North Carolina EMT certification
• Must possess a current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification.

Certified-Inexperienced Firefighter starting salary: $46,700/Year.

• Starting salary for Certified-Inexperienced applicants will be based upon verification of certifications.

Lateral Hire

In order to qualify as a Lateral Hire Firefighter, at the time of application, applicants must be:

1. Currently employed as a paid full time firefighter employed by a state, county, or municipal fire department; OR
2. A retired firefighter who voluntarily separated (within the last 12 months) as a paid full-time firefighter from a state, county, or municipal fire department; OR
3. A former paid firefighter who separated (within the last 12 months) as a result of lay-offs from full time employment by a state, county, or municipal fire department; WITH
4. A minimum of two years firefighting experience while employed as a paid full-time firefighter by a state, county, or municipal fire department.

Lateral Hire Requirements

• Must meet all previously identified position requirements.
• Must possess a NC Firefighter II certification (must meet ProBoard/ IFSAC accreditation).
• Must possess Hazardous Materials Operations certification (must meet Proboard/IFSAC accreditation).
• Must possess a current State of North Carolina or EMT certification
• Must possess a current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification.

Lateral Hire Firefighter starting salary range: $48,400 - $52,310/Year.

• Starting salary for Lateral Hire applicants will be based upon verification of previous experience, completion of higher education, fire service certifications and alignment with the FFD Career Development program.

This recruitment is for a Fire Training Academy scheduled to begin early 2027. Certified-Inexperienced and Lateral Hire candidates may be contacted at any time during the calendar year for employment opportunities and will be eligible for an abbreviated fire academy schedule. The process will consist of a Written Exam, Physical Ability Test and a Panel Interview. The selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment drug screen, physical, a complete background investigation to include reference checks and driving history checks.

Participation in each step of the process is by invitation only. Candidates will be notified via e-mail of the specific date, time and location for each step of the selection process.

Anticipated Written Exam Dates

• Thursday, October 15, 2026
• Friday, October 16, 2026
• Saturday, October 17, 2026

Written Exam Location

TBD

Anticipated Practice Physical Ability Test date

Tuesday, November 03, 2026

Anticipated Physical Ability Test dates

Wednesday, November 04, 2026 - Saturday, November 07, 2026

NOTE:

Candidates must be able to perform all of the essential functions of the complete job description, unassisted, at a pace and performance level consistent with the bona-fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) requirements. This requires a high level of physical ability to include vision, hearing, speaking, flexibility, strength, etc.

An Equal Opportunity Employer