Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Assistant IHC Superintendent)

US Office of the Secretary of the Interior; Sierra Vista (AZ); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

US Office of the Secretary of the Interior seeks a Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Assistant IHC Superintendent) in the GW-0456-8 series. The role requires meeting NWCG incident management standards and IFPM qualifications, with strenuous physical duties in forest/desert environments.

Candidates must meet MEA age limits and provide proof of firefighting credentials. The position operates under Direct Hire Authority and involves travel to wildfire locations as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum qualification for GW-08: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GW-07 in wildland fire or related program.
• Experience mentoring small crews performing wildland fire duties.
• Ability to analyze and predict fire behavior when responding to incidents.

Skills

Wildland firefighting

Leadership

Mentoring

Fire behavior analysis

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 Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Assistant IHC Superintendent) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0456-8 working in the locations listed.

In order to be considered for any location, ensure desired locations are selected. Applicants will not be considered for locations not selected

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. 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. 2. 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 Senior Firefighter, and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found here: Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM). To meet IFPM requirements, you must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required at time of referral, but may be required to obtain and maintain currency if selected):
   • Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1), AND;
   • Intermediate Fire Behavior (S-290)
3. 3. 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):
   • Strike Team Crew (STCR), OR Task Force Leader (TFLD), AND;
   • Single Resource Crew Boss (CRWB) AND;
   • Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4) or higher

Applicants must meet all selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

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

Only experience and education obtained by 10/08/2026 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

For the GW-08 level:

At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-07 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, is required. Examples of specialized experience include: performing wildland fire suppression activities within an IHC or similarly constructed component of a wildland fire management program; mentoring and leading small groups of lower graded crewmembers performing wildland fire duties; and analyzing and predicting fire behavior when responding to wildland fire incidents.

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 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.

Working Conditions: 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.