Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Unit Fire Chief)

U.S. Department of the Interior; Oregon (WI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of the Interior is seeking a Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Assistant Unit Fire Chief) based in Hines, Oregon under Direct-Hire authority.

The role focuses on leadership of firefighting teams, planning, and coordination with partner agencies to manage fire programs and operations. Responsibilities include supervision of firefighters, planning and training, fuels management, and ensuring safety and compliance with agency policies and NWCG standards.

Qualifications

• There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level of this announcement.

Responsibilities

• Supervises multiple Wildland Firefighters.
• May provide situational leadership and supervision for additional firefighters based on the fire assignment.

Job description

Summary

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 Unit Fire Chief) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0456-12 working in the following location(s): Hines, Oregon

Major Duties

Supervision: Supervises multiple Wildland Firefighters. May provide situational leadership and supervision for additional firefighters based on the fire assignment.

Planning: Participates in short- and long-range fire management planning activities for the assigned unit. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, agency personnel, cooperators, and representatives of Federal, Tribal, State, and local agencies to develop and implement fire management strategies and operating plans. Provides technical advice and recommendations to supervisors and agency administrators regarding fire program operations, preparedness, prevention, aviation, fuels management, suppression activities, workforce development, and training needs.

Preparedness / Operations: Plans, coordinates, and conducts training for agency personnel, cooperators, and other partners covering fire prevention, preparedness, suppression operations, emergency response, leadership, and firefighter safety. Assists in developing training schedules, instructional materials, and practical exercises. Maintains knowledge of current training requirements, policies, and operational procedures.

Fuels Management: Implements and oversees fuels management and prescribed fire activities to support fire hazard reduction and land management objectives. Ensures projects are conducted in accordance with approved plans, ecosystem management principles, air quality requirements, and established policies.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level of this announcement.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Direct Deposit Required. 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. This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position. A condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a [1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period] during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. Supervisory Probationary Period: Selectees who have not previously completed a supervisory probationary period, will be required to serve a one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period for this position. Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov. You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Evaluations

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. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. 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. You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the minimum qualification requirements of this position. Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine if you are minimally qualified for the position. If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted. Due to this vacancy being filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to positions filled under this announcement. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the announcement. All minimally qualified candidates will be referred for consideration. Please note that the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. Interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis. The competencies below provide an overview of what this position entails once encumbered: Planning and Evaluating - Determines objectives and strategies; coordinates with other parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors and evaluates the progress and outcomes of operational plans; anticipates potential threats or opportunities. Fire Management - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of fire management, including the characteristics, behavior, and ecology of fire; methodologies, strategies, and equipment used in prescribed fires; fire detection, prevention, and suppression strategies; and integration of fire with natural resource management. Leadership - Inspires, motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches, mentors, and challenges subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.

Required Documents

You must submit a complete application package. The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/18/2026. Resumes must show relevant experience and other information. Your resume MUST list your education and/or work experience including (1) the dates that include month/year (mm/yy) of each employment, along with (2) the number of hours worked per week, and (3) work experience duties listed under each job entry. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly show how long you were working in each grade level. Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. No assumptions will be made about your experience and/or education. You are welcome to submit a cover letter. Resumes must also include name and how to best contact you, including email address and phone number. Do not include the following types of information in your resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume and/or OPM Resume Writing Tips. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following supplemental documentation as applicable: IFPM Requirement - You must provide a copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other equivalent documentation which verifies you meet the required NWCG minimum qualifications for this IFPM position. Failure to provide this documentation will result in you being rated as not qualified. CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location. 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.

Other Information

Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on an RPL, you may be given priority consideration. PCS INFORMATION: -Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. -In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements May be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. Telework: This position is suitable for telework only in an emergency or natural disaster. Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area. Reasonable Accommodation: The USWFS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process. Applicants are ineligible for this position if ANY time they have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside or the applicant receives a pardon. Probation/Trial Period Con’t: The [probationary or trial] 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 their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirm