Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Unit Fire Chief)

US Office of the Secretary of the Interior; Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 105,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

US Office of the Secretary of the Interior seeks a Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Unit Fire Chief) to lead fire management policy, budgeting, and interagency coordination across jurisdictions. This senior role aligns with IFPM standards and NWCG qualifications, with emphasis on strategic planning and program guidance.

The selected applicant will oversee complex fire management activities, ensure compliance with federal standards, and coordinate with partner agencies, operations, and aviation

Qualifications

• Advising leadership on fire management policy and implementation strategies.
• Providing strategic long-range planning, leadership, guidance, coordination and evaluation of a fire program.
• Formulating annual budgets and coordinating fire protection activities across jurisdictions.

Skills

Fire management policy

Strategic planning

Budget coordination

Leadership and guidance

Interagency coordination

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 (Unit Fire Chief) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0456-13. For details regarding vacancy locations, please review the following document: Vacancy Location Details

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 be 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.
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 Unit Fire Program Manager - High Complexity 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):

Pathway 1:
A. Division Group Supervisor (DIVS); AND
B. Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3) OR Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Type 2 (RXB2)
-OR-
Pathway 2:
A. Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS); AND
B. Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3)
To meet additional IFPM training requirements, as a condition of employment, you must complete the following within one year of the entry on duty date: Fire Program Management (M-581)
The administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission, and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE.
Candidates must possess Primary/Rigorous wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days, and hours per week at which the work was performed to be considered.
Applicants must have documented prior primary firefighting experience, with substantial service defined as either:

• At least one full fire season working in a primary wildland firefighting role (e.g., Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumper, Wildland Fire Modules or Fire Suppression Crews, etc.) with a federal, state, tribal, local, or private‑sector organization;
  - OR -
• At least 14 days of on-the-ground fireline experience (cumulative or consecutive).

Prior primary wildland fire experience must be clearly documented in your resume.
Note: an IQCS Master Record or equivalent document will not be used to determine or calculate prior primary wildland fire experience eligibility for this requirement.
In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required.
Only experience and education obtained by 10/22/2026 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-13 level:
At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-12 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes all of the following: Examples of specialized experience include advising leadership and staff on fire management policy and implementation strategies; providing strategic long-range planning, leadership, guidance, coordination and evaluation of a fire program; formulating annual budgets; coordinating wildland fire protection on the public and Indian trust lands. Serves as wildland fire management program expert and technical advisor to managers. Participates in the development of policy and guidance, including work with interagency and intra‑agency partners in at least 4 of the following responsibilities: Operations, Aviation, Fuels Management, Prevention, Planning, and Training.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corp, 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.
Physical Demands: Normally the work is sedentary but often requires physical exertion while overseeing fire suppression activities including walking over rough, steep, uneven terrain in all types of weather. The incumbent is faced with emergency situations at all hours and must respond quickly. The position may require long shifts or multi-day assignments under primitive living conditions during emergencies. During the fire season, extended fire assignments away from the unit may be required under very stressful conditions.
Working Conditions: Although work is generally performed in an office setting, field work involves exposure to temperature extremes, both from weather and fire conditions where falling trees and the presence of smoke and/or dust create hazardous conditions. The nature of fire suppression work requires that protective clothing (boots, hard hats, etc.) be worn during fire assignments. The incumbent must exercise a variety of safety practices and precautions for the well‑being of self and of others.