Wildland Firefighter (Hotshot Squad Boss)

Office of the Secretary of the Interior; United States; On-site; USD 52,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

Office of the Secretary of the Interior seeks candidates for Wildland Firefighter (Hotshot Squad Boss) positions under Direct Hire Authority. Applicants must meet NWCG qualifications (FFT1, S-290) and IFPM standards for GW-05 to GW-07 levels. MEA age limits and documentation requirements apply.

Final eligibility depends on meeting all experience and training criteria by the stated date. Multiple duty locations are listed and selection requires choosing locations.

Qualifications

• Minimum qualifications include wildland firefighting experience and NWCG qualifications such as FFT1 and S-290 or equivalent.
• Tiered positions GW-05 to GW-07 require IFPM/NWCG qualifications (FFT1, S-290, CRWB, ICT5).
• IFPM/NWCG requirements must be met for promotion considerations.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fire Science or related field

Tools

FFT1

S-290

CRWB

ICT5

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 These Wildland Firefighter (Hotshot Squad Boss) positions are with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0456-5/6/7 working in the listed locations: In order to be considered for any duty 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.

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. This requirement applies to ALL grade levels.
2. 2.) Requirement for the GW-06 and GW-07 grade levels ONLY: 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 at www.ifpm.nifc.gov. To meet IFPM requirements for this position, 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): A.) Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1), AND; B.) Intermediate Fire Behavior (S-290) If selected at the GW-05, you must meet the IFPM training requirements above (#2) for the GW-06 as a condition of employment before being eligible for promotion to the GW-06 grade level.
3. 3.) Additional requirement for the GW-07 level ONLY: In addition, you must have possess all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required). A.) Crew Boss (CRWB) AND; B.) Incident Commander, Type 5 (ICT5) If selected at the GW-06, you must meet the NWCG requirements above (#3) for the GW-07 as a condition of employment before being eligible for promotion to the GW-07 grade level In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required. Only experience and education obtained by 10/15/2026 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. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Minimum Qualification For the GW-05 level:

At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-04 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, is required. Examples of specialized experience include: on-the-line wildland fire experience in forest/range fire control, prevention, or suppression work as a skilled wildland firefighter, utilizing a variety of specialized wildland fire tools and equipment. -OR- Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study (120 semester hour or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with a major study in Fire Science, Fire Technology or other related fields of study (e.g.: Forestry, Range Management, Agriculture, Fire suppression and Prevention). Transcripts must be a