Wildland Firefighter (Prevention)

Forest Service (DOA); Ketchum (ID); On-site; USD 31,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

The Forest Service (DOA) is seeking a Fire Prevention professional to join a National Forest fire crew. The role focuses on developing, implementing and administering the unit’s Fire Prevention Program, including prevention plans, education events and coordination with local agencies.

The position is filled at GW-06 level under new Special Base Rate pay. Related duties include planning, budget alignment, and collaboration across agencies to mitigate fire risks and educate the public.

Qualifications

• GW-06: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GW-05 grade level in federal service or equivalent.
• GW-06: There is no substitution of education for this position.
• This announcement uses Direct Hire Authority for filling the position.

Responsibilities

• Provides input for fire prevention plans and prescribed burn plan and assists with fuel breaks.
• Assists with planning and developing Wildfire Prevention Analysis Plans for the unit.
• Gathers and analyzes risk, hazards and values to prepare prevention plans.
• Plans cost effective prevention programs within the budget and helps with annual financial plans.
• Prepares and presents fire prevention and education events and materials.

Job description

Summary

This position is located within a National Forest. The position is located on a fire crew as a crewmember within the fire management organization. This position is responsible for development, implementation and administration of the unit’s Fire Prevention Program.

Locations

Many vacancies in the following locations: Ketchum, ID. Location negotiable after selection. Work site options are available.

Job Details

• Telework eligible: No
• Remote job: No
• Relocation expenses reimbursed: No
• Salary: $27.63 – $27.63 per hour. Salary is reflective of the new Special Base Rate (SBR) Salary Table for the General Wildland Firefighter (GW) pay plan effective 3/23/2025.
• Pay scale & grade: GW 6
• Promotion potential: None
• Work schedule: Full-time
• Travel Required: Occasional travel – occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignment.
• Appointment type: Temporary
• Occupations and job series: 0456 Wildland Fire Management
• Supervisory status: No
• Federal service type: This job is in the Competitive Service
• Represented by a union: No
• Drug test: Yes
• Security clearance: Other. Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
• Position sensitivity and risk: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk. Background check type: Suitability/Fitness
• Financial disclosure required: No. Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
• Announcement number: 27-TEMPF3-R4-2SC043-6DH
• Control number: 890771500

Eligibility

• U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

• Provides input for fire prevention plans and prescribed burn plan. Assists with establishment of fuel breaks in forests and other wildland vegetation.
• Assists with planning, analyzing, coordinating, organizing and developing comprehensive Wildfire Prevention Analysis Plans for the unit.
• Gathers, processes, analyzes and interprets risk, hazards and values needed to prepare these plans.
• Plans for cost effective and efficient fire prevention programs within the budget. Assists with preparation of annual financial and budgetary plans for the prevention program.
• Creates new prevention /education opportunities to meet program goals. As available, uses Wildfire Prevention Spatial Assessment and Planning Strategies (WPSAPS) to draft District Prevention Plan.
• Assists with staffing and executing prevention activities and events. Plans exhibits and events for fire prevention/education activities.
• Plans, organizes, schedules and directs group prevention/education contacts at local entities.
• Works directly with personnel from other State and Federal agencies and local rural fire departments to present fire prevention and education messages to a wide variety of users.
• Coordinates with local law enforcement personnel for violations of State Law, juvenile fire‑setter contacts and other violations.
• Independently analyzes person caused fires and determines needs for prevention emphasis. Prepares reports and obtains information for possible use in apprehension and conviction of trespassers, arsonists, or other violators.
• May participate as a witness in court actions and testify concerning investigative findings.
• Makes presentations or talks as required. Recommends or prepares public service announcements where appropriate with assistance from Forest’s staff.
• Enforces existing regulations found in Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) within the boundaries of Forest Service Policy to prevent loss and or damage to forest resources.
• Functions as a Forest Protection Officer with authority to write Notices of Violation and Incident Reports. Coordinates and conducts fire prevention inspections
• Provides technical advice and guidance to Forest Service personnel and other industrial operations to ensure compliance with fire precautionary requirements, waivers, public use restrictions and substitute measures.
• Ensures all are advised of corrective actions needed to mitigate hazardous conditions. As part of fire prevention inspections, designates corrective action required for fire precaution regulations. Works with COR or Sale Administrator in the process.
• Issues burning or campfire permits for the Unit with regards to fire danger levels, monitors for compliance/non‑compliance and manages records.
• Assists with unit Prevention/Education sign management programs. Prepares, maintains, orders inventory in a timely manner and coordinates with personnel for posting when required.
• Performs suppression operations as qualified on fire management unit.
• As assigned, receives reports of fires, plots locations, and initiates action to responding forces. Maintains records and reports including individual fire reports, fire resource orders, and incident action records.

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104‑134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
• Must be 18 years of age.
• Successfully pass the E‑Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E‑Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E‑Verify.gov.
• Some Fire positions may have Conditions of Employment such as: a valid state driver’s license; a commercial driver’s license (CDL); pre‑appointment and random drug testing; or a physical or medical examination.
• This is a Test Designated Position. You will be subject to pre‑employment and random drug testing. Appointment is based on a negative result. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice.
• Incumbent is subject to medical screening and must meet the Federal Wildland Firefighter Medical Standards for arduous duty wildland firefighting.
• Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
• Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignment.
• Must pass the appropriate level of the Work Capacity Test for Wildland Firefighters.
• This is a secondary firefighter position under 5 USC 8336© (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Prior wildland firefighting experience is required. There is no age limit for entry into secondary positions.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management’s General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

GW-06: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GW-05 grade level in federal service or equivalent.

GW-06: There is no substitution of education for this position.

Examples of specialized experience include: Performing suppression operations and instructing others during initial attack or assisting with prescribed burns. Giving formal talks and informally providing information on fire prevention laws, rules, and regulations. Issuing various permits and ensuring users were in compliance with rules and regulations.

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.

In accordance with USDA Department Regulation 4430-792-2, this position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the USDA Drug Free Workplace Program and subject to pre‑employment drug testing. All applicants selected for this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Incumbents of this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis on an ongoing random basis, after appointment as directed.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is being used to fill positions for FY2027 Temporary Employment Hiring season. The expected start date for this position will be between April 18, 2027 to June 13, 2027.

By selecting the “Location Negotiable” option during the application process, implies your willingness to be considered for any official duty location listed on this announcement and/or those duty locations not listed for this Regional announcement. Pay rates vary depending on location. The salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S. See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates.

This position is temporary, has a Not-to-Exceed date and will be filled for up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year, however an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or lack of funds.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other groups within the Region who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in any of the geographic location(s) listed on the announcement. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management’s website for additional information on pay rates.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligible must meet the agency’s definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay.

This position is not eligible for telework. Availability of government housing and federal day care facilities will vary by location.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Open in a new window Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veteran’s preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be referred to the selecting official.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Required Documents

• Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education ; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications . Resume cannot exceed 2 pages.
• If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least “Fully Successful” or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

Agency contact information

HRM Contact Center

Phone: [phone] X2

Email: [e-mail]

Address: USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center, Albuquerque, NM 87109, US

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service Signature and false statements
• Social security number request