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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-7. At the GS-3, GS-4, GS-5, and GS-6 grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-7. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Performs initial and on-going focused patient assessment and physical examination.
• Manages respiratory and cardiac emergencies to include performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), bag-valve-mask resuscitation, and automatic external defibrillation.
• Assists the injured by applying knowledge and training for such purposes to use direct pressure and tourniquets to stop bleeding, check the airway for obstructions, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
• or immobilize for safe transport.
• Drives an ambulance under non-emergency and emergency conditions.
• Manages respiratory and cardiac emergencies to include performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), bag-valve-mask ventilations, and using an automatic external defibrillation (AED).
• Assists patients in taking emergency medications for certain complaints under the direction of standing orders or of a Physician.
• Employs hazard and risk assessment techniques to complete incident analysis.
• Assists in the developing of strategy to mitigate hazardous release.
• Operates fire attack lines and applying fire streams for fire control and extinguishment.
• Establishes water supply connections to hydrants, sprinkler systems, standpipes, and fire apparatus.
• Loads, unloads, and advances fire hoses.
• Makes forcible entry into locked and concealed areas, i.e., prying open doors, removing windows, etc.
• Places and climbs ground ladders with equipment for fire control, ventilation, rescue, or other fire ground work.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule: Rotating 24-hour and 48-hour shifts
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
• MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a maximum entry age for an initial appointment; applicants cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit, but who have previously served as a federal employee in a covered position, may be eligible to re-enter the fire service provided that they: (1) meet all applicable qualifications for the position and (2) will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered and creditable Federal fire service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57.
• Physical Requirements: Applicants will be given a physical examination including a treadmill and agility test. Failure to pass these tests may be justification for disqualification. Periodic medical examinations following appointment may be required to determine fitness for continued performance of the duties of the position.

Qualifications

This position includes Selective Placement Factors (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factors for this position are:** Copies of certifications must be submitted if selected for an interview.

1. Firefighter II Certification from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). (Required for GS4-GS7 grades)
2. Hazardous Materials Certification at the Operations Level from the from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). (Required for GS4-GS7 grades).
3. Hazardous Materials Certification at the Technician Level from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). (Required for GS-7 grade).
4. State or national registry Emergency Medical Technician certification (Required for GS5-GS7 grades).
5. Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator-Pumper Certification from the from the National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). (Required for GS-6 and GS-7 grades).

Note: You must obtain National Pro Board or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Fire Inspector II certification within 24 months of appointment.

GS-3 REQUIREMENT: At least six (6) months of general work experience or military service that demonstrates the ability to follow directions and to read, understand, and retain a variety of instructions, regulations, and procedures and that otherwise demonstrates the ability to perform or learn to perform the duties of the position. NOTE: Clear details of experience required, your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week. ~OR~
Education: Successfully completed one (1) year of Firefighter training obtained as part of a high school curriculum- which may be substituted for the 6 months of general experience required. NOTE: Transcripts Required
Combination: Equivalent combination of general experience and education as described above to meet the total requirements for this position.

GS-4 REQUIREMENT: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-3) in the federal service that has given me the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter. Such duties may include (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; (5) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (6) developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention.
~OR~
Education: Successfully completed a 2-year course of study in an accredited college or university in Fire Training, Fire Science, or other related fields of study. NOTE: Transcripts Required
~OR~
Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above to meet the total requirements for this position. The education portion must include courses in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study in an accredited college or university.

GS-5 REQUIREMENT: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal service that has given me the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter at the GS-5 level. Such duties may include (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; (5) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (6) developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention. At the GS-5 level, these assignments would have been performed within a more limited scope and with less independence, working with supervision for routine tasks or as a member of a team for more complicated or involved tasks, consulting the supervisor for guidance on problems and with duties monitored for accuracy. ~OR~
Education: Successfully completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree in an accredited college or university with the major study in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study. NOTE: Transcripts Required
~OR~
Combination: I have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above to meet the total requirements for this position. The education portion must include courses in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study in an accredited college or university.

GS-6 REQUIREMENT: Have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the federal service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter. Such duties may include (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) detection, reduction or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; (5) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (6) developing, implementing or providing training in fire protection and prevention. These assignments would have been performed of a more limited scope and with less independence than the full performance level, and be performed under supervision, consulting with the supervisor when problems are encountered.

GS-7 REQUIREMENT: Have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the federal service that has given me the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter (Basic Life Support). Such duties may include (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) detection, reduction or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; (5) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (6) developing, implementing or providing training in fire protection and prevention. At this level, assignments would have been performed independently, with little or no supervision, only consulting with the supervisor when unusual problems are encountered.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Emergency Care
• Fire Management
• First Response
• Hazardous Materials

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.