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Supervisory Firefighter (Instructor)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Supervisory Firefighter Training Officer, GS-081-09, is located in the Public Safety Service at the VA New Jersey Health Care System (VANJHCS). The incumbent is assigned to the VANJ Medical Center Fire Department. The incumbent will work an administrative 60-hour workweek, consisting of four 9-hour and one 24-hour shift per week.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/21/2025 to 12/15/2025
Salary
$103,713 to - $134,821 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Lyons, NJ
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBTE-12838816-26-TC
Control number
850678400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Area of consideration- Current permanent Lyons New Jersey Fire Service employee's ONLY

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Duties

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Major Duties-
The Training Officer's time is divided between Training (60%), Supervision (30%), and General Firefighting Duties (10%). The primary purpose of this position is for the incumbent to assign, direct, and review the work of subordinate firefighters, regardless of work shift or location; plan and carry out the training of subordinate firefighters in training topics, and evaluate assigned firefighter's work performance regardless of work shift or location.

Personnel Management-

  • Coordinating personnel management functions with the Department of Human Resources.
  • Offering guidance on position classification and qualification standards, preparation of position descriptions, functional statements, organizational charts, and grievance procedures for disciplinary actions.
Financial Management-
  • Assist in the budgeting and financial management of the Fire Department including budget formulation, justification, and execution.
  • Evaluate service operations and functions, and advise on resource allocation decisions, including personnel, budget, capital equipment, and space allocation in coordination with the Fire Chief/ Deputy Chief of Police.
Training Activities-
  • Incumbent trains (1)-GS-11 Fire Chief, (2) GS-9 Deputy Fire Chiefs, (1) GS-07 Fire Inspector, (24) GS-07 Firefighter/EMTs, and (4) EMTs, according to VA Directive 7718, NFPA standards as well as Medical Center policies, rules and regulations.
  • Attend instructor training classes and seminars to keep abreast of current technique procedures for Firefighters.
Perform all other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: 120hrs biweekly (M-F 6-3 with one 24hr shift)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Firefighter (Instructor)/PD085310
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

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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
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
As 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 we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may 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.
Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/15/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

  • GS-09 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
  • Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: leading or managing a team of (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.
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS: Selective Placement Factors are knowledge, skills, abilities 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 them are ineligible for further consideration. You must submit copies of your certifications with your application to receive credit.

At the time of appointment, incumbent is required to possess and maintain the following certifications:
  • - National Fire Officer II
  • - National Fire Inspector II
  • - National Fire Instructor II
  • - National or New Jersey Hazardous Materials Operations Level
  • - National Registry or New Jersey State Emergency Medical Technician-Basic
***Incumbent must participate in drug testing and physical conditioning programs.
***Incumbent must pass an annual medical surveillance and a job requirement physical agility test.

**An unrestricted driver's license is required for this position**

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Compliance
  • Employee Development
  • Fire Management
  • First Response
  • Manages Human Resources
  • Manages Resources


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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.

Physical Requirements: Working conditions will include heavy physical exertion, extreme heat, smoke and dust in enclosed smoke filled places, in all types of weather.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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.

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