Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results
 

Wildland Firefighter (Fire Training Officer)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service

Summary

This position is located at a USDA Forest Service Unit.

The incumbent serves as a Training Program Specialist and technical advisor to the Fire Staff Officer and unit Leadership Team. In addition, engages in employee and organization development with a focus on diversity, inclusiveness, and retention of top employees.

See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION for Regional contacts.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/13/2026 to 01/22/2026
Salary
$62,218 to - $92,891 per year
Pay scale & grade
GW 9 - 11
Locations
FEW vacancies in the following locations:
Yreka, CA
Roseburg, OR
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel overnight on fire suppression, fire related assignments, meetings and/or training for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
26-FIRE-P2VA-FTO-911DH
Control number
854169700

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

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.

Videos

Duties

Help
  • Duties listed are at full performance grade GW-11 grade level.
  • Evaluates interagency fire management training and development programs and assists in the notification and development of new national and regional initiatives to meet workforce objectives.
  • Serves as a technical advisor, consultant, or Subject Matter Expert (SME) to regional, field units, or interagency efforts. May assist regional training and development staff with various working groups, projects and programs.
  • Incumbent serves as a technical advisor in outreach, recruitment, hiring, employee training and development, leadership development, retention, and organizational learning to the Fire Staff Officer and Leadership Team.
  • Incumbent serves as a technical advisor in outreach, recruitment, hiring, employee training and development, leadership development, retention, and organizational learning to the Fire Staff Officer and Leadership Team.
  • Incumbent may coordinate the development of annual program of work and budget proposals to support program and initiatives. Coordinates budget development and advanced acquisition plan with other staff areas on the unit/zone.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.
  • Must be 18 years of age.
  • This is a drug testing 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.
  • Must pass the Work Capacity Test for certain Interagency Fire Program Management or Fire Program Management positions.
  • Secondary Coverage: Prior wildland firefighting experience is required.

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.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GW-9 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-7 grade level; OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related; OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Specialized experience is defined as: Assisting in developing and presenting wildland firefighting courses such as aviation, fire prevention, fire suppression, fuels management, and fire related aviation operations. Monitoring training programs for workforce capability and capacity goals and identifying training objectives and course requirements. Assisting with coordinating work and budget proposals to support training and workforce development programs. Providing administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit.

For the GW-11 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least to the GW-9 grade level; OR a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related; OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).

Specialized experience is defined as: Developing and presenting wildland firefighting courses such as aviation, fire prevention, fire suppression, fuels management, and fire related aviation operations. Monitoring training programs for workforce capability and capacity goals and identifying training objectives and course requirements. Assisting with coordinating work and budget proposals to support training and workforce development programs.

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.

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary position covered under the special retirement provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) for the Civil Service Retirement System and of 5 USC 8412(d) for the Federal Employees Retirement System. Prior wildland firefighting experience is required. There is no age limit for entry into secondary positions. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent depends upon his or her individual work history.

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

Education

See Qualification Section for Education Requirements

Additional information

For additional information about the duties and location(s) of these positions, please contact regional representative:

Region 5: Pacific Southwest Region - Heather Mcrae - heather.mcrae@usda.gov.
Region 6: Pacific Northwest Region - Jason Heinz at jason.heinz@usda.gov

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

Government housing, federal day care facilities, and telework may be available. Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel Help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email SM.FS.asc_tos@usda.gov

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied or guaranteed.

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.

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.

Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given a new appointment.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, 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.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12860548

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.