Clarification from the agency

Open to status eligible candidates to include VA, other Federal employees, reinstatement eligible, and Veterans. Current, permanent employees of the Chillicothe VA Medical Center and affiliated Community Based Outpatient clinics will be given priority consideration.

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Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Responds to all medical center alarms.
• Drives and operates multiple fire engines, ambulances, and other Fire Department vehicles.
• Operates the Medical Center ambulance for response to medical and code emergencies on the grounds of the Chillicothe VA Medical Center including life threatening emergencies.
• Assists in training other firefighters in the skills of driving and operating the equipment.
• Performs routine maintenance and/or inspection of extinguishers, tools, firefighting equipment, fixed fire protection equipment, and related items.
• Conducts fire and life safety inspections of patient and employee living quarters, office areas, medical and treatment areas, warehouses, maintenance shops, recreational facilities, food services, vacant storage buildings, areas undergoing renovation, etc.
• Conducts scheduled fire and evacuation drills at the request of the Facility Manager.
• Provides emergency medical care to sick/injured patients, staff, and visitors.
• Assists police officers in emergency situations requiring additional personnel.
• Performs radio and telephone communications; operates fire alarm system; prepares written reports and makes required entries in computerized department logbook; files records on equipment, work, tests, maintenance, etc.
• Performs general housekeeping duties in and around the fire station.
• Responds to hazardous materials incidents.

Work Schedule: 72-hour week, consisting of 48-hour shifts. May be required to work overtime.
Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (Basic Life Support)/PD93131-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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, 01/20/2026.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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 as described below:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• (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.

In addition to the experience above, you must meet the following requirements to qualify for this position:

Maximum Age Requirement (Screen Out): 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 firefighter service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57. Prior service in covered positions and creditable towards retirement may be subtracted from the applicant's age to determine if the Federal firefighter meets the maximum entry age.~AND~

Requirements for Motor Vehicle Operation - Driver's License (Screen Out): Applicants must possess and maintain a current and valid State motor vehicle operator's license of the appropriate classification or kind. Applicants also may be required to pass a practical road test in the Class A Triple Combination Pumper and be capable of operating all firefighting equipment including that on board the fire truck. Applicant also may be required to provide information on their driving record. Applicants may be required to demonstrate the ability, before appointment, to operate specific equipment to which they will be assigned, or similar related types of hydraulic equipment. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current and valid state-issued driver's license.~AND~

Certification- (Screen Out): The Firefighter/EMT must have attended and successfully completed a State of Ohio or Nationally registered certification class for EMT-Basic and must maintain such certification to meet requirements of this position at this level. Documentation required. ~AND~

Certification- (Screen Out): The Firefighter/EMT must have received Certification as Firefighter II in accordance with NFPA 1001, to meet requirements of this position at this level. Documentation required. ~AND~

Certification- (Screen Out): The Firefighter/EMT must have Certification as Operations Level Responders (Hazardous Materials (Operations) Certification) in accordance with Chapter 5, Core Competencies of, in NFPA 472 to meet requirements of this position at this level. Documentation required. ~AND~

Newly employed VA firefighters must obtain Fire Inspector II in accordance with NFPA 1031 within 24 months of employment.

To be eligible for employment as, or promotion to, a VA driver/operator, each employee must have received certification as driver/operator in accordance with NFPA 1002.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

Analytical Reason
Technical Competence
Patient Care
First Response

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: Work requires the ability to perform strenuous physical activity for a long period of time, in an emergency situation. Activities involve prolonged periods of time standing, walking, bending, crouching, and carrying heavy firefighting tools and related equipment associated with the performance of such duties as maintenance, testing, inspections, drills, suppression, and transport of persons.

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/.

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.