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Park Fire Chief

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Park Service; Park Operations; Visitor and Resources Protection Division

Summary

Incumbent serves as Park Fire Chief within a structural fire program at either Grand Canyon National Park or Yellowstone National Park within the National Park Service (NPS).

For additional information regarding this position, please see "Position Information".

Please ensure you read the announcement fully prior to submitting application package.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/11/2026 to 02/25/2026
Salary
$106,437 to - $138,370 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Locations
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon, AZ
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, WY
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—For ad-hoc or weather related purposes as allowed with supervisory approval.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You will be expected to travel overnights on fire suppression or fire related assignments for this position as needed.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Employer paid and reimbursed relocation expenses are considered taxable income. The NPS does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. Employees should consult professional tax, legal and accounting advisors regarding concerns about the financial implications of a Permanent Change of Station (PCS).
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - 40-hour work week.
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
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
No
Announcement number
NPSFIRE-26-12882185-DE-LS
Control number
857244900

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Duties

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  • Oversees and/or manages the structural fire programs for the assigned park(s). Submits yearly structural fire budget requirements for projects, equipment acquisition, travel and training, and service contracts.
  • May direct the activities of collateral duty firefighters from all divisions of the park and/or concession employed firefighters on the fire ground and in trainings scenarios.
  • Manages the park's fire prevention program, including staff training, educational campaigns, coordination with supervisors, Fire Prevention Week activities, routine fire safety duties, and facility inspections by occupancy type.
  • Arranges mutual aid agreements with local fire departments ensuring the frequent updates and reassessments necessary to support particularly fluid mutual aid requirements occur.
  • Develops, reviews, and recommends policies, guidelines, procedures, and regulations to implement DO-58, RM-58, and other structural fire program requirements.
  • Oversees and/or manages the search and rescue (SAR) program for the assigned park(s).
  • Oversees and/or manages the emergency medical services (EMS) program for the assigned park(s).
  • Oversees and/or manages the training program for structure fire, SAR, EMS programs for the assigned park(s).

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Must be 18 years of age at time of close date of announcement.
  • This is a Drug Test Designated Position. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • Prior primary/rigorous structure firefighting experience is required.
  • Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
  • You will be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service fire uniform standards.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • Incumbent will be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • You will also be required to complete periodic medical examinations throughout employment.
  • Subject to occasional travel, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel.
  • This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Qualifications

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

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your 2 page resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time or part-time, hours must be included). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted.

In order to be considered for this position, copies of any required certifications MUST be attached to you application package. To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Qualification Requirements:
For the GS-13 level:
Applicants must have at least one year of specialized work experience in a related field at the GS-12 or equivalent. Examples of specialized experience are: Managed an all-hazard structural fire program encompassing fire prevention, suppression, training, search and rescue, and emergency medical services response in a high-complexity park or similar operational environment. Developed and implemented comprehensive fire safety programs, including facility inspections and oversight of pre-incident planning and emergency response operations. Prepared, managed, and executed fire program budgets; maintained compliance with mandatory training requirements; and ensured the overall operational readiness of fire response teams. Led emergency response activities, conducted fire origin and cause investigations, and coordinated mutual aid agreements with external emergency services. Developed and implemented a comprehensive search and rescue program, including management of training, training requirements, certification, and operations. Developed and implemented a comprehensive emergency medical services program, including management of training, training requirements, certification, and operations.

In addition to the requirements described above, the following certifications and experience is required.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS:

Successful completion and have currency in the following from the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (NPQS/Pro Board):
  • Driver/Operator Pumper AND
  • Fire Inspector II, AND
  • Fire Instructor II, AND
  • Fire Officer IV AND
  • Firefighter II, AND
  • Hazmat Awareness, AND
  • Operations
**Must achieve Fire Investigator within one year of employment.

This is an administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission, and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE. Candidates must possess prior structural firefighting experience. Experience that may be credited: volunteer firefighter, paid call firefighter, and/or structural firefighter with the Federal government or in an equivalent position outside the Federal government; suppressing fires that occur within buildings, ships, vehicles, airstrips and aircrafts, and other non-wildland firefighting. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume in order to be considered.

Structural Fire: The Department of the Interior defines structural firefighting experience as any firefighting experience except wildland firefighting. Structural experience may be gained though work in suppressing fires such as those in buildings, ships, vehicles, airstrips and aircraft, and other non-wildland firefighting. This experience may be gained by serving in a structural firefighting position within the federal government or in an equivalent position outside the Federal government. Periods of structural firefighting gained as a volunteer or paid call firefighter can also be credited. In some instances, candidates may be hired in a dual wildland and structural firefighting role. Candidates must meet the qualifications required for either the wildland or structural fire function.

This is a secondary-administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system. FERS TRANSITION REQUIREMENT: To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary coverage position.

Education

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.

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement. For more information regarding this, please visit OPM Qualification Standards - 0081.

Position Information:

There are two positions being filled at this time:

  • One position is being filled at Grand Canyon National Park; duty location Grand Canyon NP, AZ. For additional questions about the position at this location, please contact Justin Cully at Justin_Cully@nps.gov. Please note - this position is required occupancy.
  • One position is being filled at Yellowstone National Park; duty location Yellowstone NP, WY. For additional questions about the position at this location, please contact Katy Anderson at Katy_AndersonWilkinson@nps.gov. Please note - this position is required occupancy.
In order to be considered for any duty location, ensure desired locations are selected. Applicants will not be considered for locations not selected.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Physical Demands: Most work Is accomplished in an office setting, such as sitting for long periods, requiring intense concentration, attention to detail, and short deadlines. Presenting and instructing others or participating in large and small groups, task forces, committees, training sessions or workshops. Fire inspections or program reviews may entail hiking or climbing. The incumbent is expected to maintain incident qualifications, they may undergo periods of high intensity arduous work in an outdoor and often hazardous setting. The incumbent is expected to maintain a fitness level and meet the NFPA medical standard appropriate to the incident qualifications requirement for positions certified. All Risk Emergency Incident Management Team assignments and other field assignments may require an extensive amount of walking, bending, and climbing, and subject the Incumbent to hazardous environmental conditions. As an instructor for fire suppression classes is exposed to hazardous conditions inherent with fire suppression classes which include Instruction to students Inside a structure under live fire conditions. The incumbent is required to operate large structural firefighting apparatus as well as drive and operate light duty command vehicles while responding emergencies as well as normal operations in non-emergency events.

Working Conditions: Much of the work is performed in an office setting; however, the incumbent is expected to be able to teach components of any one of the NPS training classes. Travel may be required to the Washington office, regional offices, and field areas for meetings, training, on-site inspections, and policy implementation.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a 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. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Compliance
  • Education and Training
  • Lead/Supervisory Responsibility
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Program Management


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including a structured resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

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