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Wildland Firefighter (Prevention)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service

Summary

This position is located on a USDA Forest Service Unit within the Southern Region, Region 5.

The incumbent provides management, technical expertise, oversight and policy development for wildland fire mitigation, education, community assistance, and legal restitution for fire loss and trespass programs.

See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Section for location representative details.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/10/2026 to 03/19/2026
Salary
$83,639 to - $126,835 per year
Pay scale & grade
GW 11 - 12
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Vallejo, CA
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
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-P3R5-PREVMSP-1112DH
Control number
860430600

This job is open to

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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.

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Duties

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  • Duties listed are at full performance grade GW-12.
  • Develop, present or monitor local and state interagency workshops, national and agency wildland fire mitigation and education training curricula, courses, exhibits and presentations.
  • Responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Regional Fire Mitigation Plan, incorporating fire statistics, mitigation strategies, actions and activities, program development.
  • Analyze models and identify major causes of wildland fire and ensure that these causes are effectively addressed in the appropriate wildland fire mitigation programs and the fire management plan.
  • Assist Forests/Districts with wildland fire mitigation, including risk assessment, ignition management, program direction, and loss prevention programs, inter­ agency coordination, and pre-suppression components of their fire management programs.
  • Review programs and plans to ensure that fire mitigation principles, practices and policies are incorporated into state and local land management programs.
  • Coordinate wildland fire cause determination and investigation training with Bureau and other Federal agency investigators, law enforcement personnel and local authorities.
  • Represent the Forest Service at local, state and inter-agency level on wildland fire mitigation and related activities.
  • Market fire mitigation programs to individual representatives, local interest groups, and State affiliated participants.

Requirements

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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.
  • Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
  • Some Fire positions may have Conditions of Employment such as: a valid state driver's license; a commercial driver's license (CDL); pre-appointment and random drug testing; or a physical or medical examination.
  • There may be additional Conditions of Employment not listed here, however applicants will be notified of any specific requirements at the time a tentative job offer is made.

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:

GW-11: Applicants must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GW-09 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Applied fire management strategies, tactics and fire prevention and mitigation procedures to fire management objectives and to determine the consequences of proposed actions; Assisted with fire mitigation management including program evaluation, fire prevention, fire program management; Assisted with developing and providing expertise and material for fire education programs; Worked with the public, landowners, stakeholders or other agencies/entities on wildland fire education activities, gathering data and curriculum development.

GW-12: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GW-11 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include the following: Communicated information to a variety of public, political and legal representatives and wildland fire and land managers; Developed and provided program expertise materials; Applied federal, state local agency roles and responsibilities in wildland/structural fire mitigation and educational programs; Gathered data and curriculum development.

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 firefighter position under 5 USC 8336 (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). 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

There is no education requirement or substitution for this position.

Additional information

For additional information about the duties and location(s) of these positions, please contact regional representative: To see the different locations within the Regional Offices | US Forest Service (usda.gov)

Region 5: Pacific Southwest Region - Brian Grabowski - brian.grabowski@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.

These are permanent positions with varying tours of duty and may include weekend work. Some positions may have irregular and protracted hours of work. Tours of duty include full-time or less than full time (guaranteed minimum 13 pay periods full-time employment).

Availability of government housing, federal day care facilities, and telework may be available. Some positions filled via this announcement are bargaining unit positions represented by the National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW. This is dependent upon unit location.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates.

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.

This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

Forest Service daycare facilities may be available.

Government Housing may be available.

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/12898217

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