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

FIRE CHIEF

Department of the Army
Army Installation Management Command
USAG-Japan, Directorate of Emergency Services, Fire Protections and Prevention Div

Summary

About the Position: The incumbent independently plans and manages the fire and emergency services program for the Directorate of Emergency Services, discussing controversial or significant issues with the supervisors.

This position is included under the provisions of Special Retirement Coverage (SRC) and may have both a maximum entry age and a mandatory retirement date. Click here for more information on SRC for Firefighters (Secondary)

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/31/2026 to 04/06/2026
Salary
$90,925 - $118,204 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Okinawa Island, Japan
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel up to 5% for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Please see additional information section.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
IPFC-26-12910941-MP
Control number
862828100

Videos

Duties

Help
  • Develops and recommends to the DES for approval, all regulations and standard operating procedures in order to implement DOD, DA, IMCOM and TRADOC regulations such as AR 420.90 (Fire and Emergency Services).
  • Plans and Directs Operation: Assumes control of firefighting and emergency activities while on duty.
  • Directs emergency services equipment and personnel to respond to particular types emergencies.
  • Manages the installation emergency communications center for FES that receives 9-1-1 calls for assistance.
  • Directs the dispatch of emergency equipment and personnel of the FES for the installation.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship and an Official U.S. Passport.
  • Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19.
  • Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/140025v1230.pdf.
  • Requires the following DoD Firefighter Certification levels: Fire Officer IV (includes Fire Officer I, II, III) / Fire Instructor II (includes Fire Instructor I) / Fire Inspector II (includes Fire Inspector I).
  • Requires HAZMAT Incident Commander (includes Hazmat Awareness, Hazmat Operations) / Airport Firefighter (includes Firefighter I, II).
  • A one year supervisory probation period may be required.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET security clearance.
  • This is a Mission Essential position.
  • A pre-employment physical examination is required. An individual not currently occupying a GS-0081 position is required to successfully complete a pre-employment physical prior to being placed into this position.
  • Rigorous, heavy physical effort may be required in the frequent handling of objects such as cylinders and extinguishers weighing 50 lbs or more.
  • This is a testing designated position, subject to random drug testing.
  • This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 5%
  • Incumbent is subject to periodic (e.g. annual) medical examinations following appointment to determine fitness for continued performance of the duties of the position.
  • Must successfully complete an annual Job Performance Test.
  • Must participate in a cardiovascular physical fitness program.
  • Must wear a uniform and appropriate safety apparel in accordance with established policies and procedures.
  • Work requires the incumbent to drive a motor vehicle. An appropriate, valid state and government driver's license is required.

Qualifications

Conditions of Employment continued:
- Emergency Essential Position: This position is considered essential to support Army's mobilization and wartime mission during periods of increasing tension or mobilization. It is considered emergency essential because (1) no qualified and immediate replacement exists and (2) having it vacant would (a) impair the effective operation of essential military support systems or (b) adversely impact the combat mission of deployed forces. Failure to remain in this position may result in separation for the efficiency of the Federal Service (5 USC, Ch.752).
- Must be able to meet and maintain physical agility and stamina standards, which are established for this position.
- Will be required to work 60 hours per week (120 hours per pay period) which includes at least one 24-hour shift and may include working nights, weekends, and holidays.
-This position requires the employee to work under adverse environmental conditions. When responding to an emergency the incumbent may be subject to dense smoke, flames, extreme heat, cold, dust, water, and possible explosions and exposure to toxic fumes and materials. Must be able to maintain necessary alertness, self-control, and emotional stability under emergency conditions.

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Applying to OCONUS Positions
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Excepted Service Overseas Family Member Appointment
  • Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998
  • If you are currently stationed in the overseas area, all of your overseas time will be credited toward your current overseas tour end date. Your overseas time served will not reset upon accepting this assignment.
  • If you have returned from OCONUS within the past 2 years or less, your time previously served in the OCONUS area will be credited to your 5 year overseas rotation upon accepting this assignment.
In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience.

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; 2) wild land firefighting operations; 3) rescue operations; 4) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; 5) operation of fire communications equipment; 6) controlling hazardous materials incidents; and 7) developing, implementing, and providing training in fire protection and prevention.

In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirement above, applicants must also possess all certification requirements listed. Fire Officer IV, Instructor II, Inspector II, Hazardous Material Operations and Incident Commander certified through DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification System, International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or the Fire Service Professional Qualifications System (PRO-Board) in accordance with DoD 6055.06-M. You MUST submit a copy of your certifications with your application package.


You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Accountability
  • Emergency and Disaster Management
  • Fire Prevention, Inspection, and Code Compliance
  • Fire Suppression
  • Managing Human Resources
  • Program Management


Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-12).

Special Retirement Provisions Authority: FERS Position covered as secondary under the FERS special retirement provisions for Federal firefighters [5 U.S.C. 8401(14), 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), and 5 CFR 842.802]. Position covered as secondary under the CSRS special retirement provisions for Federal firefighters [5 U.S.C. 8331(21), 5 U.S.C. 8336(c), and 5 CFR 831.902].

***Special Note for Military Members***

MILITARY RETIREES: A retired member of the Armed Forces may not be appointed to a civilian position in DoD (including a non-appropriated fund position) within 180 days after retirement [** unless the following conditions have been met: the Secretary concerned authorizes the appointment; or the position is authorized special pay under 5 U.S.C. 5305; or a state of national emergency exists].

MILITARY SEPARATED (NON-RETIREE): Military members may be appointed while on terminal leave, before the effective date of their military separation. Applications will only be accepted from members of the Armed Forces that indicate they are immediately appointable within 120 days.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone -- no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • U.S. citizens overseas under ordinarily resident status are not eligible for appointment under the Status of Forces Agreement.
  • Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area.
  • If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Pay retention may be offered to selected applicants for positions at overseas locations. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions.
  • Selectees may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. Selectees will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250.
  • For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information and direct questions concerning a specific country (Foreign Duty Location) to the appropriate Army Human Resources point of contact prior to the acceptance of employment and your entrance on duty.
  • This is a Career Program (CP) 12 - Safety and Occupational Health Career Field position.
  • The initial length of this overseas tour is 24 months.
  • Defense National Relocation Program will not be authorized.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government's Interest.
  • Recruitment/Relocation incentives and Student Loan Repayment may be authorized.
  • Advance In-Hire and Advance Leave Accrual are not authorized.

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.

As part of the assessment process, your resume will be evaluated using a competency-based method. This structured evaluation measures your qualifications, experience, and skills against the core competencies required for the position. Final scores will determine whether you are referred to the Hiring Manager for further consideration.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.

If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Army Installation Management Command

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture. The islands making up Okinawa Prefecture are known as the Ryukyu Islands and have a native culture, which is distinctly different from that of the rest of Japan in terms of language, cuisine, arts, etc. The seas surrounding Okinawa's islands are among the most beautiful with coral reefs and abundant marine wildlife. Okinawa is home to a bustling international airport that hosts cheap flights to various locations in South East Asia.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
FC-APF-W6CYA2 US ARMY INSTALLATION MGMT CMD-JAPAN
DO NOT MAIL
Okinawa, 96376
JP

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Army Installation Management Command, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/938818/2024-usajobs-promo-japan

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.