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Secretary (OA) (Fire)

Department of the Interior
Office of the Secretary of the Interior
US Wildland Fire Service (USWFS)

Summary

This position is a Secretary (OA) (Fire), GS-0318-8/9 working for the Wildland Fire Service in multiple locations. Please see Duties section for more information on locations.

Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/15/2026 to 05/22/2026
Salary
$55,882 - $80,243 per year

The Rest of US Pay Table was used to determine the salary. Salaries may vary depending on location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 8 - 9
Locations
Anchorage, AK
1 vacancy
Sacramento, CA
1 vacancy
Boise, ID
Few vacancies
Within the Southern Geographic Area - See Map Link in Announcement
Location Negotiable After Selection
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—The duties of this position are suitable for emergency telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
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
9 - This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-09. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor.
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
WFSMP-26-12962841-CMP-C
Control number
869616400

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Duties

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One or few positions will be placed in each of the locations listed below for the US Wildland Fire Service. Please ensure desired locations and/or Geographic Area are selected. Applicants will not be considered for locations/Geographic Area not selected.

  • 1 Vacancy in Anchorage, Alaska (Alaska Geographic Area)
  • 1 Vacancy in Sacramento, California (California Geographic Area)
  • 1 Vacancy Billings, Montana (Northern Rockies Geographic Area)
  • 1 Vacancy in Omaha, Nebraska (Eastern Geographic Area)
  • 1 Vacancy in Salt Lake City, Utah (Great Basin Geographic Area)
  • 1 Vacancy in Cheyenne, Wyoming (Rocky Mountain Geographic Area)
  • 1 or few vacancies in Boise, Idaho (Located at the National Interagency Fire Center)
  • 1 Vacancy in the Southern Geographic Area (GA). Please note, location is negotiable if selected for Southern Geographic Area. However, incumbent MUST be able to report to a DOI Federal Office (this is not a virtual/remote position). Please see link to map of Geographic Areas to determine if you would like to be considered for position in the Southern Geographic Area: Map of US Wildland Fire Service Geographic Areas.


As a Secretary (OA) (Fire), your duties will include but are not limited to the following:

  • The primary purpose of this position is to carry out a spectrum of responsibilities as a secretary and principle administrative support employee for higher level US Wildland Fire Service leadership in a Geographic Area or at the National Interagency Fire Center.
  • Performs various administrative tasks for higher level leadership to include: managing meetings, appointments, and conferences; screening phone calls and visitors; answering most questions and resolving issues involving established policy or routine matters; receiving and screening correspondence; monitoring and maintaining official files; preparing agendas and managing travel arrangements.
  • Modifies and devises methods and procedures that significantly and consistently affect wildland fire operations.
  • Develops, implements, and recommends changes to administrative procedures and methods.
  • Responds to public inquiries from the media, special interest groups, and industries as appropriate.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.

Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.

Direct Deposit Required.

A condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. See Additional Information section for more details.

Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration, visit SSS.gov.

You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must possess the Selective Placement Factor and Minimum Qualification requirements listed below.

Selective Placement Factor(s): This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element.

  • Qualified Typist: This position performs administrative/secretary duties and a typing proficiency of 40 words per minute with 3 or fewer errors is required. Those who do not certify they possess the selective factor will be rated not qualified.

In addition to the requirement described above, the following additional experience is required.

Only experience and education obtained by 05/22/2026 will be considered.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

To qualify for the GS-08 level: Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes all of the following: Performing administrative and support functions in an office such as: assisting with scheduling, correspondence, briefings, and managing travel arrangements.

To qualify for the GS-09 level: Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-08 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes all of the following: Performing administrative and support functions in an office for higher level leadership such as: assisting with scheduling, correspondence, briefings, and managing travel arrangements; and assisting with conducting analyses of operational processes and recommending changes for improvement.

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.

Physical Demands: The work is mostly sedentary. There is occasional carrying of light objects such as files, books, and paperwork. There are no special physical requirements.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office setting. The work environment involves everyday risks which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, or commercial vehicles.

Eligibility and Qualification Requirements: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement. Specifically,
i. Area of Consideration.
ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502.
iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPM's Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions.

Education

There is no education substitution or requirements for these positions.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-09. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on an RPL, you may be given priority consideration.

PCS Information: No PCS entitlements authorized.

Incentives: If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed.

Reasonable Accommodation: The USWFS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

Cost of Living Allowance (AK Only): In addition to the yearly salary, this position is entitled to a 1.49 % cost-of-living allowance (COLA) as determined by https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/nonforeign-areas/#url=COLA-Rates .This allowance is subject to annual review, adjustment, and rate decrease.

Probation/Trial Period Con't: The probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the goals and mission of the agency, and/or promote the efficiency of the service. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. Under completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position. Once the application process is complete, HR will review your application to ensure you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications. To determine if you are minimally qualified for this position, HR will complete a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire. 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 addition to meeting the minimum qualifications requirement(s), this position requires successful completion of the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Review. This assessment will measure the critical competencies listed below that are required to successfully perform in the position.

  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.
  • Interpersonal Skills - Considers and responds appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others; adjusts approaches to suit different people and situations.
  • Planning and Evaluating - Determines objectives and strategies; coordinates with other parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors and evaluates the progress and outcomes of operational plans; anticipates potential threats or opportunities.
  • Manages and Organizes Information - Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.

In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Office of the Secretary of the Interior

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), an organization within the Department of the Interior (DOI), responds to wildfires and promotes fire-resilient landscapes across more than 500 million acres of public and tribal lands nationwide. The USWFS has full program authority and coordinates the DOI wildland fire management program in its entirety. It ensures coordination within DOI, the Bureaus it serves, other federal agencies -- particularly the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service -- as well as non-federal agencies, state foresters, tribes, and a variety of stakeholder groups representing volunteer firefighters.

Agency contact information

Catherine Preston

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of the Secretary of the Interior, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.doi.gov/wildlandfireservice

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