Videos

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-07. At the GS-05 and GS-06 grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-07. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds.

Duties include but not limited to:

• Controls and extinguishes fires, operates hose lines, makes forced entries, ventilates structures, performs or assists in rescue operations, uses a variety of hand tools, hydraulic tools and portable fire extinguishers, and performs salvage and overhaul.
• Performs rescues, emergency medical care, hazardous materials spill response and serves as the driver/operator of motorized firefighting and rescue vehicles.
• Provides stand-by and other protective measures as required for hazardous operations.
• Serves as a hose man, hydrant man, ladder man, rescue man and drives and operates firefighting apparatus of significant complexity.
• Drives the fire apparatus to the scene of the emergency following a predetermined route, or selects an alternate route when necessary; positions the apparatus, considering factors such as wind direction, water sources, hazards from falling structures, etc.
• Operates pumps, foam systems, monitor nozzles and other similar equipment; determines proper operating pressures for the distances to be pumped and the number of lines being used; and applies principles of hydraulics to water flow friction and friction loss.
• Assists in training new Firefighters in the skills of driving and operating existing Medical Center apparatus.
• Performs daily preventative maintenance inspections of apparatus and equipment, performing basic operator maintenance.
• Performs fire inspection duties in various occupancies and conducts fire and life safety education.
• The Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in addition to fire and safety related duties will be assigned as a member of the rescue crew, ambulance crew, or hazardous materials spill response team.
• Responds to releases or potential releases of Hazardous materials / Toxic materials/ Weapons of Mass Destruction in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines.
• Serves as a member of the Medical Center Emergency Team for emergency medical response involving injuries or illness of patients, staff, and visitors and transports patients in both emergency and non-emergency situations.
• Performs Basic Life Support (BLS) duties.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule: Full-Time; 72 hour work week. The Fire Department operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week in which employees are assigned to alternating shifts of 24 hours. This position is subject to overtime call back and mandatory overtime to ensure mandatory compliance with minimum crew manning requirements. This position is considered "essential" in regards to reporting during inclement weather or other adverse conditions.

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 identification 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: For initial appointments, applicant cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the day of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit noted, but who have previously served 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 Federal 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.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: Applicants must possess a valid State motor vehicle operator's license? Applicants also may be required to pass a practical road test and provide information on their driving record. Please do not upload a copy of your license at this time. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current, valid, and unrestricted state driver's license.

In addition to the meeting the above requirements, you must also meet the following Selective Factors - Certification Requirements for this position.

*You must submit copies of your certifications with your application to receive credit.*

This position includes Selective Placement Factors (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.

The Selective Placement Factors for this position: To be eligible for employment as a VA Firefighter, applicants must possess the following certifications. Please submit a copy of each required certification with your application to receive credit - no photos please.

• Must have received certification as either an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board Firefighter II Certification. (Proof of Certification Required)
• Must have received a current and valid International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board Hazardous Materials Operations Level Certification. (Proof of Certification Required)
• Must possess a current, valid, state of New Jersey, or National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)-Basic certification. (Proof of Certification Required)

In addition to meeting the above requirements, applicants must also meet the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-4 level in the Federal Service that has given you the knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Specialized experience includes: (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.

~OR~

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION (Transcript Required): Successful completion of a 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university with major study in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study is qualifying for GS-5.

~OR~

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (Transcript Required): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the GS-5.


Additional Requirements:

MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT OPERATOR QUALIFICATIONS: For those positions requiring the operation of specialized firefighting pumping equipment, mounted pressurized systems, dispensing devices, and/or rescue tools, applicants may be required to demonstrate the ability, before appointment, to operate the specific equipment to which they will be assigned or similar related types of hydraulic equipment.

PERFORMANCE TEST: Candidates may be required to demonstrate satisfactory performance of the minimum physical abilities necessary to perform safely and efficiently the essential tasks of this position.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: All applicants for positions that have duties of an arduous or hazardous nature must meet and maintain specific medical standards. Since individual positions may not include all such duties, a physical condition or impairment may be disqualifying for employment only if there is a direct relationship between the condition and the nature of the duties of the specific position to be filled. Employees in positions involving firefighting duties or other duties involving arduous physical exertion may be subject to periodic (e.g., annual) medical examinations following appointment to determine fitness for continued performance of the duties of the position. (See 5 CFR 339)

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The performance of fire and safety inspections throughout the Campus routinely requires considerable walking, stooping, bending and climbing on a daily basis. Required to lift and carry heavy objects, including equipment over 50 pounds and victims of fires or other emergencies. Working conditions may include heavy physical exertion, extreme heat, smoke and dust in enclosed smoke-filled places, in all types of weather. Applicants will be given a physical examination including a treadmill and agility test. Failure to pass these tests may be justification for disqualification. Periodic medical examinations following appointment may be required to determine fitness for continued performance of the duties of the position. This physical will include examinations for both firefighter and hazardous materials response. The medical examination will include but is not limited to a history relating to the handling and exposure to hazardous materials and the Firefighter's ability to wear any required personal protective equipment including respirators, under conditions including temperature extremes that may be expected at the work site. Candidates are required to take and pass a Physical Agility Test (PAT) which tests a candidate's endurance while performing simulated routine fire ground tasks.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Teamwork

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Candidates who apply under "All U.S. Citizens" announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best Qualified - Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications
• Very Highly Qualified - Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds, to a very considerable extent, the minimum qualifications
• Highly Qualified - Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds, to a considerable extent, the minimum qualifications
• Well Qualified - Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that marginally exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and who demonstrate average proficiency in most of the critical competencies
• Qualified - Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that meets the minimum qualifications

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable 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).

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.