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Wildland Firefighter (Fuels) - Direct Hire Authority

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.

This position is located in Montrose, CO. Information about this location can be found by clicking on the location name listed.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/01/2025 to 07/10/2025
Salary
$66,948 to - $93,743 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8 - 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Montrose, CO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel is required to attend training, conferences, workshops, and/or field visits. This position may require regular and recurring overtime and shift work during peak fire season.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - This is a permanent appointment.
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FADHA-25-12757236-LG
Control number
839859400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous federal service is required. This position is being advertised under an OPM government-wide Direct Hire authority. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

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Duties

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  • Participates in planning, implementing and coordinating all aspects of a fuels management program.
  • Provides technical assistance in program direction, budgeting, fuels management and prescribed fire programs.
  • Develops and recommends plans for prescribed fire, wildland fire and fuels treatment projects.
  • Plans, conducts surveys and evaluates data to develop treatment prescriptions.
  • Reviews project plans and makes recommendations for monitoring activities.
  • Creates, updates and uses fire modeling software to assist in treatment recommendations.
  • Participates in the implementation of prescribed fire Operations.
  • Conducts fuels management inventories and monitoring to document presence, amount, and types of hazardous fuels.
  • Participates in preparedness reviews, proficiency checks and drills, safety sessions, and after action reviews.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the HOW TO APPLY and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license; nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Land.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Background Investigation Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination. Failure to possess or obtain a favorable determination will result in the cancellation of the offer or will be grounds for termination.
  • You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position.
  • May require completion of a one year probationary period.
  • Applicants appointed to this position must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
  • Driver’s License required – GSA Form 3607 will be required to be completed during onboarding process.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience Requirements:In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement(s); please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.

To qualify for the GS-08 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07 is required. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to: assisting preparation and implementation of prescribed fire plans; assisting evaluating treatments, monitoring methods and new technologies; assisting with conducting fuels management surveys to document types of hazardous fuels.

To qualify for the GS-09 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-08 is required. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to: preparing and implementing prescribed fire plans; evaluating prescription of treatments, monitoring methods and new technologies; conducting fuels management surveys to document types of hazardous fuels.

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.

Substitution of Education for Experience:
There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-08 and GS-09 grade levels for this position.

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. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.

To meet IFPM requirements, you must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required at time of referral, but may be required to obtain and maintain currency if selected):

A) Engine Boss (ENGB) or Crew Boss (CRWB) or Firing Boss (FIRB) or Helicopter Manager(HMGB) AND;
B) Incident Command Type 4 (ICT4)

You must meet all qualification requirements and Selective Placement Factors by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: Work in the office is primarily sedentary. Field work does require frequent physical exertion, involving walking over rough terrain, sometimes for extended periods, and working under occasionally inclement (hot, cold, snow, wind, etc.) weather conditions.

Work Environment: Work is performed in both an office and field setting with field work. Field work involves exposure to temperature extremes, both from weather and fire conditions where falling trees and the presence of smoke and/or dust conditions create hazardous conditions. The nature of fire management work requires that protective clothing (boots, hard hats, etc.) be worn. The incumbent must exercise a variety of safety practices and precautions for the well-being of self and of others.

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). While secondary positions are not subject to the maximum entry age policy, the selectee must have prior service in a primary position (3 years of service in primary/rigorous position(s)) and meet the transfer requirement for movement from a primary to secondary position to be eligible for special retirement coverage. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your SF-50). YOU MUST LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A PRIMARY POSITION.

FACT SHEET for Fire Positions: Information on Special Retirement.

Education

See Qualifications Section.

Additional information

The new Special Base Rate (SBR) Salary Table for Federal wildland firefighters, General Wildland Firefighter (GW) pay plan effective March 23, 2025 was used to indicate the salary in this announcement. Salaries may vary dependent upon location selected. You can access the new pay schedule here.

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/e-verify.

This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of a 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.

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service.

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well-qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they exceed minimum qualifications for this position.

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 a RPL, you may be given priority consideration.

Certain incentives, such as, Recruitment, Relocation, or Student Loan Repayment, may be authorized to eligible selectees. 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. For information visit: Recruitment Incentives (OPM.gov), or Relocation Incentives (OPM.gov), or Student Loan Repayment (OPM.gov)

Government facilities are required to provide a smoke free environment for their employees. Smoking will be permitted only in designated areas.

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 your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position.

Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine your eligibility for Federal employment and your qualifications for this position specifically. Due to this vacancy being filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to positions filled under this announcement. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the announcement. All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. Interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis.

Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and/or job elements) in the following areas:

  • Fire Management
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Technical Competence

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