Wildland Firefighter

Forest Service•Avery, ID

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This temporary position is located within a National Forest fire management organization and serves as a crewmember performing wildland fire suppression, management, and control on an engine, hotshot, helitack, or hand crew. The firefighter may serve as a senior firefighter, alternate assistant fire engine operator, or squad leader, and may perform specialized duties such as faller, saw repair technician, long-line user, certified rappeller, or accessory-equipment specialist. Duties depend on crew assignment and may include remote helicopter operations and support of wildland-urban interface situations. On the fireline, the employee uses hand tools and power saws to construct fireline and suppress fires, and may conduct aviation and ground support activities, urban-interface operations, and point protection. The position may also support prescribed-fire and fuel-reduction work, lead other workers on project assignments, and perform trail, building, recreational-facility, and timber-related maintenance work. The position is temporary for up to six months or, alternatively, up to a not-to-exceed one year; an extension may be possible, and the appointment may end early. The expected start date is between April 18, 2027, and June 13, 2027. Work may be in remote, volatile, or unpredictable locations, with occasional overnight travel for fire-related assignments. This position is not eligible for telework.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service or exempt.
Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check and any required background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
Must meet Federal Wildland Firefighter Medical Standards for arduous-duty wildland firefighting and pass the arduous-level Work Capacity Test; the pack test requires hiking three miles within 45 minutes while carrying a 45-pound pack.
Must successfully complete the NWCG Primary Core Requirement of Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1).
Must successfully complete the NWCG Secondary Core Requirement of Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (S-290).
For the GW-05 level, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GW-04, a four-year course of study in an accredited college or university with a major in Fire Science, Fire Training, Fire Technology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Must submit documentation of Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or equivalent training documents proving the required certification or selective placement factors; red cards are not accepted as documentation.
Must submit transcripts when qualifying based on education and course descriptions as necessary.
Must pass pre-employment drug testing and is subject to random drug testing; appointment is contingent on a negative result.
Must be willing to live and work in remote, volatile, or unpredictable locations and may be required to travel overnight occasionally for fire suppression or related assignments.
A valid state driver's license, commercial driver's license, and/or physical or medical examination may be required for some fire positions; crew-carrier drivers must meet state Department of Transportation licensing requirements before assignment.
Must use direct deposit for federal payments.

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior firefighter on a hand crew, fire engine, or helitack crew, depending on assignment.
Perform specialized duties such as qualified faller, saw repair technician, long-line specialist, certified rappeller, or specialist in accessory equipment operation and maintenance.
Drive a crew carrier when assigned, subject to applicable state Department of Transportation licensing requirements and drug and alcohol testing requirements.
Assist with fire-engine operations, including starting and priming the pump, adjusting engine speed and valves, laying hose, and using nozzles to apply water and additives effectively.
Load helicopter cargo while considering weight distribution, securement, and total weight, and prepare manifests for personnel and equipment transported to fires or work sites.
Exit helicopters in remote areas to construct helispots or attack small fires, hot spots, and spot fires; serve as part of a short-haul crew when assigned.
Suppress fires by moving dirt, chopping brush, felling trees, and building fireline using hand tools and power saws until relieved or the fire is suppressed.
Perform aviation and ground-support activities, including servicing and operating batch mixers, tanks, pumps, valves, and hoses.
Conduct wildland-urban-interface operations and point protection in remote settings as directed.
Fill in for absent work leaders and may lead a squad of three to five firefighters in suppression work on small or large fires.
Show new employees how work is performed, implement on-the-job quantity and quality goals, ensure tools and equipment are available, and promote safe work practices.
Inventory fuel beds, prepare related reports, monitor burning conditions, pile logging debris, and serve in assigned roles during prescribed-fire fuel-reduction efforts.
Perform project work and lead workers on tasks such as cleaning outdoor recreational facilities, mowing and trimming, trail and building maintenance, marking timber-harvest trees, and checking seedling survival.