Wildland Firefighter

Forest Service • Adin, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This temporary position is located within a National Forest fire management organization. As a crewmember, the employee performs wildland fire suppression, management, and control on an engine, hotshot, helitack, or hand crew. The role may involve serving as a senior firefighter, performing specialized fire duties, and leading a small squad or filling in for absent work leaders. Assignments may also include prescribed-fire and fuels work, aviation and ground support, and other forest or recreation projects. The position is not eligible for telework and requires working in remote, volatile, or unpredictable locations. Occasional overnight travel may be required. The appointment is for up to six months or, in some cases, up to a one-year not-to-exceed period; it may end early due to lack of work or funds, and an extension may be possible. The expected start date is between April 18, 2027, and June 13, 2027. Pay varies by location; the listed salary reflects the Rest of the U.S. rate.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959, unless exempt.
• Pass background investigation and/or fingerprint adjudication, E-Verify, and pre-employment and random drug testing; appointment requires a negative pre-employment drug test.
• Meet Federal Wildland Firefighter Medical Standards for arduous-duty wildland firefighting and pass and maintain the arduous-level Work Capacity Test.
• Complete the arduous fitness test: hike three miles within 45 minutes while carrying a 45-pound pack.
• Successfully complete the NWCG Primary Core Requirement of Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1).
• Successfully complete the NWCG Secondary Core Requirement of Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (S-290).
• For the GW-05 grade, have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GW-04; or a four-year college course of study with a major in Fire Science, Fire Training, Fire Technology, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Provide IQCS Master Record or equivalent training documents documenting the required certification or selective placement factors; red cards are not accepted as documentation.
• Provide transcripts when qualifying based on education and course descriptions when necessary.
• Be willing to live and work in remote, volatile, or unpredictable locations; occasional overnight travel may be required.
• Meet any applicable driver licensing or commercial driver’s license requirements for assigned duties; crew-carrier drivers must meet state Department of Transportation licensing requirements before assignment.
• Be subject to Department of Transportation drug and alcohol testing requirements when assigned as a crew-carrier driver.
• Use direct deposit for federal payments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior firefighter on a hand crew; may perform qualified faller, saw repair technician, or long-line duties, and may drive a crew carrier if properly licensed.
• Serve as a senior firefighter on a fire engine and as an alternate to the Assistant Fire Engine Operator; assist with pump operation, hose deployment, and effective use of nozzles, water, and additives.
• Serve as a senior firefighter on a helitack crew; load and secure helicopter cargo, account for weight distribution, and prepare manifests for personnel and equipment.
• Exit helicopters in remote areas to construct helispots or attack small fires, hot spots, and spot fires; may serve as a certified rappel specialist, maintain accessory equipment, or work on a short-haul crew.
• Suppress fires on the fireline by moving dirt, chopping brush, felling trees, and constructing fire line with hand tools and power saws.
• Perform aviation and ground support activities, including servicing and operating batch mixers, tanks, pumps, valves, and hoses.
• Conduct urban-interface operations or 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.
• Show new employees how to perform work, implement 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 perform assigned roles in prescribed-fire fuel-reduction efforts.
• Perform project work such as cleaning outdoor recreation facilities, mowing grass, trimming shrubs, maintaining trails and buildings, marking timber trees, and checking seedling survival.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; eligibility and specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Government housing and federal day care facilities may be available depending on location.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed