Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management)

Office of the Secretary of the Interior•Safford, AZ

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management) is an administrative position in an organization with a firefighting mission and an established career path. The role provides local expertise for short- and long-term strategic fire management planning, assessments, and interagency or unit fire management plans. It analyzes and resolves local fire management issues and adapts national and regional policies, standards, methods, and guidance to local conditions. The position coordinates fire management topics and solutions, contributes to plans and agreements, and works with federal, state, and local agency partners. Work is performed independently on assigned projects, with the supervisor setting broad areas of responsibility, program emphasis, and key management concerns. The position is categorized as a key fire management position under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard. The selectee must meet IFPM minimum qualifications, including Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) and one of Engine Boss (ENGB), Crew Boss (CRWB), or Helicopter Manager, Single Resource (HMGB). Fire Program Management (M-581) must be completed within one year of entry on duty. The position is based in Las Cruces, New Mexico, or Safford, Arizona. Work takes place in both office and field settings. Field work may involve extreme temperatures, hazardous wildfire conditions, falling trees, smoke, and dust. Protective clothing and safety practices are required. The incumbent must be physically capable of field activities in hazardous areas and of flying as a passenger in helicopters and single-engine fixed-wing aircraft. Telework is not suitable for this position. Overnight travel may be required up to 25% of the time.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or nationality.
Suitability for federal employment based on a background investigation.
Negative drug test result before appointment; subject to random drug testing thereafter.
Valid state driver's license, maintained throughout employment, and ability to operate a government or private motor vehicle for official duties.
Selective Service registration for individuals assigned male at birth after December 31, 1959.
Prior primary/rigorous wildland firefighting experience, documented in the resume, meeting either at least one full fire season in a primary wildland firefighting role or at least 14 days of on-the-ground fireline experience, cumulative or consecutive.
Direct wildland firefighting experience demonstrating knowledge of wildland firefighting principles, methods, and techniques; education alone does not meet this requirement.
IFPM qualifications: Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) and one of Engine Boss (ENGB), Crew Boss (CRWB), or Helicopter Manager, Single Resource (HMGB). Currency is not required at referral, but may need to be obtained and maintained if selected.
Complete Fire Program Management (M-581) within one year of the entry-on-duty date.
For GW-11 qualification, at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GW-09 or higher in federal service, or equivalent, including fire management planning, fuel analysis and treatment methods, land-use planning and environmental coordination, and knowledge of fire's ecological role and smoke management; alternatively, at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GW-10 or higher outside federal service covering those areas.
Resume must identify whether experience was full-time or part-time and list hours worked per week; relevant experience must be obtained by November 9, 2026.
Must be in good physical condition to safely perform field duties in hazardous wildfire areas and be able to fly as a passenger in helicopters and single-engine fixed-wing aircraft.
May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime, and shift work.
May be required to travel overnight away from home up to 25% of the time.
Obtain a government charge card for travel and complete any required training to obtain and maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Responsibilities

Provide local expertise for short- and long-term strategic fire management planning, assessments, and interagency or unit fire management plans.
Analyze and resolve local fire management issues related to development, execution, and monitoring.
Advise on adapting national and regional policies, standards, methods, and guidelines to local conditions.
Coordinate and integrate fire management topics, issues, and solutions.
Contribute to the development of plans and agreements and collaborate with federal, state, and local partner agencies.
Independently plan, coordinate with others, and determine approaches for completing assigned projects.