Wildland Firefighter (Fuels Management)

Forest Service • Baker City, OR

5d • Onsite

About The Position

This temporary position is within a National Forest fire management organization, serving as a crew member focused on prescribed fire and fuels management. The incumbent performs low-complexity prescribed fire and fuels-management work, supports wildland fire suppression, and carries out duties consistent with applicable Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) qualifications. The position is not eligible for telework and may be based at a duty location listed in the announcement. The appointment is for up to six months or, as a not-to-exceed appointment, up to one year; it may end early because of lack of work or funds. The expected start date is between April 18, 2027, and June 13, 2027.

The work includes supporting prescribed burns and fuels projects from preparation through ignition, holding, mop-up, and rehabilitation; monitoring fire behavior and effects; surveying fuel conditions; and contributing to plans, assessments, and monitoring. The employee also participates in firefighting training, safety activities, preparedness reviews, and suppression assignments. The role requires arduous-duty medical clearance and passing and maintaining the arduous Work Capacity Test. Remote work or living conditions may be volatile or unpredictable, and occasional overnight travel may be required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship or U.S. national status.
• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements if male and born after December 31, 1959, unless exempt.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check and background investigation and/or fingerprint adjudication.
• Must pass pre-employment and random drug testing; appointment requires a negative pre-employment test.
• Must meet Federal Wildland Firefighter Medical Standards for arduous-duty wildland firefighting and pass and maintain the arduous-level Work Capacity Test. The test requires a three-mile hike within 45 minutes while carrying a 45-pound pack.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
• Prior wildland firefighting experience is required.
• Must have successfully completed one Primary NWCG Core Requirement: Engine Boss (ENGB), Crew Boss (CRWB), Firing Boss (FIRB), or Helicopter Manager (HMGB).
• Must have successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4). IQCS Master Record or equivalent training documents showing the required certification or attainment must be submitted; red cards are not acceptable documentation.
• For GW-07, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GW-06 in federal service or equivalent. Education cannot substitute for this grade level.
• Examples of qualifying specialized experience include performing suppression operations and instructing others during initial attack or prescribed burns; providing formal or informal fire-prevention information; and issuing permits and ensuring compliance with rules and regulations.
• Must be willing to live and work in remote, volatile or unpredictable locations.
• Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire-related assignments.
• Must comply with direct-deposit requirements for federal payments.
• Must provide required application documents and meet qualification requirements by the announcement closing date.

Responsibilities

• Serve on prescribed-fire and fuels projects in positions consistent with IFPM minimum qualifications for low-complexity work.
• Provide routine technical guidance on fire protection and prevention issues.
• Administer routine aspects of prescribed-fire and fuels plans, ensuring preparation, ignition, holding, mop-up, and rehabilitation meet specified standards.
• Assist with monitoring fire behavior, evaluating fire effects, identifying potential problems, and making basic recommendations during prescribed burns, fuels projects, and wildland-fire monitoring.
• Conduct field reconnaissance of prescribed-fire and fuels-treatment units, summarize findings, and make basic recommendations about prescriptive criteria.
• Support training needs for prescribed-fire and fuels-management programs and participate in wildland-fire and safety training.
• Operate fire-suppression tools, equipment, and vehicles safely and efficiently; transport equipment, supplies, and crew members in motor vehicles; and use specialized firing equipment.
• Participate in preparedness reviews, proficiency checks, drills, safety sessions, and after-action reviews; ensure personal and crew safety.
• Support wildland-fire suppression activities.
• Perform as a Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist for a low-complexity fuels-management program.
• Assist with resolving problems encountered in a variety of nonstandard fire-planning assignments.
• Conduct routine project assessments to determine whether hazardous wildland fuels are present; collect fuel-condition and fire-behavior information through field surveys, computer modeling, and literature searches; and report results for project determination and prioritization.
• Review project plans and recommend appropriate monitoring levels.
• Assist in establishing study plots to assess fire and suppression impacts on ecosystems, including contributing to plot characteristics, visit frequency, measurement subjects, and data storage and analysis methods.
• Participate in drafting prescribed-fire and fuels-management plans using the interagency template; review fuel-treatment alternatives and prepare plan segments as needed.
• Update and use a database to model and analyze fire-behavior and fire-effects observation data, ensure data quality, and follow data storage and archival procedures.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific eligibility depends on position type and the hiring agency should be contacted for details.
• 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