26 towns in 12 states. You pick. · Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Pulled from this posting's official requirements β full text below.
This role is further up the ladder. If you're starting out, you'd begin as a rookie crewmember and work up to it. Here's the path:
Crewmember (Firefighter Type 2)
Senior firefighter Β· squad Β· engine operator
Squad boss β engine captain Β· crew boss
Superintendent Β· module leader Β· fire management officer
Specialist track: smokejumper, hotshot, and helitack crews are a parallel path you can jump to after a season on the ground.
Federal fire career structure (NWCG / DOI). Time to advance varies by experience, openings, and qualifications.
$57,670β$81,343/yr
base salary per year Β· GW-6β7
GW is the wildland firefighter pay scale (new in 2024 β it pays more than the older GS scale). The number is the grade β higher means more pay and responsibility.
That's the floor. Here's how a year stacks up once overtime (1.5Γ) and hazard pay (+25% on the fireline) during fire season are added on top of the base salary:
Slow season β few, short fires β little deployment
Typical busy season β regular fires, steady overtime
Big fire year β heavy deployment all summer
Estimate, based on the midpoint of this posting's pay range (for salaried roles, overtime is figured at the hourly-equivalent rate). The overtime hours β roughly 300 / 700 / 1,300 in a full 6-month season, scaled to the months you pick β are modeled on reported earnings.
Want the full pay picture? See how much wildland firefighters make by grade: base, overtime, hazard, incident pay, and per diem.
The big money is for fire work β not desk time.
These rules are the same for everyone, rookie to supervisor. Base pay comes from real job postings; the rules below come straight from federal law:
Overtime β time-and-a-half
For hours over 40 spent fighting fire. On a fire, even supervisors earn full overtime β regular office hours don't count.
β Federal law: Firefighter Pay Reform Act Β· 5 U.S.C. 5542 βHazard pay β +25%
An extra quarter on top of your pay β but only for hours actually on the fire line. Not for office or standby time.
β Federal law: Federal hazard-pay rules Β· 5 CFR 550 βIncident pay β up to $9,000 a year
A daily bonus when you're sent to a multi-day fire away from your home base.
β Federal law: Incident Response Premium Pay Β· 5 U.S.C. 5545c βπ₯ Get new wildland fire jobs by email
The government posts new fire jobs most Mondays. Every Tuesday morning we email you the new ones, so you can apply first. 18 jobs are open right now.
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You pick the towns when you apply. This one job ad covers 26 towns in 12 states. Open a state to see its towns. Pick a town to see its fire stations and offices, a phone number, and the fires nearby.
Map: each dot is a town. Tap a dot to open that town's page.
A quick translation of the official text below. Check the official wording before you apply.
In order to qualify for this position, you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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. 1. This is an administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE. Candidates must possess Primary/Rigorous wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days, and hours per week at which the work was performed to be considered.Applicants must have documented prior primary firefighting experience, with substantial service defined as either: At least one full fire season working in a primary wildland firefighting role (e.g., Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumper, Wildland Fire Modules or Fire Suppression Crews, etc.) with a federal, state, tribal, local, or private-sector organization;- OR - At least 14 days of on-the-ground fireline experience (cumulative or consecutive). Prior primary wildland fire experience must be clearly documented in your resume. Note: an IQCS Master Record or equivalent document will not be used to determine or calculate prior primary wildland fire experience eligibility for this requirement. In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required. Only experience and education obtained by 11/10/2026 will be considered. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. Minimum Qualification For the GW-06 level: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-05 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, is required. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: performing wildland fire dispatch duties such as - receiving and reviewing fire incident reports; working with wildland fire dispatch computer programs; and determine fire resource needs. -OR- 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position. -OR- An equivalent combination of experience and education. Transcripts must be attached to application package. For the GW-07 level: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-06 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, is required. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: performing lead wildland fire dispatch duties such as - performing and directing others in wildland fire dispatch office functions; providing incident logistical support information and making recommendations for efficient use of available resources; and determining appropriate resource responses to incidents. -OR- 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position. -OR- An equivalent combination of experience and education. Transcripts must be attached to application package. Volunteer Experience: 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. *Applicants must meet all selective placement factors and minimum qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement. Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage - Applicants for this secondary administrative fire fighter position under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d), must possess knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of wildland firefighting as demonstrated by direct wildland firefighting experience. In order to receive credit, you must provide a written description of your experience in wildland firefighting. Education without hands-on wildland firefighting experience does not meet this requirement. Periods of wildland firefighting experience, gained through militia and rural fire departments, can also be credited. Wildland fire is defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Two distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fires as follows: Wildfire: Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. Prescribed Fires: Planned ignitions. This description includes only fire line experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience. Physical Demands: The work involves long hours of sitting, intense concentration, and working at peak proficiency/intensity levels with irregular breaks and mealtimes. Must be able to cope with the pressure of meeting timeframes and changing priorities. Mental concentration and accuracy are required. Ability to remain calm under urgent and frequently changing conditions. Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily in an office setting. During peak activity, increased radio traffic, numerous ringing phones, and conversations result in high noise levels, which require a high level of concentration to perform duties. The duties of this position create a highly stressful environment during peak activity, requiring the ability to keep calm in emergency situations.
As a Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch) your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Determine appropriate resource response to incidents and requests from the field and process and interpret weather information. Anticipate fire suppression needs and determine resource allocation. Operate and/or direct the operations of various dispatch telecommunications systems and input data into fire-related computer applications. Review internal operating procedures and systems, make recommendations for improvement, and update/develop operating plans and mobilization guides. Perform and direct others in receiving fire reports, determining locations, land status, and current fire information. Duties listed are at the GW-07 full performance level.
This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority This Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0462-06/07 working in the listed locations. In order to be considered for any duty location, ensure desired locations are selected. Applicants will not be considered for locations not selected.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Direct Deposit Required. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. This position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Visit SSS.gov. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. This position MAY require the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position. You will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. Under completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. The probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the minimum qualification requirements of this position. Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine if you are minimally qualified for the position. If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted. 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 minimally qualified candidates will be referred for consideration. Please note that the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. Interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis.
PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).
To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/10/2026. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application." Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13094897 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS. Select documents you want included in this application. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed. Select if you want to include your demographic information. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the 11/10/2026 of the announcement: Resume: Must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. MUST clearly indicate duties and responsibilities for each position (by grade level, if federal experience), employment dates (month/year), and total hours worked (e.g., 40+ hours/week, full-time, part-time). Part-time hours must be listed to prorate qualifying specialized experience. If a resume is incomplete or does not support the minimum qualifications or specialized experience, a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be assigned and no further consideration given. If military or civilian, include your rank and/or grade. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions is prohibited and will not be reviewed. Complete All Required Assessments. College Transcripts: If you are qualifying with education, you must provide copies of all your official or unofficial transcripts for verification from an accredited U.S. college/university by the closing date. Transcripts must include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average, or class ranking, institution name, and student name. from an accredited U.S. college/university by the closing date. If your degree is from a Foreign Institution, See Foreign Education. All selections and tentative offers of selection are contingent upon submission and verification of 'official' transcripts. Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (I/CTAP): Submit proof of eligibility, including the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and SF-50 showing position, grade, and duty location. For more information, visit USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Failure to submit any required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents are submitted. Do not submit photographs or Adobe portfolio documents with your application package.
Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official. You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.I f you were not referred and/or have questions or concerns regarding your rating determination or referral status, in the interest of time, please submit your inquiry in writing within seven (7) calendar days of receiving a Notice of Results and Referral notification email. Inquiries may be submitted to contact listed on this announcement. Be sure to include the announcement number to assist our team in reviewing your inquiry.
Career-Seasonal employees must work a Tour-of-Duty of at least six months and no more than eleven and a half months each year; for the remainder of the year you will be placed into non-pay status. Hiring managers will provide applicants with tour-of-duty information specific to each duty location during the hiring process. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GW-07. 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. 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 an RPL, you may be given priority consideration. PCS Information: -Yes, depending on location, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, MAY BE authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. Incentives: 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. Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area.
The U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), an organization within the Department of the Interior (DOI), responds to wildfires and promotes fire-resilient landscapes across more than 500 million acres of public and tribal lands nationwide. The USWFS has full program authority and coordinates the DOI wildland fire management program in its entirety. It ensures coordination within DOI, the Bureaus it serves, other federal agencies -- particularly the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service -- as well as non-federal agencies, state foresters, tribes, and a variety of stakeholder groups representing volunteer firefighters.
catherine_preston@ios.doi.gov
(208) 387-5514
Have questions?
Book a 30-minute call with Graham. He got a Forest Service fire job in Montana with zero experience and worked the summer of 2026. Ask anything: the application, the pack test, what the money really looks like, what to pack. Parents welcome.
“Talking with Graham was super helpful, he explained the hiring process and how to successfully reach out to fire crews. He is very knowledgeable on the different paths to becoming a Wildland firefighter and answered all my questions.”
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"HowToApply": "To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/10/2026. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting \"Start Application.\" Click here for USAJobs Help with \"How to create an application\" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13094897 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS. Select documents you want included in this application. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed. Select if you want to include your demographic information. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select \"Continue to Agency Site.\" Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting \"+\" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select \"+\" next to the job title for this position. Select \"Update Application\" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.",
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"Requirements": "Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Direct Deposit Required. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. This position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Visit SSS.gov. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. This position MAY require the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position. You will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. Under completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. The probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.",
"SubAgencyName": "U.S. Wildland Fire Service",
"ApplyOnlineUrl": "https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply",
"CommuteDistance": "0",
"DetailStatusUrl": "https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus",
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"AdjudicationType": [
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"DrugTestRequired": "True",
"OtherInformation": "Career-Seasonal employees must work a Tour-of-Duty of at least six months and no more than eleven and a half months each year; for the remainder of the year you will be placed into non-pay status. Hiring managers will provide applicants with tour-of-duty information specific to each duty location during the hiring process. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GW-07. 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. 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 an RPL, you may be given priority consideration. PCS Information: -Yes, depending on location, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, MAY BE authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. Incentives: 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. Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area.",
"TeleworkEligible": true,
"WhatToExpectNext": "Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official. You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.I f you were not referred and/or have questions or concerns regarding your rating determination or referral status, in the interest of time, please submit your inquiry in writing within seven (7) calendar days of receiving a Notice of Results and Referral notification email. Inquiries may be submitted to contact listed on this announcement. Be sure to include the announcement number to assist our team in reviewing your inquiry.",
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"OrganizationCodes": "IN/IN01",
"RequiredDocuments": "The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the 11/10/2026 of the announcement: Resume: Must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. MUST clearly indicate duties and responsibilities for each position (by grade level, if federal experience), employment dates (month/year), and total hours worked (e.g., 40+ hours/week, full-time, part-time). Part-time hours must be listed to prorate qualifying specialized experience. If a resume is incomplete or does not support the minimum qualifications or specialized experience, a rating of \"ineligible\" or \"not qualified\" will be assigned and no further consideration given. If military or civilian, include your rank and/or grade. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions is prohibited and will not be reviewed. Complete All Required Assessments. College Transcripts: If you are qualifying with education, you must provide copies of all your official or unofficial transcripts for verification from an accredited U.S. college/university by the closing date. Transcripts must include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average, or class ranking, institution name, and student name. from an accredited U.S. college/university by the closing date. If your degree is from a Foreign Institution, See Foreign Education. All selections and tentative offers of selection are contingent upon submission and verification of 'official' transcripts. Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (I/CTAP): Submit proof of eligibility, including the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and SF-50 showing position, grade, and duty location. For more information, visit USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Failure to submit any required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents are submitted. Do not submit photographs or Adobe portfolio documents with your application package.",
"SecurityClearance": "Not Required",
"AgencyContactEmail": "catherine_preston@ios.doi.gov",
"AgencyContactPhone": "(208) 387-5514",
"PromotionPotential": "7",
"FinancialDisclosure": false,
"BargainingUnitStatus": false,
"PositionSensitivitiy": "Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk",
"AnnouncementClosingType": "01",
"AgencyMarketingStatement": "The U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), an organization within the Department of the Interior (DOI), responds to wildfires and promotes fire-resilient landscapes across more than 500 million acres of public and tribal lands nationwide. The USWFS has full program authority and coordinates the DOI wildland fire management program in its entirety. It ensures coordination within DOI, the Bureaus it serves, other federal agencies -- particularly the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service -- as well as non-federal agencies, state foresters, tribes, and a variety of stakeholder groups representing volunteer firefighters.",
"BenefitsDisplayDefaultText": true,
"PromotionPotentialAdditionalText": "This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GW-07. Please see \"Additional Information\" for more details."
},
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},
"SubAgency": "U.S. Wildland Fire Service",
"PositionID": "WFSDHA-27-13094897-CGR1",
"JobCategory": [
{
"Code": "0462",
"Name": "Forestry Technician"
}
],
"PositionURI": "https://www.usajobs.gov:443/job/889558700",
"PositionTitle": "Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch)",
"DepartmentName": "Department of the Interior",
"PositionEndDate": "2026-11-10T23:59:59.9970",
"OrganizationName": "Office of the Secretary of the Interior",
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"LocationName": "Fairbanks, Alaska",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Alaska"
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{
"CityName": "Williams, Arizona",
"Latitude": 35.25,
"Longitude": -112.19076,
"CountryCode": "United States",
"LocationName": "Williams, Arizona",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Arizona"
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{
"CityName": "Bakersfield, California",
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"Longitude": -119.019,
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"CountrySubDivisionCode": "California"
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{
"CityName": "Craig, Colorado",
"Latitude": 40.514236,
"Longitude": -107.54787,
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"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Colorado"
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{
"CityName": "Grand Junction, Colorado",
"Latitude": 39.06879,
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"LocationName": "Grand Junction, Colorado",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Colorado"
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"CityName": "Pueblo, Colorado",
"Latitude": 38.26386,
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"LocationName": "Pueblo, Colorado",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Colorado"
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"CityName": "Boise, Idaho",
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"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Idaho"
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"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Idaho"
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{
"CityName": "Miles City, Montana",
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"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Montana"
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"CityName": "Santa Fe, New Mexico",
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"LocationName": "Santa Fe, New Mexico",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "New Mexico"
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{
"CityName": "Taos, New Mexico",
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"CountrySubDivisionCode": "New Mexico"
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"CityName": "Elko, Nevada",
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"LocationName": "Elko, Nevada",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Nevada"
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"CityName": "Ely, Nevada",
"Latitude": 39.2471,
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"LocationName": "Ely, Nevada",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Nevada"
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"CityName": "Las Vegas, Nevada",
"Latitude": 36.1719,
"Longitude": -115.14,
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"LocationName": "Las Vegas, Nevada",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Nevada"
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{
"CityName": "Winnemucca, Nevada",
"Latitude": 40.9732,
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"LocationName": "Winnemucca, Nevada",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Nevada"
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"CityName": "Medford, Oregon",
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"LocationName": "Medford, Oregon",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Oregon"
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"CityName": "Cedar City, Utah",
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"CityName": "Colville, Washington",
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"LocationName": "Colville, Washington",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Washington"
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{
"CityName": "Everett, Washington",
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"LocationName": "Everett, Washington",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Washington"
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{
"CityName": "Wenatchee, Washington",
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"CountryCode": "United States",
"LocationName": "Wenatchee, Washington",
"CountrySubDivisionCode": "Washington"
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{
"CityName": "Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming",
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],
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"PositionStartDate": "2026-10-20T18:11:23.5630",
"ApplicationCloseDate": "2026-11-10T23:59:59.9970",
"PositionOfferingType": [
{
"Code": "15317",
"Name": "Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not guarantee year-round work. See Additional Information section for more details."
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],
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"QualificationSummary": "In order to qualify for this position, you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either \"full-time\" (or \"40 hours a week\") or \"part-time\" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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. 1. This is an administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE. Candidates must possess Primary/Rigorous wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days, and hours per week at which the work was performed to be considered.Applicants must have documented prior primary firefighting experience, with substantial service defined as either: At least one full fire season working in a primary wildland firefighting role (e.g., Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumper, Wildland Fire Modules or Fire Suppression Crews, etc.) with a federal, state, tribal, local, or private-sector organization;- OR - At least 14 days of on-the-ground fireline experience (cumulative or consecutive). Prior primary wildland fire experience must be clearly documented in your resume. Note: an IQCS Master Record or equivalent document will not be used to determine or calculate prior primary wildland fire experience eligibility for this requirement. In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required. Only experience and education obtained by 11/10/2026 will be considered. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. Minimum Qualification For the GW-06 level: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-05 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, is required. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: performing wildland fire dispatch duties such as - receiving and reviewing fire incident reports; working with wildland fire dispatch computer programs; and determine fire resource needs. -OR- 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position. -OR- An equivalent combination of experience and education. Transcripts must be attached to application package. For the GW-07 level: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GW-06 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, is required. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: performing lead wildland fire dispatch duties such as - performing and directing others in wildland fire dispatch office functions; providing incident logistical support information and making recommendations for efficient use of available resources; and determining appropriate resource responses to incidents. -OR- 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position. -OR- An equivalent combination of experience and education. Transcripts must be attached to application package. Volunteer Experience: 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. *Applicants must meet all selective placement factors and minimum qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement. Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage - Applicants for this secondary administrative fire fighter position under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d), must possess knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of wildland firefighting as demonstrated by direct wildland firefighting experience. In order to receive credit, you must provide a written description of your experience in wildland firefighting. Education without hands-on wildland firefighting experience does not meet this requirement. Periods of wildland firefighting experience, gained through militia and rural fire departments, can also be credited. Wildland fire is defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Two distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fires as follows: Wildfire: Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. Prescribed Fires: Planned ignitions. This description includes only fire line experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience. Physical Demands: The work involves long hours of sitting, intense concentration, and working at peak proficiency/intensity levels with irregular breaks and mealtimes. Must be able to cope with the pressure of meeting timeframes and changing priorities. Mental concentration and accuracy are required. Ability to remain calm under urgent and frequently changing conditions. Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily in an office setting. During peak activity, increased radio traffic, numerous ringing phones, and conversations result in high noise levels, which require a high level of concentration to perform duties. The duties of this position create a highly stressful environment during peak activity, requiring the ability to keep calm in emergency situations.",
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