Wildland Firefighter (Smokejumper)

About the role

This position is located within a National Forest. The position is located on a fire crew as a crewmember within the fire management organization. This position serves as a smokejumper for a national shared resource smokejumper program.

The primary purpose of this position is to parachute into rugged terrain and suppress wildfires as well as perform other fire support functions.

What you will do

• Serves as a smokejumper, performing a variety of duties in the areas of parachute jumping and fire suppression.
• Receives intensive standardized training in parachute jumping and other fire suppression duties.
• Makes parachute jumps from various aircraft under varying conditions while executing landings on rough terrain, open areas, mountain slopes, or timber.
• May be responsible for the direction of crew movements in non-jump fire situations.
• Fire suppression training includes classroom and field instruction in construction and holding of fire line under varied conditions of topography and fuel, fire weather and fire behavior, first aid and safety, and use of hand and power tools.
• Parachute training includes intensive physical training and conditioning, instruction and proficiency in use of parachutes and related equipment in mountainous terrain.
• In accordance with rigid standards, must successfully complete a series of parachute proficiency jumps of increasing difficulty.
• Suppresses wildland fire using a variety of hand and power tools such as Pulaski, shovel, chain saw, and McLeod.
• Moves dirt, chops brush and logs, fells trees and snags, applies water by hose or back pump, etc.to build fire line and control spreading wildland fire.
• Cares for and maintains tools, equipment, jump gear, and parachutes.
• Travel to fire assignments may vary from parachute jumping to foot travel, truck, bus, etc., and fire action may vary from individual efforts to serving as a member of specialized crews.
• May be assigned to other resource management activities such as recreation, timber, or reforestation when not performing fire suppression duties.
• May inventory fuel beds, prepare associated reports, perform hazard fuel reduction projects, monitor burning conditions, pile vegetation debris and act in assigned positions during fuel reduction efforts by prescribed fire.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.gov.
• Some Fire positions may have Conditions of Employment such as: a valid state driver's license; a commercial driver's license (CDL); pre-appointment and random drug testing; or a physical or medical examination.
• This is a Test Designated Position.
• You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing.
• Appointment is based on a negative result.
• This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice.
• Incumbent is subject to medical screening and must meet the Federal Wildland Firefighter Medical Standards for arduous duty wildland firefighting.
• Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
• Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignment.
• Must pass the appropriate level of the Work Capacity Test for Wildland Firefighters.

How you will be evaluated

This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements.

A rating will not be used; veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be referred to the selecting official.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Documents you must provide

• The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete.
• Encrypted documents will not be accepted.
• Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
• Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications.
• Resume cannot exceed 2 pages.
• If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
• An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.
• Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university.
• If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards.
• There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service.
• For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website.
• All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

What to expect next

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer.

An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance.

To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to ***, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is being used to fill positions for FY2027 Temporary Employment Hiring season. The expected start date for this position will be between April 18, 2027 to June 13, 2027.

By selecting the "Location Negotiable" option during the application process, implies your willingness to be considered for any official duty location listed on this announcement and/or those duty locations not listed for this Regional announcement. Pay rates vary depending on location.

The salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S. See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates. This position is temporary, has a Not-to-Exceed date and will be filled for up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year, however an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or lack of funds.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other groups within the Region who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in any of the geographic location(s) listed on the announcement.

Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS).

Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

CTAP/ICTAP eligible must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered. If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay. This position is not eligible for telework.

Availability of government housing and federal day care facilities will vary by location. Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.