Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazardous Materials Technician)
About This Position
About the Position: Serve as a Firefighter protecting life and property.
This position is included under the provisions of Special Retirement Coverage (SRC) and may have both a maximum entry age and a mandatory retirement date.
Click here for more information on SRC for Firefighters (Primary/Rigorous)
Qualifications
This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for Domestic Defense Industrial Base Facilities and the Major Range and Test Facilities Base solicitation to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. Under this authority, competitive rating/ranking and veteran's preference procedures do not apply. Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below.
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).
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. GS-04 Level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) assist firefighting crew responding to accidents and emergencies involving injury or illness; (2) utilize and maintain firefighting equipment; or (3) actively participating in formal training or hands on training in fire protection and prevention.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-03).
OR
Education: Two years of education above the high school level in an accredited college or university in Fire Training, Fire Science, or other related fields of study.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by
- Then divide your semester hours of education by
- Add the two percentages. GS-05 Level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) assist firefighting crew extinguishing fires or rescue operations for a fire department; (2) assist firefighting crew responding to accidents and emergencies involving injury or illness; and (3) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04).
OR
Education: Four years of education above the high school level in an accredited college or university in Fire Science, Fire Training, or other related fields of study.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by
- Then divide your semester hours of education by 120. Add the two percentages. GS-06 Level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) control or extinguish fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department; (2) perform rescue operations including administering first aid to injured victims; (3) operate fire communications equipment; and (4) control hazardous materials incidents.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05). GS-07 Level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) control or extinguish fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department; (2) perform rescue operations including administering emergency medical aid to injured victims; (3) control hazardous materials incidents; and (4) operate fire department vehicles. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-06).
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For the GS-06 and GS-07 levels, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone -- no substitution of education for experience is permitted. Certifications:
In addition to meeting the Specialized Experience above, this position requires you to possess for the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (NREMT) or state certification in the United States indicating a future expiration date AND at the GS-04 level you must obtain and maintain Firefighter I and II and Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations within 12 months of appointment into the position; at the GS-05 level you must possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, and Basic Life Support Certifications; at the GS-06 level you must possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, Telecommunicator I and II, Driver Operator-Pumper, and Basic Life Support Certifications; at the GS-07 level you must possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness, Operations and Technician, Driver Operator-Pumper and -Aerial, and Basic Life Support with Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Certifications certified through Department of Defense (DoD) Fire and Emergency Services Certification System, International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or Fire Service Professional Qualifications System (Pro Board) in accordance with DoDM 6055.06.
NOTE: You must attach a copy of the certification to your application. Proof of Age: As this is a primary/rigorous firefighter position, your application package MUST include a government issued document indicating your date of birth. Failure to submit this document will result in your application being marked as incomplete and you WILL NOT receive further consideration for this position. Maximum Entry Age (MEA) The MEA for Firefighters is
- Applicants not appointed by the last day of the month in which that individual reaches their 37th birthday shall not be appointed or assigned to these positions. Maximum Re-entry Age An employee who previously served on a covered position may be rehired past the MEA as long as he/she is able to complete 20 years of covered service by his/her mandatory retirement age.
The maximum re-entry age for the individual is calculated by determining the total amount of time he/she has served on a covered position and subtracting that from age 57, if a firefighter. The employee's current age is compared to the calculated maximum re-entry age to determine if he/she can be rehired into the covered position. Waivers to Maximum Entry Age MEA may be waived, but only under specific circumstances and only if approved by the authorized entity: Waivers to MEA for firefighters must be approved by local Command.
Major Duties
This is a developmental position being filled at the GS-04, 05, 06, or 07 Level.
At the developmental levels, you will perform assignments under closer than normal supervision. The full performance GS-07 level of this position entails the following duties:
Serve as Firefighter performing Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Hazardous Materials Incidents, and Rescue Operations.
Serve as a driver and operator of firefighting apparatus, such as pumpers and aerial ladder trucks.
Serve as the hazardous material emergency response team utilizing hazard and risk assessment techniques to form an incident analysis.
Operate firefighting equipment, such as hoses, ladders, and hydrants to fight structural fires.
Perform initial and on-going focused patient assessment and physical examination.
Education
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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
How You Will Be Evaluated
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
Additional Information
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
This is an Installation Career Field position. This is a Functional Community Safety and Occupational Health Management formerly known as Career Program 12 position. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest. Defense National Relocation Program (Government Home Sale) expenses are not authorized.
Recruitment, Relocation, and Retention Incentives are not authorized. Student Loan Repayment Program is not authorized. Salary negotiations for candidates new to Federal service may be authorized. Credit for prior non-Federal experience and certain military service for leave accrual rates may be authorized but must be established prior to entry on duty.
Management may fill positions at any grade level. Noncompetitive promotion potential to the target grade. This is a Bargaining Unit AR3135 position. Position may be filled as a Term Appointment NTE 1 year 1 day.
Term appointments may be extended beyond six (6) years, up to eight (8) years. With DoD approval, term appointments may be extended beyond eight (8) years. Current permanent Federal employees (to include permanent Army employees) applying for a term appointment will be appointed/converted into a term appointment with no statutory return rights back to a permanent position.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/27/2026 to receive consideration To begin, click Apply to access the online application.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12968884).
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position.
Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.
For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Required Documents
The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements. As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1.
Your resume: Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement.
If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position. Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood.
The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume. If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy. For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
- DoD Certificates and NREMT License: You MUST submit a copy of the following: at the GS-04 level you must obtain and maintain Firefighter I and II and Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations within 12 months of appointment into the position; at the GS-05 level you must possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, and Basic Life Support Certifications; at the GS-06 level you must possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, Telecommunicator I and II, Driver Operator-Pumper, and Basic Life Support Certifications; at the GS-07 level you must possess Firefighter I and II, Hazardous Materials Awareness, Operations and Technician, Driver Operator-Pumper and -Aerial, and Basic Life Support with Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Certifications certified through DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification System, International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or the Fire Service Professional Qualifications System (PRO-Board) AND a State or National Registry EMT License. If your application package does not contain proof of having these certificates and license, your application will be marked as incomplete and you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.
Rather than submitting individual DoD certificates, if you have received a Student ID# for the DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program website (https://go.usa.gov/xdsTR) you may provide a copy of your most recent certification transcript. If you do not know your Student ID, you may contact the AFCEC Reach-back Center at [email protected] for assistance. Rather than submitting your EMT License, you may print proof of your current EMT License with NREMT from their website (https://www.nremt.org).
If you are a current federal employee and do not have one of the required certificates due to the DoD F&ES Certification Program delay - You may submit a provisional certificate, memorandum from the Fire Chief requesting the certificates, and/or another document showing completion of the course. PLEASE
NOTE: If selected, you will not be placed into the position until the official certificate has been received from the DoD F&ES Certificate Program.
- Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you.
You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application.
You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.