Firefighter (Basic Life Support)
About This Position
This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: 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
About the Position: THIS POSITION MAY BE FILLED AT THE GS 4, GS 5, GS 6, OR GS 7 LEVEL. The full performance level of GS-07 is received through the intervening grades of GS-05 and GS-06 level. Estimated annual pay range based on 72-hour workweek is $ 57,200 - $ 102,500.
Position approved for Firefighter special retirement coverage. Maximum entry age is 37 years old. Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the 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. To qualify for the GS-04 level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer or governmental fire department or brigade.
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. To qualify for the GS-05 level: Specialized Experience:One year of specialized experience which includes (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; and (2) rescue operations. 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. Selective Placement Factor:
In addition to the specialized experience and/or education required to qualify for the GS-05 level you must also possess and maintain ALL the following Department of Defense (or reciprocal equivalent) certifications: Firefighter I and II, HAZMAT Awareness, HAZMAT Operations. Driver/Operator Pumper and Driver/Operator Mobile Water Supply must be obtained within 12 months of assignment to position.NOTE: You MUST attach a copy of ALL the required certificates to your application package. To qualify for the GS-06 level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) operation of fire communications equipment; (4) driving and operating emergency vehicle to an emergency scene.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05). Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this grade level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone -- no substitution of education for experience is permitted.
Selective Placement Factor:
In addition to the specialized experience required to qualify for the GS-06 level you must also possess and maintain ALL the following Department of Defense (or reciprocal equivalent) certifications: Firefighter I and II, Hazmat Awareness, Hazmat Operations, Driver/Operator Pumper, and Driver/Operator Mobile Water Supply. HAZMAT Technician and EMT-Basic certification (or Higher) from the State of Kansas or National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians must be obtained within 12 months of assignment to position.
NOTE: You MUST attach a copy of ALL the required certifications to your application package. To qualify for the GS-07 level:Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) inspections for detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; and driving and operating firefighting apparatus at an emergency scene. 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 this grade level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone -- no substitution of education for experience is permitted. Selective Placement Factor:
In addition to the specialized experience required to qualify for the GS-07 level you must also possess and maintain ALL the following Department of Defense (or reciprocal equivalent) certifications: Firefighter I and II, HAZMAT Awareness, HAZMAT Operations, HAZMAT Technician, Driver/Operator Pumper, Driver/Operator Mobile Water Supply, and Firefighting and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-Basic or higher) certification from the state of Kansas or National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). Must submit valid EMT card with expiration date. *Driver/Operator Aircraft Rescue Firefighter and Airport Firefighter must be obtained within 12 months of assignment to position.NOTE: You MUST attach a copy of ALL the required certifications to your application package.
Major Duties
As a Firefighter (Basic Life Support), you will perform the following duties:
Respond to alarms and combats fires involving structures, equipment, facilities, manufacturing areas, chemical and brush fires.
Alternate as hose, ladder, hydrant, rescue or hand lineman.
Serve as Driver/Operator of motorized fire apparatus.
Perform fire protection inspections, checks fire alarm systems, prepares reports of unsafe conditions, coordinates with the Fire Protection Inspector; and conducts follow up inspections.
Operate apparatus fire pumps and aerial devices.
Determine and apply adequate water pressure to firefighting hose lines.
Perform daily preventive maintenance inspection of apparatus and equipment.
Respond to medical emergencies and performs the duties of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
Education
See Qualifications section above for education.
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.
Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.
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. One year probationary period may be required. 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 a(n) Installation Career Field position. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
Advanced in-hire may be offered. Recruitment, Relocation, Retention (RRR) Incentives may be authorized. Student loan repayment may be authorized. Salary negotiations for those candidates who are new to Federal service may be authorized.
Credit for Prior Non-Federal Work Experience and Certain Military Service for Determining Annual Leave Accrual Rate may be authorized. 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.
This position has been identified as a primary position for Firefighter Special Retirement Coverage. Applicants initial appointment to a covered primary Firefighter Special Retirement Coverage position must be appointed by the last day of the month he/she reaches
- The maximum entry age for positions covered under this retirement is 37 years old. Retirement from this position is mandatory at age 57 with 20 years of SRC service. The maximum entry age may be waived under certain circumstances. Individuals who are past the maximum entry age limit, but previously served in a primary position, MAY be reinstated. For more information on provisions of Special Retirement Coverage (SRC), please follow this link: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol336.pdf?ver=2017-12-01-105458-707
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 03/18/2026 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/12904718).
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 for each respective grade level you are applying for: Firefighter I and II, HAZMAT Awareness, HAZMAT Operations, HAZMAT Technician, Driver/Operator Pumper, Driver/Operator Mobile Water Supply, and Firefighting and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-Basic or higher) certification from the state of Kansas or National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). Must submit valid EMT card with expiration date. These need to be 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.