About This Position
This is a Public Notice for positions being filled under the Direct Hiring Authority (DHA) for Wildland Fire. Applications will be accepted for each location listed in this announcement. Veterans' Preference and traditional rating and ranking procedures do not apply. To learn more about the Direct-Hire Authority, go to: OPM.GOV Hiring Information - DHA.
Qualifications
Hours worked per week MUST be stated for each season and position listed in your resume. ***Experience listed will need to include specific duties about the work being performed and should not be only the general language stated below in the examples. To be considered minimally qualified, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualification requirements. No assumptions will be made about your experience. Failure to provide required details may result in ineligibility. List specific duties performed; do not rely solely on the general examples provided below. To qualify for a GW-04 You must meet at least one of the following: 1). Six (6) months of general work experience, which can be any work experience AND six (6) months of specialized work experience equivalent to the GW/GS-03 level duties. Examples of specialized work experience may include the following: controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade forest fire control, prevention, or suppression work rescue operations detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards operation of fire communications equipment when it requires specialized knowledge of firefighting techniques, equipment, and procedures to prevent and manage fires controlling hazardous materials incidents developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention -OR- 2). Successful completion of a 2-year course of study above high school, from an accredited college or university, in Fire Training, Fire Science, Fire Technology or in other related fields. -OR- 3). A combination of the education and work experience described above. To qualify for a GW-05 You must meet at least one of the following: 1). One (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GW/GS-04 level duties. Examples of specialized work experience include: On-the-line wildland fire experience in forest/range fire control, prevention or suppression work as a skilled wildland firefighter, utilizing a variety of specialized wildland fire tools and equipment. -OR- 2). Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree, from an accredited college or university, in Fire Science, Fire Training, Fire Technology or other related fields. -OR- 3). A combination of education and specialized work experience described above. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Physical Demands: Arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping and twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity. Work Environment: Forest, range, and desert environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with thick tangled vegetation, smoky conditions, etc. Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and may fall below freezing. Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material. Employee must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements, dust and smoke, poor bivouac and eating situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. Firefighters may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the work requires that personal protective equipment be worn (e.g., boots, hard hat, gloves, flame resistant clothing). Work may require travel by fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft.
Major Duties
The U.S Wildland Fire Service is looking for temporary employees to work on a variety of wildland firefighting crews in Pendleton, OR. Work may include working as a crew member on any of the following crew types: Engine, Fuels, and Wildland Fire Module. For more information on the Types of Crews, click here. A Wildland Firefighter (GW-04) is a trained wildland firefighter. May be assigned to carry out specialized assignments such as tree felling, backfire, and burnout operations; utilizes a variety of specialized tools, equipment and techniques while actively managing wildland fires. May be required to operate light vehicles and 4X4s. A Wildland Firefighter (GW-05) is a trained and experienced wildland firefighter performing all aspects of wildland and prescribed fire operations including preparation, ignition, monitoring, holding and mop-up. Gathers and considers information on weather data, topography, fuel types and fire behavior in responding to wildland fire incidents. May be required to operate light vehicles and 4X4s. For contact information and housing availability, visit Fire Contacts on the DOI FIRES website. To view a list of contacts by agency, select Oregon. Government housing is unavailable for the location advertised on this announcement. For contact information, visit Fire Contacts on the DOI FIRES website. To view a list of contacts by agency, select Oregon. For more information about temporary fire positions with DOI, go to the following link: https://www.firejobs.doi.gov/.
Conditions of Employment
SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service or exempt. To register or verify your registration, go to the Selective Service System website. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS: Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Failure to satisfy the background check will result in cancellation of offer of employment or may be grounds for termination. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/TESTING: You must pass an initial pre-employment physical examination and must be able to pass the work capacity fitness test (must carry a 45 lb pack for 3 miles within 45 minutes). Failure to meet any of the required medical qualifications will disqualify you for employment. Any condition, which would cause you to be a hazard to yourself or to others, will disqualify you for employment. DRUG TESTING: Positions require a mandatory pre-employment drug test. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. The drug test will be provided at Government direction and expense. Once hired, employees are also subject to random drug testing during employment. This is in accordance with Executive Order 12564 and under the Department's Drug Free Workplace Program. Positions may require a valid state driver's license. Some positions may require a CDL; information will be provided at job offer. You must be 18 years of age or older at the time of appointment. All positions have medical qualification requirements. Form BIA-4432, Verification of Indian preference for Employment (if claiming Indian Preference).
Education
Proof of Education: To qualify based on education, you MUST submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your student name, school name, major(s), credit hours earned, course level, grades, and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you MUST show that your 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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
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. You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the 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. 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. The competencies below provide an overview of what these positions entail once encumbered: GW-04/05: Fire Management - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of fire management, including the characteristics, behavior, and ecology of fire; methodologies, strategies, and equipment used in prescribed fires; fire detection, prevention, and suppression strategies; and integration of fire with natural resource management.
Additional Information
INDIAN PREFERANCE POLICY: Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC Section 472). Verification form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. No other documents will be accepted as proof as Indian Preference. A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. Pay rates vary depending on location. For additional information on pay rates: Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay. Consistent with the recent passage of legislation for permanent pay reform, salaries contained within this vacancy announcement are reflective of the new Special Base Rate (SBR) Salary Table for Federal wildland firefighters, on the General Wildland Firefighter (GW) pay plan effective March 23, 2025. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): CTAP/ICTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. For more information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well-qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well-qualified if they meet minimum qualifications for this position. Temporary employees hired in wildland fire or wildland fire support positions are eligible for the following: -Annual, sick leave, and paid federal holidays -Depending on tour of duty - Sunday, holiday, shift differential and/or hazard pay -Participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) program - Employees electing to participate in the FEHB will be responsible for the employee share of the premium while on the official agency roles, which is deducted from bi-weekly earnings. After separating from federal employment, employees will be offered to continue participation in FEHB under the Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) option. Employees electing to continue coverage under the TCC provision will be responsible for the full premium amount plus a 2% administration fee.
How to Apply
THIS IS AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH USAJOBS. Your application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time by the closing date of the announcement. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the DOI FIRES Program Office at [email protected] or call our toll-free number at 888-364-6432. 1. Review the Vacancy Announcement and Eligibility Criteria: Review the announcement thoroughly. The sections describe who is eligible to apply, what education and/or experience is required for the position, and which documents are needed for your application package. 2. Apply. Click the "APPLY" link on the right side of the vacancy announcement. This will direct you to the login page for USAJOBS. Select your USAJOBS resume to submit with your application and proceed through the application process answering all questions. INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. You must build a resume with the USAJOBS Resume Builder or have an Uploaded Resume on your profile BEFORE applying. Videos showing how to apply for federal jobs can be found here: https://www.nifc.gov/careers/how-to-apply. The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. Failure to follow the instructions in the announcement (resulting in insufficient information being provided with your resume / application) could result in an ineligible rating. Your 2-page resume MUST include the following information: - Name and current personal contact information - From and To dates (month/year to month/year) for each season and position held. (Ex: 05/2025 - 11/2025) - Work schedule (number of hours worked per week) for all seasons and positions held. One year of experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week (full-time). Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for a position listed that does not indicate hours per week. - Grade level for each season and position that were in the federal service. - Complete Duties for each of the seasons and positions held. - References personal and professional 3. Submit your resume and supporting documentation ONLINE through USAJOBS. You also must complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section. For detailed step-by-step instructions on How to Apply: https://www.firejobs.doi.gov/index.php/apply. To verify the status of your application, please log into your USAJOBS account at: https://secure.login.gov/. For information on what each Application Status means: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. FOLLOW UP. Check your application status before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to ensure that a complete application (including a resume, on-line questionnaire, and applicable supplemental documentation) is received by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. NOTE: Technical issues may take at least 1 business day to resolve; therefore, you are highly encouraged to complete the application process prior to the closing date.
Required Documents
You MUST upload "Required Documents" PRIOR to the Closing Date of the announcement. **Please note that documents selected to transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added to your application. You need to transfer the document(s) in the Document step at the end of the application process. Resumes: You may only submit one resume and it MUST include your first and last name and how to best contact you, including an email address and a phone number. Your resume must list each season or position held, duties performed, dates specified in month/year to month/year format. In addition, the resume must reflect full-time or total number of hours worked per week. Part-time hours can be pro-rated based on number of hours worked per week provided. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Example 1: 05/2025 to 08/2025 could be credited as 3 months if 40 hours worked per week (full-time) are listed -or- 2.25 months if 30 hours worked per week are listed -or-1.5 months if 20 hours worked per week are listed. Example 2: 05/2023 to 10/2023 could be credited as 5 months of experience if 40 hours worked per week (full-time) are listed -or- 3.75 months if 30 hours worked per week are listed -or- 2.5 months if 20 hours worked per week are listed. Example 3: Dates listed with month/day/year to month/day/year could be given credit for each to/from date in its entirety if hours worked per week are listed. 05/1/2024 to 08/16/2024 could be credited as 3 months, 16 days if 40 hours worked per week are listed -or- 1 month, 23 days if 20 hours worked per week are listed. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on what should I include in my federal resume: https://www.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/. A complete Assessment Questionnaire - This is completed automatically during the online application process. The questions have to do with minimum qualifications, selective factors if applicable, a verification statement, etc. There is no additional documents needed to complete this requirement. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as: College transcripts - if qualifying based on education. For more information, see the Education section. BIA Form 4432: Verification of Indian Preference (if claiming preference). Note, this is the only form accepted for verification. Failure to supply documentation will result in ineligibility of preference. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) - If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP you MUST submit documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc. * You only need to upload documents that apply to you. For uploading instructions please click here. You will not be contacted for additional information. If you have questions regarding what is considered appropriate supporting documentation, contact the DOI FIRES Program Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the Wildland Firefighter position at Office of the Secretary of the Interior?
The salary range for this position is $23 - $25/hr. This is a GW-4/5 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Wildland Firefighter job located?
This position is located in Pendleton, Oregon. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
Hours worked per week MUST be stated for each season and position listed in your resume. ***Experience listed will need to include specific duties about the work being performed and should not be only the general language stated below in the examples. To be considered minimally qualified, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you meet the mi...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Feb 24, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What does GW-4/5 mean?
GW-4/5 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.