FIRE PROGRAM OCCUPATIONSThe Bureau of Land Management employs over 1,500 people in the fire program. These employees are hired both as permanent and temporary employees. In fact, many of the temporary employees return year after year and consider working in the Bureau's fire program as a second career. Many have progressed from entry-level fire crew positions to leadership positions on engine crews or as elite firefighters on Hotshot Crews or as Smokejumpers. Permanent employees in the Bureau's fire program have opportunities to progress even further as Fire Management Officers and Fuels Program Managers. All positions, except Dispatcher and Fire Prevention, require that you successfully pass a pre-employment physical examination. All positions require pre-employment drug testing. Most permanent positions require that you be no older than 35 years old upon appointment.
Fire Lookout/Fire Crew As a Fire Lookout, you will serve as a lookout at remote tower stations. You will observe, plot, and report fire starts, report locations, estimate size, and fire behavior. You will interact with fire suppression crews and dispatch them through radio communications. On Fire Crew, you will serve as a crewmember or leader of a fire suppression crew, building fire lines using pulaskis, shovels and chainsaws to control spreading wildland fire. You will also patrol areas of controlled fires and search out and extinguish any remaining burning material. Finally, you will observe, collect, and preserve evidence of the cause of fires. Fire Lookout positions are filled at the GS-2 and 3 levels. Apply for these positions on the Federal government's on-line job service. Temporary seasonal fire crew positions range from GS-2 through GS-5. Permanent fire crew positions require wildland land firefighting experience or directly related college education, and are advertised on the Federal government's on-line job service: (Link directly to BLM's page on usajobs) After a few seasons of wildland firefighting, you can progress to a number of other occupations. Hotshot Crew Temporary seasonal Hotshot crew positions are filled at the GS-2, GS-3, GS-4 and GS-5 levels from the Fire Crew announcements described above. Permanent fire crew positions require wildland land firefighting experience or directly related college education.
Fuels Module Crew Dispatcher Temporary dispatcher positions are filled at the GS-5 and the GS-6 levels and require wildland fire experience in order to qualify. Permanent dispatcher positions (both non-supervisors and supervisors) range from GS-5 through GS-9 and also require wildland land firefighting experience. They are advertised on the Federal government's on-line job service.
Engine Operator Temporary Engine Operator and supervisor position are filled from the GS-5 through the GS-7 levels. Permanent Engine Operator and supervisors positions require wildland land firefighting experience and are advertised on the Federal government's on-line job service. Helitack Crew Temporary Helitack Crew positions are filled from Fire Suppression announcements at the GS-5 and GS-6 level. Permanent Helitack Crew positions require wildland land firefighting experience or directly related college education, and are advertised on the Federal government's on-line job service.
Smokejumper Temporary Smokejumper positions are filled at the GS-5 and GS-6 level. Permanent Smokejumper positions are filled at grades GS-5 and GS-6 levels, with leadership positions filled at the GS-7 level. These positions require wildland land firefighting experience, and are advertised on the Federal government's on-line job service. Fire Prevention Fuels Prevention Officer positions are filled at the GS-7 level and require both wildland firefighting experience and experience one of the more complication positions such as a Smokejumper or in a leadership position. Apply for these positions on the Federal government's on-line job service. [an error occurred while processing this directive] |