Department of the Army

FIRE PROTECTION SPECIALIST

Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri Full time

FIRE PROTECTION SPECIALIST

Department: Department of the Army

Location(s): Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

Salary Range: $73939 - $96116 Per Year

Job Summary: 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. 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 (Secondary)

Major Duties:

  • Directs fire department training branch in the daily application of sound fire department training practices to ensure the operation of a comprehensive fire department training program.
  • Ensures that the training needs necessary for all persons assigned to the division are met.
  • Plans, assigns, directs, reviews and evaluates the work of subordinates who administer program activities; observes training being conducted by other instructors to ensure competency and compliance.
  • Oversees the development of lesson plans for recurring proficiency training utilizing methods that follow established guidelines.

Qualifications: Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the 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. Specialized Experience: management of the training of personnel; the management of the fire departments hazardous materials program, and the fire departments' occupational safety and health program. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09). In addition to specialized experience, the position requires the incumbent to possess the following certifications: Fire Officer III, Fire Instructor III, Fire Inspector II, HAZMAT Technician HAZMAT Incident Commander Airport Firefighter FEMA IS-700, IS-800 This position requires that the individual possess and maintain the following DoD IFSAC or Pro-Board issued certifications. NOTE: For each certification listed above, you MUST submit a copy with your application package or you will be rated in-eligible. This position has been identified by Department of Army and approved by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness as a secondary position for special retirement coverage as identified in 5 CFR 831 Subpart I for CSRS Retirement coverage and 5 CFR 842 Subpart H for FERS retirement coverage. Coverage under Special Retirement Coverage is NOT automatic. However, an employee may bring their existing special retirement coverage with them if they meet the transfer requirements below. CSRS - Per CSRS and FERS Handbook, Subchapter 46A, Section 46A3.2-1C - The employee, while covered under the special provision, moves directly (that is, without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position; and if applicable, the employee has been continuously employed in a secondary position or positions since moving from a rigorous position without a break in service exceeding 3 days. FERS - Per CSRS and FERS Handbook, Subchapter 46B, Section 463.2-1C1.The employee, while covered under the special provision, moves directly (that is, without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a rigorous position to a secondary position;2. The employee has completed 3 years of service in a rigorous position, including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld; and 3. If applicable, the employee has been continuously employed in a secondary position or positions since moving from a rigorous position without a break in service exceeding 3 days. NOTES:1. Service as a temporary or intermittent employee may be counted toward the 3-year requirement if it is otherwise qualifying. (While under an intermittent tour of duty, only actual days worked are counted.) For purposes of applying the 3-year requirement, it does not matter whether the service is actually made creditable by payment of a deposit or whether the service cannot be made creditable. Thus, even post-1998 nondeduction service (which can never be creditable under FERS for the purpose of qualifying for or computing a benefit can be used to meet the 3-year requirement. Also, Federal service under another retirement system for Government employees may be used to meet the 3-year requirement if it is otherwise qualifying.2.A break in employment in secondary positions that begins with an involuntary separation (not for cause) within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 8414(b)(21)(A) is continuous for this purpose. In addition to providing the required eligibility documentation listed elsewhere in this job announcement, if you believe you are eligible for Special Retirement Coverage under a secondary position, you must provide sufficient documentation (SF-50s) as indicated above for verification. The individual hired is subject to Special Retirement provisions to include additional contributions to the retirement fund, mandatory separation/retirement at age 57 with 20 years of approved special retirement provisions service, options for early retirement at any age after 25 years of approved special retirement provisions service, or at age 50 with 20 years of approved special retirement provisions service. Department of Defense (DoD), in accordance with 5 United States Code (USC) 3307, has determined an individual must be appointed to their first/original appointment into a DoD position that has been identified and approved as a primary firefighter no later than the last day of the month in which they become 37. Preference eligible veterans over the age of 37, may apply regardless of the age restriction.If selected, a waiver of the age restriction will be requested by the hiring official for approval by the Department of Army.An individual who is past the maximum entry age (37) who previously served in an approved primary position may be reinstated to a covered primary position provided they meet the applicable qualification requirements AND will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered service as a firefighter by the last day of the month in which they become 57.The Department of Army may approve an exception to the maximum entry age (37) for the original entry of a non-veteran-preference-eligible applicant into a primary covered firefighter position.Exceptions shall be extremely rare and based only on a compelling hardship to the mission. Should an exception be granted, the employee shall be separated on the last day of the month in which he/she completes 20 years of special retirement provisions covered service. In addition to providing the required eligibility documentation listed elsewhere in this job announcement, you must provide sufficient documentation to determine proof of age. This documentation should be attached under Special Retirement Coverage as identified in the Required Documents section. For reentry into a primary covered position, you must also provide sufficient documentation (SF-50s) to show length of service in a previous covered firefighter 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 12/15/2025 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/12844558). 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.

Application Deadline: 2025-12-15