Department: Department of the Army
Location(s): Fort Polk, Louisiana
Salary Range: $40736 - $65599 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 (Primary/Rigorous)
Major Duties:
Qualifications: Who May Apply: US Citizens **This is a developmental position** which will be filled at either the GS-05, GS-06 or GS-07 grade level. You will work in a developmental capacity performing assignments and completing training, both of which are aimed at preparing you to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the duties of the full performance level. The candidate placed in this position may be non-competitively promoted to the target grade of GS-07 if he or she has satisfactorily demonstrated the ability to perform at the higher grade level, meets all regulatory and qualification requirements for promotion, has been recommended for promotion by the supervisor and the target position is supported at the time of the promotion. Incumbent must possess and maintain for following certifications: Firefighter I and II, Airport Firefighter, Hazardous Material Technician certification, Driver Operator-Pumper, and National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - (formally Basic), and have been awarded by the DoD, IFSAC, OR Pro-Board accredited training to meet the requirement. 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-05 Level: Specialized Experience: I have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service which includes (1) controlling or extinguishing fires; (2) operating hose lines; (3) making force entries; (4) ventilating structures or performing rescue operations including administering first aid to injured victims. 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 leading to a bachelor's degree with major study 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 12. Then divide your semester hours of education by 120. Add the two percentages. IN ADDITION TO SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE THE POSITION REQUIRES THE INCUMBENT TO POSSESS THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS AT THE GS-05 GRADE LEVEL: For each certification listed, you MUST submit a copy with your application package, or you will be rated in-eligible. Firefighter I and II Certification and Hazardous Material Operations Certifications. NOTE: These certifications must have been awarded by the DoD, IFSAC, or Pro-Board accredited training to meet this requirement. If you do not possess these certifications, you will be rated ineligible. GS-06 Level: Specialized Experience: I have one year of specialized experience which includes: (1) operating firefighting equipment, including pumps and heavy hand held equipment, and extinguishing agents during emergencies; (2) experience performing emergency medical services under a variety of conditions; (3) experience carrying out orders, effectively fighting fires, and using and maintaining assigned firefighting equipment under conditions of heavy physical exertion and extreme heat and dust in all kinds of weather. 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 job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone -- no substitution of education for experience is permitted.*** IN ADDITION TO SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE THE POSITION REQUIRES THE INCUMBENT TO POSSESS THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS AT THE GS-06 GRADE LEVEL: For each certification listed, you MUST submit a copy with your application package, or you will be rated in-eligible. Firefighter I & II Airport Firefighter Hazmat Operations. NOTE: These certifications must have been awarded by the DoD, IFSAC, or Pro-Board accredited training to meet this requirement. If you do not possess these certifications, you will be rated ineligible. GS-07 Level: Specialized Experience: I have 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) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; 4) operation of fire communications equipment; 5) controlling hazardous materials incidents; and/or (6) developing, implementing, or providing 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-06). *** Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone -- no substitution of education for experience is permitted.*** IN ADDITION TO SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE THE POSITION REQUIRES THE INCUMBENT TO POSSESS THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS AT THE GS-07 GRADE LEVEL: For each certification listed, you MUST submit a copy with your application package, or you will be rated in-eligible. Firefighter I and II Certifications Airport Firefighter Hazmat Technician Certification Driver Operator Pumper Certification National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - (formally Basic) NOTE: These certifications must have been awarded by the DoD, IFSAC, or Pro-Board accredited training to meet this requirement. If you do not possess these certifications, you will be rated ineligible. *** Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification (issued by state or National Registry).: If the EMT certification/recertification is issued after 31 March 2015 by State or National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT), then the card will read as "EMT" and not "EMT-Basic." If you are applying for this position and you currently hold an "EMT" certification, you will be required to obtain recertification when required.*** NOTE: For each certification listed above, you MUST submit a copy with your application package, or you will be rated ineligible.
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 03/23/2026 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/12897657). 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: 2026-03-23