Department: Department of the Interior
Location(s): Fairbanks, Alaska
Salary Range: $82352 - $114890 Per Year
Job Summary: This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority This Forestry Technician (Smokejumper) 'Assistant Crew Supervisor' position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0462-9/10 working in the following location(s): Fairbanks, Alaska
Major Duties:
Qualifications: In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below. Selective Placement Factor(s): This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified. 1.) Prior on-the-line firefighting: This experience must be clearly documented in your resume with specific to and from dates, description of work performed, and hours worked per week in order to be considered. This is an administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission and is in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government, is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE. Candidates must possess substantial wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. The Department of the Interior defines wildland firefighting experience as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Wildland firefighting experience is gained through work on the fire line in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. This experience can be met by serving in a temporary, seasonal, or equivalent private sector fire position. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: (1) Wildfires - Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires; and (2) Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions. This description includes only fireline experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience. 2.) Prior smokejumping experience required. This experience must be documented in the online application or resume with specific to AND from dates (MM/YY), description of work performed, AND hours worked per week. Minimum Qualification For the GW-09 level: 1 year of credible specialized experience equivalent to GS-08 level. Specialized experience is performing aerial delivery of personnel and equipment into rugged terrain; performing aerial firefighting tactics and aerial delivery of firefighting personnel and equipment; working with logistics, and interface with management, cooperators, and the public; operating as an Initial Attack. For the GW-10 level: 1 year of credible specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 level. Specialized experience is performing aerial delivery of personnel and equipment into rugged terrain; performing aerial firefighting tactics and aerial delivery of firefighting personnel and equipment; working with logistics, for administrative functions, and interface with management, cooperators, and the public; instructing or independently directing work projects of crewmembers; operating as an Initial Attack. Substitution of Education for Experience: For the GW-09 level: Two full years (36 semester hours) of GRADUATE level college education or received a master's degree in a field related to range work such as a major study in fire science, fire management or a field directly related to this position; OR an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education. There is no substitution of education for experience for the GS-10 grade level. You must meet all qualification and selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Medical Requirements Please see the Department of the Interior Medical Standards Program website for the Federal Interagency Wildland Firefighter Medical Standards for your position: http://www.nifc.gov/medicalstandards/index.html Physical Requirements Employment in this position is conditional upon your successful completion of the following BLM smokeumper physical fitness performance tests: When you report for duty, you will be given a physical condition test. The test is given in one time period wit a 5-minute break between exercises. The test consists of performing the following exercises: 30 Push ups 6 pull ups Run 1.5 miles in 10.47 minutes or less OR backpacking a 110 pound load three miles in less than 65 minutes. Work capacity test at the Arduous level: All arduous wildland firefighters must backpack a 45 pound load for three miles in 45 minutes or less. Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage - Applicants for this secondary administrative fire fighter position under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d), must possess knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of wildland firefighting as demonstrated by direct wildland firefighting experience. In order to receive credit, you must provide a written description of your experience in wildland firefighting. Education without hands-on wildland firefighting experience does not meet this requirement. Periods of wildland firefighting experience, gained through militia and rural fire departments, can also be credited. Wildland fire is defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Two distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fires as follows: Wildfire: Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. Prescribed Fires: Planned ignitions. This description includes only fire line experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience. Physical Demands: The incumbent must be able to work under extreme physical exertion, regularly working 13 hour shifts or longer on the fireline. Work on the fireline requires considerable strenuous physical exertion, e.g., long periods of standing; digging; bending; kneeling; running chainsaws; and hiking over rough uneven, rocky surfaces and trough wooded or bosky areas. These activities can be performed day or night, when the incumbent may be required to responds immediately from a sedentary activity to an extremely arduous activity. Working Conditions: Forty five percent of the work is performed out of doors in a wide variety of hazardous conditions, including: inclement weather, rugged terrain, and in a crowded aircraft flying at low altitudes. Meals frequently consist of cold rations and sleeping accommodations may be a sleeping bag and a piece of plastic. The remainder of the work is accomplished in a sometimes tense and stress-full office environment. Incumbent risks death or serious injury during parachute jumps aerial cargo dropping and firefighting.
How to Apply: Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12953363. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 05/12/2026, 11:59pm ET to receive consideration. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please refer to the contact information listed at the bottom of the announcement. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
Application Deadline: 2026-05-12