Job Summary

These Student Trainee (Wildland Fire Management) positions are with the US Wildland Fire Service, GW-0499-3/4 located within various offices across the the states of Oregon and Washington.

Job Description

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: You must be 18 years of age or older, at the time of onboarding, to be assigned to a hazardous position. Be a student enrolled or accepted for enrollment and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) in a qualifying accredited educational institution (high school, technical or vocational school, 2- or 4-year college or university, graduate or professional school) on a full- or half-time basis. Must maintain a cumulative GPA of a 2.5 or higher and be in good academic standing with the educational institution (PLEASE PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW CURRENT GPA). Must enter into a written agreement (Pathways Internship Participant Agreement). Provide an unofficial/official certified school transcript and/or proof of enrollment. 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.) This position is a Primary Firefighter position and is subject to a maximum entry age (MEA). The MEA is the date immediately preceding your 37th birthday. Applicants must not have reached age 37 at the time of appointment, unless proof is provided of prior Federal service in another primary covered position, or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application may result in loss of consideration. Please refer to the Required Documents section for further guidance on what documentation is required to meet this requirement. If over the MEA and you are not a veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted prior to employment. Acceptable proof consists of SF-50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments and copies of approved letters based on individual claims. In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required. Only experience and education obtained by 04/15/2026 will be considered. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. To qualify for a GW-03 You must meet at least one of the following: 1). Six (6) months of general work experience or six (6) months of Firefighter training obtained as part of a high school curriculum (any firefighter training at the high school level and above), may be substituted for experience on a month-for-month basis. General Experience can include: Any work experience or military service that demonstrates the ability to follow directions and to read, understand, and retain a variety of instructions, regulations, and procedures and that otherwise demonstrates the ability to perform, or learn to perform, the duties of the position. -OR- 2). One (1) year of education or training above high school related to the work of the position. -OR- 3). A combination of education and general work experience as described above. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Conversion Qualifications: This is a career development, excepted service appointment under the Pathways Internship Program that is expected to last more than 1 year. The agency will require the selected applicant to complete a Participant Agreement in which the selectee must provide an anticipated date for completing all degree program requirements and show continual progression toward meeting the stated anticipated date. The agency may non-competitively convert a Career/Indefinite Intern who is a U. S. citizen to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service, as long as the Intern meets all agency program requirements and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for the target occupational series at the time of completing all education requirements. To be eligible for conversion, an Intern must: Be a United States citizen. Complete at least 480 hours of work experience acquired through the Program while enrolled as a half- or full-time degree- or certificate-seeking student. Complete a course of academic study, within the preceding 180-day period, at a qualifying educational institution conferring a diploma, certificate or degree. Meet the qualification standards for the position to which she or he will be converted. Receive a favorable recommendation by an official of the agency or agencies in which she or he served; and Meet agency-specific requirements, as specified in the Participant Agreement. **The target position will be a Wildland Firefighter, GW-0456 with a full performance level (FPL) up to a GW-07; however, the target position and FPL may change based on the need of the organization at that time.** Once converted, you must meet Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard training requirements for the appropriate grade level at the GW-06 and above as a condition of employment before being eligible for promotion. 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.