Unit Fire Chief

To qualify for this Unit Fire Chief position (GW-13), you must meet Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) standards for a Unit Fire Program Manager HIGH Complexity. This requires specific NWCG incident management qualifications and at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-12 level.

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Meet IFPM standards: Pathway #1 (DIVS and ICT3, or RXB2) OR Pathway #2 (ASGS and ICT3) AND M-581 within one year of entry on duty.
• Substantial service in a primary firefighter position: at least one full fire season or 14 days of on-the-ground fireline experience.
• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GW-12, including advising on fire management policy, strategic planning, budget formulation, and coordinating wildland fire protection.
• Experience as a wildland fire management program expert and technical advisor, including work with interagency partners in operations, aviation, fuels management, prevention, planning, or training.
• Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage requires documented wildland firefighting experience (not just education).
• Volunteer work through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) is credited.
• All qualifications must be met by the closing date: July 17, 2026.

Supervise multiple wildland firefighters and provide second-level supervision over their staff.

• Direct suppression operations on large or complex fires as required by fire severity or specific fire requirements.
• Prepare and execute annual budgets for fire management programs, covering salaries, supplies, facilities, and equipment.
• Conduct fire management planning with interdisciplinary teams, subordinate leadership, and cooperators from federal, state, tribal, and local agencies.
• Serve as wildland fire management program expert and technical advisor to managers.
• Participate in developing policy and guidance, including work with interagency partners in operations, aviation, fuels management, prevention, planning, and training.
• Coordinate wildland fire protection on public and Indian trust lands.
• Provide strategic long-range planning, leadership, guidance, coordination, and evaluation of the fire program.

Suitability for Federal employment as determined by background investigation.

• Direct Deposit Required.
• Submit to a drug test and receive negative result prior to appointment; subject to random testing.
• Must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license.
• May be required to serve a 1-year probationary period and a 1-year supervisory probationary period.
• May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime, and shift work.
• Subject to frequent extended travel during fire season; must obtain a government charge card for travel.
• Physical demands: sedentary normally but requires physical exertion during fire suppression, including walking over rough terrain in all weather; may require long shifts or multi-day assignments under primitive conditions.

Complete federal benefits package including health, dental, vision, retirement, and paid leave.

• PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moving expenses authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station.
• Relocation discretionary entitlements may be authorized, including contractor-provided home sale.
• Recruitment or relocation incentive may be offered on a case-by-case basis.
• Telework eligible for emergency telework with supervisor approval.

This is a Direct-Hire Authority advertisement; Veterans Preference does not apply.

• Multiple duty locations: Flagstaff, AZ; Phoenix, AZ; Whiteriver, AZ; Twin Falls, ID; Gallup, NM; Moab, UT; Vernal, UT.
• Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage under CSRS and FERS requires documented wildland firefighting experience.
• If selected, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period and a 1-year supervisory probationary period.
• Relocation incentives may be authorized on a case-by-case basis.
• Contact NSPS TEAM at [email protected] for inquiries.
• Applications may be shared with other DOI bureaus with similar vacancies.
• Check application status via the official application portal; do not call or email for status updates unless specified.

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service is a federal organization within the Department of the Interior responsible for protecting natural resources from wildland fire. It coordinates fire management across federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, emphasizing safety, preparedness, and ecosystem resilience. This Unit Fire Chief role is central to leading fire programs in high-complexity environments, offering a career in public service with structured federal benefits and advancement opportunities. U.S. Wildland Fire Service is named as the hiring organisation for the Unit Fire Chief post.