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Summary The Lead Firefighter is responsible for directing and assigning day-to-day activities, for lower graded Fire Department personnel in all fire protection services (including fire/safety building inspections, inspections of first aid and firefighting equipment, maintenance of the fire station, firefighting quarters, apparatus, equipment and appliances), and performs firefighting tasks. When on duty, responds to all fire alarms. Responsibilities Duties include: Solves problems and issues quickly and effectively, involving a methodical step-by-step approach to thinking. Breaks down complex problems into single and manageable components and considers each part in detail. Makes a systematic comparison of various alternatives; notices discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information; identifies a set of features, parameters, or consideration to take into account. Objectively analyzes and evaluates and issues in order to form an opinion, judgement, and conclusion. Uses logic and reasoning to research, interpret and apply information such as regulatory, and or procedural guidance. Identifies the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusion or approaches to problems; integrates information into development of a resolution. Anticipates future disasters and takes preventative and preparatory measures. Uses sound risk management principles in assigning priorities and resources. Recognizes signs of medical emergencies; applies knowledge of basic first-aid principles in responding to emergency situations. Performs emergency medical methods, such as first aid, rescue techniques, and threat assessments. Performs emergency management methods, such as first aid. Performs emergency medicine techniques to determine, based on the diagnosis of the patient, the approaches that will most effectively sustain the patient's life. Applies professional knowledge of emergency management principles; considers and takes into account all hazards, phases, stakeholders and impacts relative to disaster. Employs hazard and risk assessment techniques to complete incident analysis. Utilizes concepts, principles, and theories of fire management, including the characteristics, behavior, and ecology of fire; methodologies, strategies, and equipment used in prescribed fires. Uses fire detection, prevention, and suppression strategies; and integration of fire with natural resource management. Uses rescue techniques and threat assessments. Uses special protection, self-contained breathing apparatus, and protective clothing where chemicals, poisonous materials, radioactive materials, or hazardous biological products are involved. Performs the duties of an assigned position within the local incident Management System (IMS); assists in incident debriefings and critiques; and prepares incident reports and documentation. Work Schedule: Rotating; The employee is required to work a 72-hour week on a 48-hour on/72-hour off basis that includes weekends, and holidays. May be subject to recall. May be required to work long and irregular hours during the course of emergency response or to accomplish mandated inspection, training requirements and to ensure coverage. Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Lead Firefighter (Basic Life Support/Hazardous Material Operations)/PD06120A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Pre-employment physical required Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Driver's License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/17/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Use Of Selective Factors Some positions in this series require knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to those described in this qualification standard. For such positions, job-specific selective factors may be required to ensure that applicants have the background necessary for successful performance in the position to be filled. This position includes Selective Placement Factors (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet them are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factors for this position are: FIREFIGHTER I and II - NFPA 1001 Standards HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OPERATIONS RESPONDER - NFPA 472 Standards DRIVER/OPERATOR - NFPA 1002 Standards FIRE OFFICER 1 - NFPA 1021 certification within one year of employment as Lead Firefighter/Crew Chief (agency will provide) You must submit copies of your above certifications with your application to receive credit. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-07, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Experience that demonstrated the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position. Such duties may include (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.. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical Thinking Critical Thinking Emergency Care Fire Management 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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements/Work Environment: In an emergency, work requires the ability to perform strenuous physical activity for an extendedperiod of time. The most common encountered applications of strength and endurance are lifting and carrying objects (up to 80 lbs.), pulling objects (up to 135 lbs.), and working with objects in front of the body (up to 125 lbs.). Activities involve prolonged periods of time standing, walking, bending, crouching, and carrying heavy firefighting tools and related equipment associated with the performance of such duties as maintenance, testing, inspections, drills, suppression, and transport of persons. Firefighter's work environments are so extremely hazardous they can kill in an instant. Firefighters can be exposed to significant concentrations of hazardous materials including carbon monoxide, benzene, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, aldehydes, hydrogen chloride, dichlorofluoromethane, and particulates which are all linked to the development of severe respiratory disease. Firefighting hazards are recurring and require the use of specialized firefighting safety equipment, clothing, and procedures. The daily work environment is varied. Work is performed indoors and outdoors, in areas where it is dirty, dusty, noisy, or greasy, hot and cold inclement / bad weather, and occasionally in areas where there is danger of exposure to asbestos or lead based paint. MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a maximum entry age for an initial appointment; applicants cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit noted, but who have previously served as a Federal employee in a covered position, may be eligible to re-enter the fire service provided that they: (1) meet all applicable qualifications for the position and (2) will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered and creditable Federal firefighter service by the time the Federal firefighter reaches the age of 57. Prior service in covered positions and creditable towards retirement may be subtracted from the applicant's age to determine if the Federal firefighter meets the maximum entry age. Requirements For Motor Vehicle Operation: For those positions requiring employees to drive motorized firefighting equipment, candidates must possess and maintain a valid State motor vehicle operator's license of the appropriate classification or kind. Applicants also may be required to pass a practical road test and provide information on their driving record. See 5 CFR 930 and the "General Policies and Instructions" section of this Manual for additional requirements for motor vehicle operators. Mechanical Equipment Operator Qualifications: For those positions requiring the operation of specialized firefighting pumping equipment, mounted pressurized systems, dispensing devices, and/or rescue tools, applicants may be required to demonstrate the ability, before appointment, to operate the specific equipment to which they will be assigned, or similar related types of hydraulic equipment. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Medical Requirements Applicants for positions that have duties of an arduous or hazardous nature must meet the medical standards described below. Since individual positions may not include all such duties, a physical condition or impairment may be disqualifying for employment only if there is a direct relationship between the condition and the nature of the duties of the specific position to be filled. Employees in positions involving firefighting duties or other duties involving arduous physical exertion may be subject to periodic (e.g., annual) medical examinations following appointment to determine fitness for continued performance of the duties of the position. (See 5 CFR 339.)Any serious deviation from sound medical condition may be grounds for rejection of an applicant regardless of whether the condition is named below. Remediable defects or curable diseases will not exclude a person from consideration, but proof that such defects have been remedied or the disease cured must be received during the life of the eligible register before persons otherwise qualified may be considered for appointment under civil service rules. Eyes: Corrected distant vision must be at least 20/30 in one eye and 20/70 in the other eye. Uncorrected distant vision is required only if it is likely that corrective lenses may be lost or broken. If so, uncorrected distant vision must be at least 20/100 binocular. Ability to distinguish basic colors is required. Applicants must be free from acute or chronic eye disease. Ears: Using an audiometer for measurement, there should be no loss of 30 or more decibels in the unaided worst ear at the 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz levels. Nose, Mouth, and Throat: Applicants must be free from conditions that interfere with distinct speech, free breathing, or with the use of breathing apparatuses or protective equipment. Lungs: Applicants must be free from any pulmonary or chest wall disease or condition that results in not being able to perform the duties of the position. Heart and Blood Vessels: The following conditions may be cause for rejection: organic heart disease, valvular or vascular diseases, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, recurrent syncope, or history of myocardial infarction. Abdomen: Acute or chronic disease or inflammation of the abdominal viscera, hernia, or significant enlargement of the liver or spleen that interferes with the performance of the duties of the position will be cause for rejection. Spine, Pelvic, Sacroiliac and Lumbo-Sacral Joints: Applicants must have free movement of spine and pelvic joints. Neurological System: Degenerative neurological disease or disorder that results in documented evidence of neurological impairment that renders the applicant unable to perform the duties of the position will be cause for rejection. A history of serious mental disease may be disqualifying. Extremities: Individuals cannot have anomalies in the number, form, proportion, and movement of the extremities that interfere with function. This includes non-united fractures; nonreducible dislocations; united fractures and reduced dislocations with incomplete restoration of function; amputation of arm, hand, leg, or foot; loss of any skeletal portion of the thumb of either hand; loss of more than the two distal phalanges of the ring or little fingers of either hand; any lose joints; pes cavus, weak foot, or clubfoot; flatfoot with symptoms unresponsive to orthotics; loss or deformity of great toe or any two toes on the same foot; torn cartilage or loose foreign bodies within the knee joint; instability of the knee joint; or inadequately healed surgical procedure. Additional Information Performance Test: Agencies may require candidates to demonstrate satisfactory performance of the minimum physical abilities necessary to perform safely and efficiently the essential tasks of a particular position. The abilities may be demonstrated through prior satisfactory performance in the same or a similar position, or agencies may choose to use a task demonstration. A task demonstration must be directly related to the essential job tasks, and thus, must consist of a sample of operations or steps that reflect a reasonably faithful representation of those selected job tasks. Any demonstration required must be uniformly applied to all similarly qualified candidates; the level of proficiency required cannot exceed that which is required in actual job performance; and reasonable accommodation must be provided where necessary. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.