Fire Chief

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.

About the Position: 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 (Secondary)

Overview
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Accepting applications

Open 09/23/2026 to 10/02/2026

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Fort Rucker, AL

No matching locations found.

Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$125,776 - $163,514 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
None


Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type
Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 0081 Fire Protection and Prevention

Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No

Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

• National security

Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number
MCFS-26-13070193-DHA
Control number
885690700

This job is open to
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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.


Duties
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• Serve as Fire Chief, performing complete administrative and technical direction of the fire prevention and protection program.
• Plan and direct fire prevention and protection program.
• Develop plans, procedures, and standards for firefighting and fire prevention and protection program.
• Perform personnel management duties.
• Plan and direct, through subordinates, training programs designed for the particular needs of the installation and observe training sessions and drills to ensure adequacy.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• This position requires the completion of pre-employment and periodic subsequent medical examination in accordance with DoDM 6055.06 to ensure continued, required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
• The duties of this position meet the criteria for compliance with Federal and Department of the Army Drug Free Workplace Programs. Detection of the presence of drugs is warranted.
• This position is subject to a pre-employment screening, and random testing thereafter, to include testing based on reasonable suspicion and testing due to direct involvement with an on-duty accident.
• This position has been designated Mission Essential. In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations.
• This position requires the incumbent to wear the prescribed uniform and/or safety apparel while on duty.
• This position requires a 120 hours biweekly with one 24 hour work shift each week and is subject to recall.
• The duties of this position require the incumbent to possess or obtain and maintain a valid state Driver's License in one of the 50 U.S. states or possessions to operate vehicles.
• TDY travel is occasionally required.
• This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the 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.

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes; (1) leading a large complex organization consisting of no less than 50 personnel; (2) managing multiple geographically dispersed fire stations; (3) extensive experience in directing and managing Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting; (4) managing and maintaining Table of Distribution and Allowance (TDA) and budget for both personnel and equipment.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-13).

Selective Placement Factor: In addition to the specialized experience and/or education required to qualify for the GS-14 level you must also possess and maintain ALL the following Department of Defense (or reciprocal equivalent) certifications: Fire Officer IV, Fire Inspector II, Fire Instructor II, HAZMAT Incident Commander, Airport Firefighter.

*You MUST submit a copy of the above certifications certified through DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification System, International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or the Fire Service Professional Qualifications System (PRO-Board). If your application package does not contain proof of having these certificates, your application will be marked as incomplete, and you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.

NOTE: Rather than submitting individual DoD certificates, you may opt to use the DoD Lookup System website (http://www.dodffcert.com/), and then save and upload your one/two-page individual report.

Education
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this position, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone -- no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position requires a 1 year probationary period 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
• A one year probation to assess your ability to perform supervisory duties is required unless previously completed.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• This is a Safety and Occupational Health Career Program position aligned under the Installations Career Management Directorate.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
• Recruitment and relocations incentives MAY be authorized.
• Student loan repayment MAY be authorized.
• Salary negotiations for those candidates who are new to Federal service MAY be authorized.
• Credit for prior non-federal work experience and certain military service for determining annual leave accrual rate MAY be authorized.

Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Required documents
Required Documents
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The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

• 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 each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
• Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
• For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.

2. DoD Certificates:

• You MUST submit a copy of the following: Fire Officer IV, Fire Inspector II, Fire Instructor II, HAZMAT Incident Commander, Airport Firefighter certified through DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification System, International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or the Fire Service Professional Qualifications System (PRO-Board. If your application package does not contain proof of having these certificates, your application will be marked as incomplete and you WILL NOT receive consideration for this position.
• Rather than submitting individual DoD certificates, if you have received a Student ID# for the DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program website (https://go.usa.gov/xdsTR) you may provide a copy of your most recent certification transcript. If you do not know your Student ID, you may contact the AFCEC Reach-back Center at afcec.rbc@us.af.mil for assistance.
• If you are a current federal employee and do not have one of the required certificates due to the DoD F&ES Certification Program delay - You may submit a provisional certificate, memorandum from the Fire Chief requesting the certificates, and/or another document showing completion of the course. PLEASE NOTE: If selected, you will not be placed into the position until the official certificate has been received from the DoD F&ES Certificate Program.

3. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

How to Apply
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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 10/02/2026 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/13070193).
• 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.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk


Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
FS-W6CEAA US ARMY IMCOM-USAG FT RUCKER
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Rucker, AL 36362
US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiriesEqual Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitabilityNew employee probationary period

Privacy ActReasonable accommodation policy

Selective ServiceSignature and false statements

Social security number request

United States Army Installation Management Command

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk


Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
FS-W6CEAA US ARMY IMCOM-USAG FT RUCKER
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Rucker, AL 36362
US