Fire Chief

National Park Service | Springdale, UT

Posted Date 6/06/2025
Description This position is located at Zion National Park in Springdale, UT in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division. One position is available. Position is Full time, permanent.
  • The incumbent is responsible for the execution of a program to ensure life safety of park personnel, concessionaire employees, a large ongoing population of public visitors, and physical protection of park facilities, structures, cultural and natural resources.
  • The incumbent provides full supervision (technical and administrative) for at least one permanent, full-time, employee, a maximum 20% of the time. Exercises full authority to hire, direct, assign, promote, reward, transfer, furlough, layoff, recall, suspend, discipline, or remove employees, to adjust their grievances, or to effectively recommend such action.
  • Manages the structural fire programs for the assigned park. Submits yearly structural fire budget requirements for projects, equipment acquisition, travel and training, and service contracts. Prepares/submits reports of fire losses and trends, recommends steps to alleviate unfavorable conditions. Where assigned can oversee and manage emergency services programs as a collateral duty.
  • Ensures that fire suppression, detection, and fire alarm systems in the park are designed and installed in accordance with International Code Council, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards, and NPS manuals. Works in coordination with the Fire Code Official to review plans and monitor phases of construction throughout the park to ensure that on-site inspection of new construction and alteration/maintenance projects are conducted for compliance.
  • Assumes command of firefighting and emergency activities while on duty. Directs emergency services equipment and personnel to respond to all types of emergencies. Determines protection requirements and schedules subordinates and equipment for standby and special responses or public events for the park. Investigates the origin and cause of all fires and prepares NPS fire incident reports as well as supplemental technical investigation reports in coordination with safety and law enforcement.


All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-06/20/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS:

  • Successful completion and have currency in the following from the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (NPQS/Pro Board):
    • Fire Instructor II, AND
    • Fire Inspector II, AND
    • Fire Officer III, AND
    • Candidates must possess prior structural firefighting experience. Experience that may be credited: volunteer firefighter, paid call firefighter, and/or structural firefighter with the Federal government or in an equivalent position outside the Federal government; suppressing fires that occur within buildings, ships, vehicles, airstrips and aircrafts, and other non-wildland firefighting. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days and hours per week at which the work was performed in order to be considered.

Structural Fire: The Department of the Interior defines structural firefighting experience as any firefighting experience except wildland firefighting. Structural experience may be gained though work in suppressing fires such as those in buildings, ships, vehicles, airstrips and aircraft, and other non-wildland firefighting. This experience may be gained by serving in a structural firefighting position within the federal government or in an equivalent position outside the Federal government. Periods of structural firefighting gained as a volunteer or paid call firefighter can also be credited. In some instances, candidates may be hired in a dual wildland and structural firefighting role. Candidates must meet the qualifications required for either the wildland or structural fire function.

- AND -
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess ALL of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as providing support for a structural fire program to ensure life safety of park personnel, employees, public visitors and physical protection of park facilities, structures and resources which includes Serving and overseeing a structural fire program; supporting staff in fire prevention, suppression, and fire fighter training; performing prevention and code enforcement; performing firefighting and emergency operations. You must include hours per week worked.

Volunteer Experience: 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). 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.

This is a secondary-administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system. FERS TRANSITION REQUIREMENT: To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary coverage position.There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.
Salary73,939.00 - 96,116.00 Annual
Field
Fire and Rescue
FireRescue1
Chief

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