Seasonal Firefighter Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
The VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System is actively recruiting for two Firefighter (Basic Life Support) positions within the Fire Service: one at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Hospital in Montrose, NY and one at the Castle Point VA Medical Center.
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Duties
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This position performs work to control and extinguish fires, rescue persons endangered by fire, and reduce or eliminate potential fire hazards during a work shift of 72 hours per week on a rotating basis.
Major duties include but are not limited too:

• Performs specialized rescues, hazardous materials spill response and serves as a driver/operator of pumpers, ambulances and special service vehicles.
• Performs fire protection inspector duties, including inspecting and testing fire protection equipment.
• Training personnel in fire protection and prevention.
• Operate fire communications equipment.
• Advise on improvements to structures for better fire prevention.
• Plans, directs, or carries out fire protection and prevention programs and operations.
• Operate and use fire extinguishing equipment carried on the apparatus such as foam and dry chemical extinguishing agents.
• Follows protocols in providing basic life support.
• Performs emergency medical procedures that are noninvasive.
• Provides BLS transport of patients for medical appointments and emergency treatment as indicated to the appropriate medical facility.
• Provides assessment of patient to physician or nurse who relies on these observations to provide additional treatment.
• Performs duties as a member of the Medical Center Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT).
• Responds to the presence or potential releases of hazardous materials for stopping or controlling the release using specialized chemical protective clothing and control equipment.
• Performs all other duties as assigned by the Supervisory Firefighter or Fire Chief.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
Work Schedule: 48 hours on/72 hours off
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Firefighter (Basic Life Support)/PD03506A and PD19443A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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
• Physical Requirements: Working conditions will include heavy physical exertion, extreme heat, smoke and dust in enclosed smoke-filled places, in all types of weather. Incumbent must participate in physical conditioning programs and must pass an annual medical surveillance and a job requirement physical agility test.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• 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 identification 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/04/2026.
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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5, and for the GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6.. 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.
To qualify for this position at the GS-6 grade level, you must meet the following:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter. 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. These assignments would have been performed of a more limited scope and with less independence than the full performance level, and be performed under supervision, consulting with the supervisor when problems are encountered.
To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level, you must meet the following:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Firefighter (Basic Life Support). 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. At this level, assignments would have been performed independently, with little or no supervision, only consulting with the supervisor when unusual problems are encountered.
In addition to the above requirements, you must also meet all of the following requirements to qualify for this position:

• English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to perform the duties of this position.
• 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, 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 fire service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57.
• Requirements for Motor Vehicle Operation - Driver's License: Applicants must possess and maintain a current and valid State motor vehicle operator's license of the appropriate classification or kind (must be possess at application). Applicants also may be required to pass a practical road test in the Class A Triple Combination Pumper and be capable of operating all firefighting equipment including that on board the fire truck. Applicants also may be required to provide information on their driving record. Applicants may be required to demonstrate the ability, before appointment, to operate specific equipment to which they will be assigned, or similar related types of hydraulic equipment. 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 current and valid state-issued driver's license.

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 it are ineligible for further consideration.
The Selective Placement Factors for this position are the required Certifications listed below. Copies of your current and valid certifications must be submitted with your application to receive credit. NOTE: NFPA the National Fire Protection Association.
GS-6 Grade Level Certifications:

• Current and valid National or State Certification as Firefighter II, in accordance with NFPA 1001
• Current and valid National or State Hazardous Materials Operations Level Certification, in accordance with Chapter 5, Core Competencies, in NFPA 472
• Current and valid National or State Registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - Basic Certification

Within 24 months of employment, you will be required to obtain and maintain the following certifications for the GS-6 grade level:

• National Fire Inspector I and II Certifications
• National Apparatus Operator-Pumper Certification
• National or New York State Confined Space Rescue Technician Certification

GS-7 Grade Level Certifications:

• Current and valid National Firefighter II Certification
• Current and valid National or State Hazardous Materials Technician Level Certification
• Current and valid National Fire Inspector I Certification
• Current and valid National Registry or New York State Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - Basic Certification
• Current and valid National Incident Management System - ICS 200 Level Certification

Within 24 months of employment, you will be required to obtain and maintain the following certifications for the GS-7 grade level:

• National Fire Inspector II Certification
• National Apparatus Operator-Pumper Certification
• National or New York State Confined Space Rescue Technician Certification

Physical Requirements: Applicants will be given a physical examination including a treadmill and agility test. Failure to pass these tests may be justification for disqualification. Periodic medical examinations following appointment may be required to determine fitness for continued performance of the duties of the position.
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.
Additional information
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.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication o