BLM to host open house during hiring for central California seasonal wildland fire positions
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EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Central California District is accepting applications for 2018 summer seasonal wildland firefighting jobs. There are fire positions available for hotshot, handcrew and engine crew members; heavy equipment operators; dispatchers and prevention/mitigation personnel based in Bakersfield, Bishop, Placerville and Porterville.
BLM’s Kern Valley Hotshots are based in Bakersfield and the Folsom Lake Veteran Handcrew is located in Placerville. The Bishop Field Office and Inyo National Forest combine efforts through the Interagency Fire Management located in Bishop. The Central California Interagency Communication Center in Porterville and the Owens Valley Interagency Communication Center in Bishop handle dispatch for the BLM and cooperating agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Forest Service. Seasonal firefighters usually work from late April to early October.
On Dec. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Bakersfield Field Office will offer tours of the fire station, engines and heavy equipment. In addition, BLM staff will offer resume tips and explain the USAJobs application process as well as give the public a feel for what it’s like to work on a fire crew.
The BLM is the only federal agency to have an established all-veteran wildland firefighting component in its Fire and Aviation organization. Since the inception of the program in 2012, the BLM has trained more than 700 veterans and employed more than 130, some of whom have moved on to other positions within BLM to work in natural resources management. While the veterans program continues to be highly successful, there is tremendous potential for growth and an opportunity to achieve even greater benefits for the nation’s returning veterans, BLM Fire and Aviation and the entire Bureau, while meeting the goals of the President and Department of the Interior.
To receive early consideration, applications must be filed by Dec. 19 for the hotshot and engine crew positions in Bakersfield, and by Jan. 30 for engine crew applications in Bishop. The early consideration deadline for the other positions is Jan. 9. The final application deadline for all engine crews, Folsom Lake Veteran Handcrew, logistics dispatchers and heavy equipment operators is Feb. 27. The final deadline for prevention and mitigation applications is March 6, with hotshot applications accepted until March 20. Job announcements, including qualifications, salaries, application instructions and application deadlines, are available at www.usajobs.gov. All applications must be filed online.
Applicants should look for announcement numbers:
BLM-FIRE-2018-002-DE (hotshot firefighter);
BLM-FIRE-2018-003-DE (lead hotshot firefighter);
BLM-FIRE-2018-005-DE (engines);
BLM-FIRE-2018-010-DE (handcrew);
BLM-FIRE-2018-023-DE (logistics dispatcher);
BLM-FIRE-2018-030-DE (equipment operator);
BLM-FIRE-2018-040 (prevention/mitigation); and
BLM-FIRE-2018-042-DE (lead firefighter).
BLM firefighters serve the American public by helping to keep public lands healthy and productive. Information on these jobs is available from BLM offices and stations in Bakersfield, 661-391-6000; Bishop, 760-872-5000; Placerville, 916-350-1443 and Porterville, 559-782-3120. For information on the Bakersfield open house, please call Kyle Clendenen at 661-391-6056.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.