Summary The Firefighter (Paramedic) position is located at the VA Medical Center in Bath, NY. 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. It also covers positions for pre-hospital medical providers who are trained at the Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic) level who provides all advanced life support measures. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Major duties and responsibilities include: Providing advanced or detailed patient assessment, conducting systematic physical examination to determine treatment methods used which may include invasive procedures, electro cardiology procedures, advanced and invasive airway procedures and administers medications and solutions orally or intravenously. Controlling and extinguishing fires, operating hose lines, making forced entries, ventilating structures, performing or assisting in rescue operations, using a variety of hand tools, hydraulic tools and portable fire extinguishers. Performing duties that require use of ropes, ladders, hose, water streams, foam salvage and overall, rescue, water supplies, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, ventilation, hazardous materials and forcible entry. Driving and operating motorized firefighting and rescue vehicles. Performing hazardous materials response such as stops or controls release, employs hazard and risk assessment techniques. Assisting in incident critiques and debriefings. Preparing incident reports and documentation. Performing inspections and preventative maintenance inspections of fire equipment and apparatus. Performing all other duties as necessary. Work Schedule: 72 hours per week on a rotating basis. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received. 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 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 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) 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 IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING: 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 meet the requirements of this position. ~AND~ SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORs (SCREEN-OUTs) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a current, valid state driver's license. Please indicate either Yes or No to the following question and do not upload a copy of your license at this time. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current, valid, and unrestricted state driver's license. ~AND~ ADDITIONAL SPFs REQUIRED: Certifications must be by an accredited agency such as International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Pro Board. Copies of current/valid certifications must be submitted with your application to receive credit. Please do not submit expired certifications as these would not be valid. Firefighter II Hazardous Materials Operations Level Fire Apparatus/Operator Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic (EMT-P) In addition to the above, newly employed VA firefighters must obtain Fire Inspector II in accordance with NFPA 1031 within 24 months of employment. ~AND~ 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. ~AND~ In addition to all of the above, applicants must meet the specialized experience requirement. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level, 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. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION REQUIREMENT: 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Fire Management First Response Hazardous Materials IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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. Physical Requirements: This position involves rotating shift work; sixty (72) hours per week. The work involves extended periods of lifting, heavy lifting and restraining of patients. Generally, the work requires recurrent bending, lifting, stooping stretching and positioning patients. This frequently occurs under adverse conditions or confined surroundings. Work may involve adverse weather conditions and long periods of time under stress. Employee may be required to lift up to 50-100 pounds. May include heavy physical exertion, extreme heat, smoke and dust in enclosed smoke filled places. 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 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.
