FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE / PARAMEDIC

DEFINITION

The City of Stockton is partnering with the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC) to select the best qualified candidates for the position of 

FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE / PARAMEDIC 

**limited to first 150 qualified applicants**

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS MUST POSSESS A VALID PARAMEDIC LICENSE ISSUED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OR NATIONAL REGISTRY AT TIME OF APPLICATION 

AND

BE ACTIVE ON THE FCTC STATEWIDE ELIGIBILITY LIST (SEL) ON 02/28/2025. 

Click here to see the Stockton Regional Fire Academy 23-1

The City of Stockton Fire Department is seeking career-minded individuals whose performance is reflective of a very high level of dedication and commitment to public service. Stockton firefighters are trained professionals who provide a wide range of services to include: fire suppression, fire prevention, and emergency services to protect the lives and property of a diverse community. The Fire Department’s goal is to develop staffing that reflects the rich make-up of the diverse population residing within the City of Stockton.  The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be committed to fostering respect, dignity, and fairness, and is driven by a strong commitment to providing quality service.   

SALARY
During the Fire Academy, Trainees receive the monthly salary below. After successful completion of the Fire Academy, trainees achieve the sworn status of Firefighter and the salary steps are reflected below:

FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE 

$2,612.43*/biweekly (while attending the academy)

CURRENT MONTHLY SALARY STEPS : (after successful completion of the academy)

Step 2: $2,746.79 /biweekly after successful completion of the academy

Step 3: $2,888.13 /biweekly after six (6) months at step 2

Step 4: $3,036.43/biweekly after six (6) months at step 3

Step 5: $3,192.97 /biweekly after one (1) year at step 4           

Step 6: $3,357.12 /biweekly after one (1) year at step 5

Step 7: $3,529.51 /biweekly after one (1) year at step 6

Step 8: $3,710.76/biweekly after one (1) year at step 7

Step 9 (Top Step): $3,901.55 /biweekly after six (6) months at step 8

Paramedic Certification - Additional Pay

Paramedic Firefighters at level 1 receive 6% above top step of current applicable rank 

Paramedic Firefighters at level 3 receive 8.5% above top step of current applicable rank 

Paramedic Firefighters at level 5 receive 9% above top step of current applicable rank

HAZ/MAT Assignment - Additional Pay

The City shall pay 5% of the top step of rank for sworn Fire Unit employees actively assigned to the HAZ/MAT response team

Education Incentive - Additional Pay

Employees that satisfy the educational and service requirements shall receive:

Intermediate Education Certification receives 3% above the top step of rank for sworn Fire Unit employees

Advanced Education Certification receives 5% above top step of rank for sworn Fire Unit employees

Continuing Education for Paramedics. 

Upon prior approval of the Fire Chief the City will compensate members of the Fire Unit at their straight time rate for time spent, in an off-duty status, in continuing education necessary to maintain their certification, up to twenty-four (24) hours or less in a two (2) year certification period.

BENEFITS

• Vacation - 120 hours per year
• Holidays - 13 fixed and 1 floating per year
• Sick Leave - 12 hours per month of service (40 hours advanced; available for immediate use)
• Health Benefits - Choice of plans for medical and hospitalization, dental and orthodontia, vision, and prescription coverage for employees and dependents
• Life Insurance - $50,000 policy value
• Retirement - California Public Employees' Retirement Systems (CalPERS) = 2.7% at 57
• Deferred Compensation - Dollar for dollar match up to $25/per pay period (up to a maximum of $600 per fiscal year)
• Section 125 (Flexible Spending Account) - available at employee's option
• Education Assistance Program - up to $1,500 per fiscal year
• Uniform allowance - $950.00 yearly allowance

OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE

Several levels of responsibility create the rank structure of the Stockton Fire Department. As training and required in-service time is acquired, a Firefighter can advance as follows:

Firefighter/Engineer: $3,478.86 - $4,469.29 /biweekly

Fire Captain: $3,972.38  - $5,103.42 /biweekly

Fire Battalion Chief: $5,064.80 - $6,506.05 /biweekly

FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt

Veteran's Preference:
Pending approval by the Civil Service Commission, this position is eligible to receive five (5) Veteran's Preference Points for entrance into the Civil Service. Veteran's Preference Points will not be granted on the promotional list. If you believe you may qualify for Veteran's Preference Points, please attach a DD-214 Member-4 copy indicating at least 181 consecutive days of service with honorable discharge with your application (see supplemental questions for details). 

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This position is an apprentice-level, non-sworn position in the Fire Department.  Incumbents are assigned to the Fire Academy and must satisfactorily pass all the requirements of the Academy before becoming candidates for the sworn position of Fire Fighter.  Assignment to this classification is temporary. If incumbents do not successfully complete a fire academy, they will be terminated.

 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES (Illustrative Only)

For Firefighter Trainee full Job Description, click here.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience:

Possession of a high school diploma or GED. College-level fire science course work and/or previous experience fighting fires in a volunteer or paid capacity is desirable. (Note: For this specific recruitment, applicants are required to be active on the FCTC SEL on 02/28/2025.)

·         To view upcoming Cal-JAC CPAT and FCTC Written Test dates, click here (https://www.fctconline.org/candidates/upcoming-test-schedule/).
· Candidates experiencing financial hardship may qualify for financial aid to pay for their FCTC testing fees. (https://www.fctconline.org/grants/) 

Other Requirements:

 

• Must possess and maintain a valid California Class C driver’s license. If driver's license is not issued in the State of California, must be able to obtain prior to the completion of the Fire Academy as a condition of continued employment.
• Must possess a valid CAL-JAC Candidate Physical Ability Card (CPAT) issued by the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC). CPAT must be issued between 02/28/2024 and 02/28/2025.
• Must obtain a Firefighter endorsement from the California Department of Motor Vehicles within seventeen (17) months of appointment.
• Must possess or be able to obtain and maintain, within one (1) year of employment, current certification as an Emergency Medical Technician/Level I.
• Must meet the physical standards and successfully complete a background investigation, which shall include a polygraph and psychological examination, a medical examination, and obtain a California Department of Justice fingerprint clearance.
• Some positions may require a valid Emergency Medical Technician/Level I certificate issued by the State of California or National Registry at the time of application.
• Some positions may require a valid Paramedic license issued by the State of California or National Registry at the time of application. (Note: For this specific recruitment, applicants must possess a valid Paramedic license at time of application)
• Required  licenses and certifications must be maintained as a condition of continued employment.

 

The Examination:

Applicants who qualify in terms of relevant work experience, license, education, and are active on the FCTC SEL on 2/28/2025, will be eligible to move forward in the hiring process. 

The examination process will include

1. The successful completion of a written exam administered by FCTC (this is a requirement in order to be active on the SEL.)  Applicants that are active on the SEL and have obtained a written exam score of 75% or better will be invited to participate in the Oral Panel Interview.
2. Oral panel interviews will be scheduled for the week of March 31, 2025 (tentative). Successful candidates must receive a minimum passing score of 70%, as determined by the relative performance of all candidates. 
3. Scores from the written exam will be combined with scores from the oral panel to create the overall score and establish the eligible list. In the event of identical ratings, candidates' names will be arranged in order of application date/time, and, if the same, then arranged alphabetically.

Notes:

• After on-line submittal, immediate notification will appear on your screen indicating your application has been received.  Please print this notice as proof of filing.
• Notices and correspondence will be sent via email only.  No paper notices will be mailed to applicants.  It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure a correct email address is provided and that correspondence is received.
• NeoGov.com: You will receive correspondence via the e-mail address you placed on your application. Some e-mail accounts have been known to place these e-mails in the spam/junk file. Please check your e-mail folders or accept e-mails ending with neogov.com.

The City of Stockton requires employees in this position to reasonably respond to emergencies at all times. Employees will be required to maintain primary residence within 45 minutes of City Hall in order to timely respond to emergencies and meet the health, safety, and welfare needs of the City. New employees have up to three (3) months from date of hire to comply with the requirement. Any interested candidates must be willing to adhere to this requirement throughout the duration of employment.

Still have questions? Email: recruitment@stocktonca.gov

Salary : $600 - $3,711