Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Apprentice

Description

• This is an Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) internal recruitment. Only applications from current qualified OCFA personnel will be accepted.***
  
  

The Orange County Fire Authority Heavy Equipment Program is currently recruiting for the position of Heavy Fire Equipment Operator - Apprentice (HFEOA). This recruitment is intended to enhance our organizational depth with Heavy Fire Equipment Operators. The OCFA HFEOA will learn how to operate and maintain semi-tractor trailers, bulldozers, road graders, skid steers, excavators, tracked and wheeled front loaders. The Heavy Fire Equipment Operator (HFEO) and their apprentice will operate any or all of the numerous pieces of heavy equipment on wildland fire, all-hazard, and all-risk incidents throughout the county and statement as needed, as well as on non-emergency projects such as road grading, fuel reduction, fire break construction, and other departmental or county support operations. Apprentices will gain experience on fire assignments performing direct/indirect fire line tactics along with suppression repair supporting incident objectives. OCFA dozers and the apprentice program support fires within Orange County and throughout the state as a single resource or in a dozer strike team configuration. Apprentices will gain additional experience in vegetation management, fire break construction, road grading, and other projects. Other responsibilities include preventive maintenance and equipment repair.

Participation in the HFEOA program involves a three-year training program under the mentorship of a full-time OCFA HFEO. The program requires apprentices to complete a Class A Driver’s License. The HFEOA program will take candidates through the dozer operator, initial attack dozer and portions of the heavy equipment boss task books. Successful completion of the apprenticeship requires passing the Cal Fire Dozer Academy in Ione, California. Upon completion of the program, candidates will meet the minimum qualifications of a Journeyman HFEO.

Participation in the HFEOA program by an employee in the Firefighter Unit is entirely voluntary. All participants will enroll in the California Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC) program upon selection.

Compensation

Compensation during training: Participants will retain the current post-position salary while operating in the capacity of an HFEOA.

Compensation upon program completion: Upon successful completion of the program (Journeyman status), participants performing HFEO duties will receive a specialty pay equivalent to the difference between the top step hourly rate in their current classification and step one hourly rate of the HFEO classification.

For more information regarding the HFEO Apprenticeship program and compensation, please refer to IAFF- Local 3631 MOU, Appendix F-2, Heavy Fire Equipment Operator (HFEO) Apprenticeship Program Side Letter Agreement.

Firefighters or Fire Apparatus Engineers shall be eligible to receive Staff Assignment Pay (SAP) and/or Staff Incentive Pay (SIP) during hours worked as an HFEO-Apprentice or HFEO-Journeyman when assigned less than permanent full time as an HFEO. Please refer to the IAFF - Local 3631 MOU, page 105 for additional information. Please refer to IAFF - Local 3631 MOU, page 105 for a list of designated staff positions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Rank of Hand Crew Firefighter, Firefighter, or Fire Apparatus Engineer (Current OCFA personnel only)
• Supervisor’s concurrence
• Standard or higher rating on last employee performance review
  
  

Highly Desired Qualifications

• Experience as a Wildland Firefighter
• Experience as a Class A Driver
• Experience in heavy equipment operation
  
  

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

How To Apply

To apply, go to www.ocfa.org. Interested personnel are to submit an online application including a cover memo of interest and a brief resumé (two pages maximum) outlining your education, experience, and any other background information relating to this position. Inclusion of related certificates of training or related professional qualifications is also encouraged.

All materials, including your supervisor's concurrence must be submitted with your online application no later than Monday, May 5, 2025, 2025 at 12:00 PM

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

• Last day to submit online application, memo of interest, resumé, and supervisor’s concurrence: Monday, May 5, 2025 at 12:00 PM
• Panel Interviews: TBD
• Anticipated Training Date: TBD
  
  

Please note, all dates are subject to change based on organizational need. Should a change occur, Human Resources will notify all affected candidates via email.

Questions

All questions regarding this recruitment should be addressed to Battalion Chief Reid Gibson at reidgibson@ocfa.org.

Technical Difficulties With Neogov

Please contact Julie Kwak, Human Resources Analyst I at juliekwak@ocfa.org if you are experiencing any difficulties completing your application or uploading your attachments.

Americans With Disability Acts (ada) Accommodation

In accordance with the Americans with Disability Act, persons with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodations for the purpose of testing should contact Julie Kwak, Human Resources Analyst I at (714) 573-6828 or juliekwak@ocfa.org at least 72 hours prior to the need for accommodation.

WITHDRAWING FROM RECRUITMENT PROCESS

If you choose to withdraw from this recruitment process, you are required to submit an email notification to Julie Kwak, Human Resources Analyst I at juliekwak@ocfa.org requesting a withdrawal from the process. The email to the recruiter must include your current phone number.

Note

The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an express or implied contract. Any provision in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without prior notice.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Orange County Fire Authority is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Please note: This summary reflects the benefits for shift employees assigned to a 56-hour average duty week. For benefits information related to staff assignments (40-hour workweek), please refer to the OCPFA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Orange County Professional Firefighters Association (OCPFA) Local 3631: This classification is represented by the OCPFA Local 3631. Please visit http://www.ocfirefighters.org for more information.

Base Salary Adjustments

• Effective the pay period which includes January 1, 2026 (PP02) - Salary range for each classification will be adjusted by 2.75%. Employees will receive their increase once they are eligible for a merit increase per OCPFA Local 3631 - Base Salary side letter.
  
  

Merit Salary Increases

Employees are eligible for an initial merit salary increase (1 to 4 steps) on the first day of the pay period following completion of fifty-two (52) weeks of service, and thereafter annually based on their work performance and until they reach the top of their 12-step salary range.

Health Benefits

Pursuant to a Health Plan Agreement, the Authority contributes to the OCPFA medical benefit trust fund for health insurance and other related benefits. Brown Insurance Services (BIS) is the administrator for these benefits. The current contribution to the medical benefit trust fund will continue through 6/30/2026 in the amount of $2,199.49/month for "actively employed" enrollee members of the unit.

Retirement

All regular OCFA employees are members of the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) - a defined benefit retirement program. Employees are enrolled in one of the following retirement formulas based on date of hire.

Legacy Safety Members: Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 who establish reciprocity with OCERS are enrolled in the 3% at age 55 retirement formula (Plan R). The compensation limit for Legacy members for 2025 is $350,000.

New Safety Members: Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 without reciprocity are enrolled in the 2.7% at age 57 retirement formula (Plan V). The compensation limit for PEPRA members for 2025 is $186,096 (non-Social Security Participants).

For more information about OCERS retirement, please visit OCERS, or view the Retirement Plan HERE.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may voluntarily participate in the Authority’s deferred compensation plan. This plan is provided by Nationwide Retirement Services and allows for pre- and post-tax deferrals. This plan is 100% employee funded.

Retiree Medical Savings Plan

Employees participate in an employer sponsored retirement Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) with a contribution of 3.0% of base salary. Firefighter Trainees and Handcrew Firefighters do not participate in this benefit.

OCPFA Supplemental Retiree Medical Plan

Employees contribute 1.0% of their base salary towards the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association (OCPFA) Supplemental Retiree Medical Plan Trust Fund.

Social Security

Orange County Fire Authority employees are not covered under the provisions of Federal Social Security (OASDI); therefore, they are not required to contribute 6.2% of salary towards Social Security.

Medicare

Employees contribute 1.45% to Medicare. Employees whose wages exceed $200,000 in a calendar year shall contribute an additional 0.9%.

Educational Incentive Pay

Employees with college-level semester units or a bachelor’s degree are eligible for educational incentive pay as follows:

• 60 college-level semester units - 2.5% of base salary per month; or
• 90 college-level semester units - 5% of base salary per month; or
• Baccalaureate Degree - 7.5% of base salary per month
  
  

The maximum educational incentive pay an employee shall receive is 7.5% of base salary. To receive educational incentive pay, the employee must submit a written request to receive the educational incentive pay and submit satisfactory proof of qualification (for example, grade cards, transcripts, and/or other verification from an accredited, college-level educational institution). Employees must provide official transcripts for verification.

Hand Crew Firefighters are not eligible for educational incentive Pay.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Pay

Employees (other than Firefighter Trainees) who maintain an active State of California EMT certification will receive, in addition to their regular salary, seven (9%) percent of each employee’s base salary per month, prorated on an hourly basis for regular hours paid.

Other Specialty Pays

Employees who move into special assignments at OCFA, or who possess specialized skills, may be eligible for other specialty pays. Please refer to the OCPFA MOU and Side Letter Agreements for further details.

Tuition Reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement is $2,000 per fiscal year to cover certain expenses associated with academic pursuits.

Holidays

Employees in the Firefighters Unit observe 13 holidays within the calendar year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
• Lincoln's Birthday
• President's Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Indigenous Peoples' Day/Columbus Day
• Veteran's Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
  
  

Shift employees receive 11.2 hours holiday pay of which 0.7 hours is designated to a Union Time Bank for Union release time.

Vacation

Vacation accrual is based on hours of completed continuous service (regular hours) exclusive of overtime. For shift employees:

• After 1 year but less than 3 years: Approx 112 hours per year;
• After 3 years but less than 10 years: Approx 168 hours per year;
• After 10 years: Approx 224 hours per year.
  
  

Sick Leave

Sick leave is is based on hours of completed continuous service (regular hours) exclusive of overtime. For shift employees:

• Date of employment but less than 3 years: Approx 101 hours per year;
• After 3 years: Approx 144 hours per year.
  
  

Uniforms

The Authority provides uniforms to employees.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

The OCFA offers regular, limited-term, and probationary employees both a Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which allows you to contribute pre-tax dollars into an account that can be used throughout the year on qualified medical or dependent care expenses. Participants pay fewer taxes and take home more money. For 2022, the maximum employee contribution is $2,750 for eligible medical expenses. The maximum employee contribution is $5,000 for eligible dependent care expenses.

WEFIT Program

The WEFIT Program is mandatory/non-punitive. The OCFA shall provide all five (5) of the following aspects of the WEFIT Program:

• Medical
• Fitness
• Medical/Fitness/Injury Rehabilitation
• Behavioral Health
• Data Collection and Reporting
  
  

Pet Discount Program

OCFA has partnered with United Pet Care to offer a pet healthcare program. This program helps employees reduce the cost of escalating veterinary bills at an affordable rate. All pets are eligible regardless of their age or medical condition.

Benevolent Association

Employees have the option to join OCFA’s Benevolent Association which was created to “Take Care of Their Own.” Included in your $8.00 per pay period cost is $10,000 Member Death Benefit, $4,000 Dependent Death Benefit, $30,000 Annual Scholarships for Members and Dependents, Hardship Grants/Loans, Annual Picnic for Members, Holiday Ball, and Retiree Tribute. In addition, Discount Offers- Recreation/Amusement Parks, fitness 19 and 24-Hour Fitness gym membership, discount movie tickets, Angels Baseball game with tailgate party, etc. Membership also allows access to very good supplemental insurances of many types, including, Long Term Disability, Long Term Care, various AFLAC (ICU, Cancer, Accident Injury, CSFA membership, Living Trusts and more. The Family Auxiliary and KIDS Fund (provides monetary assistance only to kids of members), both operate under the Benevolent Association.

Updated 03/2025

This benefit summary is intended to provide an easy way for current and prospective employees to access fringe benefit information, including voluntary options. This summary is intended to be accurate, but it is not an official plan document, and has no legal or binding effect as an expressed or implied contract, or otherwise, and does not alter or amend any provision of the Memoranda of Understanding, Personnel and Salary Resolution, retirement contract, insurance policy contract, or any other official document of the Orange County Fire Authority, including Standard Operating Procedures and General Orders. All insurance benefits described in the summary are subject to the terms and limitations of the Orange County Fire Authority's insurance contracts with individual insurance providers. Should you have any questions pertaining to information in this summary, please contact the Human Resources Department at (714) 573-6800.

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The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) uses e-mail to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of applications. We do so as part of our ongoing efforts to increase efficiency, conserve resources, and minimize delays and costs. Therefore, as an applicant, please ensure that the e-mail address you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We recommend that you do not share e-mail addresses with other individuals who may inadvertently delete important communications sent to you. Spam or other filters should be adjusted to accept e-mails from ocfa.org and governmentjobs.com. Please read each e-mail notice carefully and in a timely manner. Follow further instructions, if any. Please acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to the above.

• Yes
• No
  
  

02

This recruitment is open to current OCFA employees only. Are you a current Orange County Fire Authority employee?

• Yes
• No
  
  

03

Please Indicate Your Current OCFA Classification

• Hand Crew Firefighter
• Firefighter
• Fire Apparatus Engineer
• None of the Above
• Required Question