CIA Firefighter Jobs 2026: Pay, Role and How to Apply

CIA firefighter jobs at the Central Intelligence Agency pay $79,891 to $123,072 a year on the GS 6 to 9 scale, for roles based in Washington, DC. Applications close January 31, 2027. This guide explains what the job actually involves, who qualifies, how the shifts and the service commitment work, and how to apply through the CIA careers site.

Can Pakistanis apply? No. This role requires United States citizenship. Dual-national United States citizens are eligible, but Pakistani citizens without United States citizenship cannot apply.

CIA firefighter jobs protect Agency personnel, facilities, and information. Firefighters provide fire suppression, fire prevention, emergency rescue, and emergency medical assistance. They work from a fire station, drive and operate emergency apparatus, and respond to fires, hazardous materials incidents, auto accidents, and medical emergencies.

By the ixjob.pk editorial team. Last verified November 3, 2026, against the official USAJOBS posting and the CIA careers pages.

This page summarizes the official posting. ixjob.pk is not affiliated with the CIA.

CIA firefighter jobs at a glance

Five terms to know.

• GS scale: the General Schedule, the federal pay scale. GS 6 to 9 is the grade range for this role.
• NFPA 1001: the standard that defines Firefighter Level I and II qualifications.
• EMT: Emergency Medical Technician, the certification for emergency medical care.
• AEMT: Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, the next medical level above EMT.
• MyLINK: the CIA online system for submitting a resume and ranking jobs.

What a firefighter actually does

As a firefighter for the CIA, you will respond to and mitigate emergency incidents, including fires, hazardous materials incidents, and auto accidents. You will also provide emergency care to ill and injured persons. Firefighters are based out of a fire station and drive and operate emergency apparatus, such as an Engine or Pumper, a Tower or Ladder, a Rescue or Squad, and an Ambulance or Medic Unit.

The work covers more than firefighting. You will combat and extinguish fires, carry out vehicle extrication and technical rescue operations, and provide emergency medical care to the sick or injured. A large part of the workday also goes to preparing for emergencies, including training, practical evolutions, and standby duties for high hazard activities.

The physical demands are real. Work may involve strenuous physical activity and exposure to extreme heat, smoke, falling materials, toxic chemicals, and other hazardous conditions. You must be able to lift and carry 125 pounds, climb ladders, work from heights, wear breathing apparatus, and work in confined spaces, toxic atmospheres, and extreme heat. For that reason, the posting requires an NFPA 1582 physical, plus medical and psychological exams.

Shifts, overtime, and the 5-year commitment

Firefighters work 48-hour shifts on a 144-hour bi-weekly work schedule. Overtime is required as needed, and firefighters may be recalled to work in the event of a large-scale emergency. The schedule is demanding, so weigh it against family and personal commitments before you apply.

The role also carries a 5-year service commitment. Upon entrance on duty, a 5-year commitment with the Fire Department is required before applying internally to other positions. Treat that as a real commitment, not fine print, since it blocks internal moves for five years. Pay also varies by medical level: Firefighter and EMT roles start at $77,386, Advanced EMT roles at $85,993, and Paramedic roles at $95,233, with higher starting salary possible for EMT or Paramedic experience.

What does a CIA firefighter earn?

The posting lists CIA firefighter jobs at GS 6 to 9, and pay ranges from $79,891 to $123,072 a year. Your exact step depends on experience and medical level. Firefighter and EMT pay runs $77,386 to $94,592, Advanced EMT pay runs $85,993 to $97,474, and Paramedic pay runs $95,233 to $104,763. A higher medical certification moves the whole band up, so a paramedic earns more than an EMT at the same grade.

That range is the full GS 6 to 9 band, not a single starting figure. Your offer sits inside it, based on your certifications and your years of Fire and EMS experience. The posting gives no figures for bonuses or allowances, so this guide gives none either.

What benefits come with the role?

Firefighters get the same federal benefits package as other CIA officers. The CIA benefits page lists coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, with dental, vision, and long-term care plans also available. Annual leave starts at 13 days a year for under three years of federal service, then rises to 20 days, and to 26 days after 15 years, and employees also get at least 10 paid federal holidays a year. Full-time employees receive up to 13 days of sick leave each year, and those days never expire.

Retirement runs through the Federal Employees Retirement System, which combines the Thrift Savings Plan, Social Security, and the FERS Basic Benefit Plan. In addition, the CIA offers student loan repayment assistance during the first six years of employment, plus overtime, holiday, and night differential pay where the role earns it, and on-site fitness facilities with up to three hours a week of excused absence for physical fitness.

What are the requirements for CIA firefighter jobs?

CIA firefighter jobs set a short list of hard conditions. Miss one, and the application stops there. Check each item before you spend time on the rest.

• Be a United States citizen and at least 18 years old. Dual-national United States citizens are eligible.
• Submit your resume only while you are physically in the United States or one of its territories.
• Register for the Selective Service, if that applies to you.

Four more conditions complete the list.

• Move to the Washington, DC area, or be willing to do so.
• Pass a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and a comprehensive background investigation.
• Hold a valid driver’s license.
• Be no older than 37 at appointment, unless you have prior federal service in a FERS-Special covered firefighter or law enforcement position.

That age rule is a maximum, not a preference. The posting sets 37 as the upper limit at appointment, with an exception for prior federal service in a covered firefighter or law enforcement role. No other age rule appears in the posting beyond 18 or older.

Certifications and experience

Certifications are specific. You need Firefighter Level I and II under NFPA 1001, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, and FEMA ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800. Fire and rescue certifications must be accredited by the Pro Board or the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or recognized by Virginia’s Department of Fire Programs. EMS certifications must be National Registry or recognized by Virginia’s Office of EMS.

Experience also matters. You need three years of Fire and EMS experience. Five years as an active member of an organized Fire or EMS department, including volunteer service, is listed as desired, along with a Regional Fire Academy course, an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course, Driver Pump Operator and Driver Aerial Operator, Fire Instructor I, Fire Officer I, Fire Inspector I, Vehicle Rescue, Rope Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, EMT Intermediate or Paramedic, and FEMA ICS 300 and 400. You must be physically and psychologically fit, able to lift and carry 125 pounds under OSHA requirements, and able to pass an NFPA 1582 physical.

How hiring works, step by step

The CIA hiring process has eight stages, and the Agency itself warns that it may be lengthy. No fixed timeline is published, so plan for a slow process and do not count on a quick answer. For a firefighter, the medical exams and the NFPA 1582 physical sit inside the security and medical evaluations, after the conditional offer.

1. Submit your resume through MyLINK.
2. Receive an invitation to apply for a specific position.
3. Complete screening, testing, and interviews.
4. Receive a Conditional Offer of Employment.
5. Complete and submit the conditional offer paperwork, including the SF-86.
6. Pass security and medical evaluations as part of the clearance process.
7. Receive the official job offer and onboarding information.
8. Onboard.

Two practical points follow from those steps. First, the application starts on the CIA careers site, where you express interest in up to four jobs and then move to MyLINK to submit your resume and rankings. Second, the polygraph interview and the medical exams come after the conditional offer, as part of the security and medical evaluations, so an early interview is not a job offer.

Search for this job title on CIA Careers

Who should apply and who should wait

Apply for CIA firefighter jobs when the checklist above fits you cleanly. That means Firefighter Level I and II plus EMT certification in hand, three years of Fire and EMS experience, and fitness for heavy physical work. It also means you accept the polygraph, the medical exams, the move to the DC area, the 48-hour shifts, and the five-year commitment without hesitation.

Wait when any hard condition misses. Non-citizens cannot apply, and neither can anyone who cannot pass the background investigation or the medical exams. Waiting also makes sense when you are over the age limit without qualifying prior service, cannot work 48-hour shifts, or want a hiring decision within weeks. The process rewards patience, and forcing an application that fails a hard rule wastes months of your time.

One more group should think twice. If your main draw is the salary alone, compare it with the demands first. The pay is solid federal pay, but the job asks for 48-hour shifts, overtime, recall during emergencies, and five committed years. A reader who wants the mission itself will find those trade-offs easier to accept than a reader who wants only the paycheck.

Mistakes that cost applicants the role

The most common error is location. You must be physically in the United States or one of its territories when you submit your resume, so an application sent from abroad does not count. A second error is applying without the required certifications. Firefighter Level I and II, EMT, and the four FEMA ICS courses are all required, so check each one before you apply.

A third error is following the wrong apply route. The USAJOBS listing is for viewing only, so apply through the CIA careers site. A resume sent to the wrong place never reaches the hiring team.

A fourth error is treating the interview as the finish line. Screening and interviews sit in the middle of the process, and the background investigation, polygraph, and medical exams still follow the conditional offer.

A fifth error is recent drug use. The CIA requirements page states that you must not have used marijuana or products containing THC on or after the date of signing the SF-86, and you must not have used any other illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within one year before applying. Lack of candor about any of this is the top reason the CIA withdraws an offer, so answer every question fully.

If you are reading this from Pakistan

Pakistani citizens cannot apply for this role, since it requires United States citizenship. Still, the skills behind it travel well. Firefighting, emergency medical care, and rescue skills are in demand in Pakistan too, from Rescue 1122 and civil defence to hospitals, airports, and industrial fire services. For work closer to home, look at Pakistani government jobs and private-sector roles that use the same skills.

Our International Jobs section lists other roles open abroad, and the Ministry of Defence jobs, Pakistan Army jobs, and Punjab Police jobs pages list Pakistani government openings.

Watch out for fake job offers

Apply for CIA firefighter jobs only through the official CIA careers site and MyLINK. No recruiter can sell you a place in the hiring process, and no real CIA recruiter will ask you to pay for an application, a test, or a background check.

The FTC states that it is always free to apply for a federal job. Any message that asks for money, bank details, or gift cards in exchange for a CIA job is a scam. Read the FTC guide to job scams before you answer any recruiter who contacts you first. If an offer asks you to pay, share banking details, or move fast, walk away and report it.

Search for this job title on CIA Careers

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

CIA firefighter jobs suit an experienced firefighter and EMT who wants federal service, accepts 48-hour shifts and a five-year commitment, and can clear the age, fitness, and clearance bars. Check the official posting before January 31, 2027, and apply only through the CIA careers site.

Sources

Pay, dates, duties, and requirements for CIA firefighter jobs above come from the official posting and the CIA careers pages linked here.

• Firefighter posting text (EMS1): duties, requirements, shifts, and the 5-year service commitment
• How We Hire at the CIA: minimum requirements and the eight hiring steps
• CIA Careers: the application route through MyLINK and the general benefits description
• Benefits at the CIA: health insurance, leave, retirement, and student loan repayment
• Requirements at the CIA: citizenship, clearance, and drug-use rules
• FTC Job Scams guide: how to spot fake federal job offers

Related jobs: International Jobs.