DESCRIPTION This recruitment is an Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) internal recruitment. ONLY applications from current, qualified non-probationary (all ranks) OCFA Fire Captains, Fire Apparatus Engineers, and Firefighter personnel will be accepted.
THE POSITION
The EMS and Training Division is now recruiting to fill multiple Firefighter Academy Instructor positions for upcoming firefighter academies.
This position requires a forty-hour workweek schedule (4/10 Monday through Thursday).
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Essential functions of Firefighter Academy Instructors include, but are not limited to:
- Delivering instruction of SFT Firefighter 1 and 2 and OCFA specific curricula
- Ensuring the safety of students and faculty during all course-related activities
- Conducting recruit evaluations
- Conducting and proctoring tests and measurements based on minimum standards
- Maintaining training spaces and resources required to deliver quality instruction
COMPENSATION
Cadre members assigned to an academy are eligible to receive Staff Assignment Pay (SAP) and Staff Incentive Pay (SIP). Please refer to the IAFF - Local 3631 MOU, page 105 for additional information.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EXPERIENCE (requirements at entry/beginning of assignment):
Must be a current non-probationary (all ranks) OCFA Fire Captain, Fire Apparatus Engineer, or Firefighter in good standing with at least 3 years of experience as a Firefighter.
HIGHLY DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
- SFT Firefighter 1 and 2
- SFT Instructor 1 and Instructor 2
- SFT Ethical Leadership
- SFT Regional Instructor Orientation (RIO)
- SFT Skills Evaluator
- Peer Fitness Trainer
- Willing to instruct a minimum of two consecutive firefighter academies
- Computer skills with proficiency using Microsoft Office
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively
- Strong written communication skills
- No long-term vacations scheduled during the academies (vacations will be accommodated, when possible, especially during non-academy times in the schedule)
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION:
To apply, go to www.ocfa.org. Interested personnel are to submit the following:
- Online application
- Memo of interest
- Resumé (one-page maximum) outlining your education, experience and any other background information related to this position.
- Inclusion of highly desirable certificates, if applicable. A PDF of your SFT Acadis profile may be submitted in lieu of certificates.
All materials must be submitted with your online application by the close of this recruitment at 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Monday, November 9, 2026.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
- November 9, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) – Recruitment closes
- Week of December 7, 2026 – Oral interviews
- Week of December 14, 2026 – Selections announced
- January 22, 2027 – Assignment begins
If there is a change in the recruitment process, Human Resources will notify all affected candidates.
CANDIDATE POOL LIST:
Placement on the Candidate Pool List will be established based on successful completion of all recruitment process components.
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE POSITION:
Should you have questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact Fire Battalion Chief Eric Bennett at ericbennett@ocfa.org.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH NEOGOV:
Please contact the assigned recruiter, Brad Stephens, Senior Human Resources Analyst at bradstephens@ocfa.org or (714) 573–6816.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) ACCOMMODATION:
In accordance with the Americans with Disability Act, persons with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodations for the purpose of testing should contact Brad Stephens, Senior Human Resources Analyst at bradstephens@ocfa.org or (714) 573–6816 at least 72 hours prior to the need for accommodation.
WITHDRAWING FROM RECRUITMENT PROCESS:
If an applicant chooses to withdraw from this recruitment process, they are required to submit an email notification to Brad Stephens, Senior Human Resources Analyst at bradstephens@ocfa.org requesting a withdrawal from the process. The email to the recruiter must include the applicant's current phone number.
NOTE:
The provisions of this publication do not constitute an express or implied contract. Any provision in this publication may be modified or revoked without notice.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
The Orange County Fire Authority is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
Benefits
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. 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 3/1/2028 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). Please visit OCERS to view compensation and benefit limits. https://www.ocers.org/post/compensation-and-benefit-limits 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). Please visit OCERS to view compensation and benefit limits. https://www.ocers.org/post/compensation-and-benefit-limits
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 07/2026
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.