We are recruiting a pool of people who are looking for an exciting, challenging and rewarding career that not only provides community safety and awareness but also provides firefighting and emergency skills, experience and knowledge, career development opportunities and family friendly working environments.

Our ideal firefighter will have courage, compassion, resilience, enthusiasm, show dedication and commitment, be a team player with strong work ethic and have passion to learn, develop and protect and serve the community.

If you have these qualities, your journey with DFES starts here.

As a firefighter, you will be involved in responding to and participating in emergency incidents to assist and safeguard people, property and the environment. This includes responding to fires, vehicle accidents, rescues, and other emergency incidents.

To find out more about the role of being a firefighter and the training that will be provided, please visit our Career Firefighting webpage.

To assist with your application and provide you with more detail about the application process, please click on the attached Firefighter Success Profile and Firefighter Recruitment Information pack.

Leadership Behaviours are applicable to this role, and you are expected to demonstrate the relevant behaviours aligned to the context of Personal Leadership. Additional details on expected behaviours are attached.

Eligibility To Apply

To become a firefighter, you must meet the following essential pre-requisites:

1. Be an Australian Citizen, permanent resident with unrestricted work rights, or be a New Zealand Citizen with a Special Category Visa. One (1) of the following documents must be provided:

• Birth Certificate
• Australian Passport
• Certificate of Australian Residency or Citizenship
• Other evidence of permanent residency or Special Category Visa issued by the Department of Home Affairs

1. Current Manual (C Class) driver’s licence*.

* Interstate C Class unrestricted driver’s licences or equivalent international driver’s licences will be accepted but must be transferred to a WA licence upon receiving an offer of employment.  

1. Current Provide First Aid Certificate HLTAID011**

** Your Provide First Aid Certificate must include the exact competency code HLTAID011. If your current certificate is of a higher qualification and/or does not have/state this competency code, you will be required to obtain this specific competency code qualification.

Further Requirements (within five months of online application)

You will be required to obtain additional licence/certificates as you progress through the recruitment process.  

• Current Heavy Rigid (synchromesh gear box) driver’s licence.
• Current Provide Advanced First Aid Certificate (HLTAID014).
• Current Provide Advanced Resuscitation Certificate (HLTAID015).
• A satisfactory National Police Certificate*.

*Please do not apply for a National Police Certificate until requested to do so by DFES.

Please note that all essential prerequisites, including licences and training certificates, must be obtained prior to any offer of employment and are not provided by DFES.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online, simply click 'Apply for Job', located at either the top or bottom of this screen and follow the instructions.

Please ensure to submit the following:

• Evidence of your Australian citizenship, permanent residency with unrestricted working rights or evidence of your Special Category Visa.
• Evidence of current Manual (C Class) driver’s licence.
• Evidence of your current Provide First Aid Certificate (Competency HLTAID011).
• A maximum one (1) page statement addressing the following two (2) questions:

Question 1

Reflecting on your work, volunteer, or personal experiences, please identify two distinct skills or attributes you have developed that directly align with the demands of being a DFES Firefighter.

Within your response (maximum half a page);

• Specific examples of when you have utilised these skills/attributes in your past experiences; and
• Why do you believe these skills/attributes are critical to managing the daily realities of a being a DFES Firefighter.

Question 2

Firefighters must proactively maintain and improve their operational skills to ensure public and team safety. This requires high self-awareness and the resilience to handle tough realisations.

Describe a time in your recent professional or academic life when you identified a significant gap in your own skills or performance and took action to address it.

In your response (maximum half a page)

• The specific feedback or incident that that made you realise the gap existed
• The practical steps you took to address the issue; and
• How you would apply lessons learnt to meet the demands of being DFES Firefighter?

Please Note:

• You must submit the four (4) attachments listed above with your online application.
• Do not attach any other documents. You will be asked to provide documentation (such as your CV) if you progress through the stages.
• Failure to submit any of the four attachments will result in your application not being progressed.
• Ensure you have saved your documents in MS Word (.docx files only) or PDF format and have allowed plenty of time to submit your application online before 4:00pm Monday 16 November 2026 (WST).  
• Any late, emailed or proforma applications submitted will be rejected.
• Referees may be contacted at any stage during the process.
• Any contact with DFES during the recruitment process may form part of the applicant assessment. Adverse contact may result in your application no longer being considered.
• An executive search may be undertaken as part of the recruitment to this role.

Further Information

Trainee Firefighter School graduates may be required to relocate to one of DFES’ regional stations, including Albany, Kalgoorlie and Geraldton.

If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application and throughout the recruitment process. All information provided is private and confidential and will only be used to provide reasonable adjustments. Please contact us at firefighter.recruitment@dfes.wa.gov.au. Please note supporting medical evidence maybe requested.

Superannuation

The Fire and Emergency Services (Superannuation Fund) Regulations 1986, prevents DFES from offering choice of superannuation for firefighters. Those successful to appointment will be required to join the Fire and Emergency Services Superannuation Fund (Click here for more information).

About DFES

As Western Australia’s leading hazard management agency, DFES performs a critical role coordinating emergency services for a range of natural disasters and emergency incidents threatening life and property.

By empowering our people, we create a diverse and capable organisation where we are united and supportive allowing us to work better together. It’s crucial that as a collective, our employees, volunteers and the general public have all the tools they need to safely and effectively manage emergency events.

To learn more about the Department and what we have to offer, please visit our website here.

DFES Supports Diversity and Inclusion

DFES supports inclusion and diversity and advocates the value of inclusiveness where all DFES personnel are encouraged to contribute fully and are recognised and valued for their differences in an environment that is free from discrimination and the negative effects of bias, both conscious and unconscious.

People from culturally diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal Australians and people with a disability are encouraged to apply. DFES may prioritise recruitment decisions based on the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA).