Employment Opportunities

Firefighter EMT/Paramedic Opportunities

The Big Sky Fire Department does not currently have any openings for career Firefighter EMT/Paramedic positions. When employment opportunities become available, they will be posted on this webpage with detailed application instructions and deadlines.

Montana Firefighter Testing Consortium (Firefighter EMT/Paramedic Position)

The Big Sky Fire Department (BSFD) is a member of the Montana Firefighter Testing Consortium (MFTC) along with other Montana state fire departments, including Belgrade, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Miles City, Lockwood Fire District, Kalispell, Frenchtown Rural Fire, City of Missoula Fire Department and the Missoula Rural Fire District.

  • For information on the Montana CPAT, visit the Montana Firefighter Testing Consortium website HERE.
  • This Montana CPAT test is the Candidate Physical Agility Test only: the MFTC will no longer administer a written test as part of its testing process. Individual departments may still administer a written test at the time of application.
  • Candidate Physical Agility Tests completed through other testing agencies (e.g., Public Safety Testing and others) may or may not be accepted by all MFTC departments. Please contact the department(s) where you intend to apply to confirm their testing requirements.
  • If you have never taken a CPAT, we highly encourage you to attend the CPAT Orientation and CPAT Practice Test first.

Career Firefighter EMT/Paramedic Candidates

When position openings are available, candidates for a Career Firefighter EMT/Paramedic position with the Big Sky Fire Department are selected from a pool of applicants who have successfully completed a valid CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) within one year prior to the application deadline. Candidates must also complete the department’s full application and hiring process to be considered for employment.

Seasonal Wildfire Mitigation Crew

The Big Sky Fire Department (BSFD) employs a seasonal wildfire mitigation crew from May to October each year. The crew typically consists of 6 – 10 positions that perform the following types of duties:
Wildfire Mitigation
  • Cutting, piling, burning, and chipping operations
  • Performing wildfire home risk assessments
  • Participating in wildfire awareness educational events
Wildfire Response
  • Supports local Initial Attack operations around the region
  • Assists local, state and federal partners on incidents
  • Can deploy nationally as part of an engine or handcrew

The Crew Boss and Squad Bosses should be NWCG-qualified ENGB or CRWB.  NWCG-qualified applicants are preferred, but BSFD can provide basic wildland firefighter training.  Applicants must pass an “arduous” pack test.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Big Sky Fire Department is a fully career (paid) fire department and does not operate a volunteer program. As such, we are not able to accept or recruit volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering in the fire service, we encourage individuals to explore volunteer fire departments throughout Montana, as many rely heavily on volunteer members and maintain active recruitment programs. A helpful statewide resource is Join Montana Fire Service, which connects prospective volunteers with departments across the state. Additionally, many local rural and volunteer fire districts publish volunteer recruitment information directly on their websites, including application details, training requirements, and time commitments. We appreciate your interest in serving your community and wish you the best in finding a volunteer department that is a good fit.