What are the responsibilities and job description for the FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE / PARAMEDIC position at City of Stockton?
The City of Stockton is partnering with the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC) to select the best qualified candidates for the position of
FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE / PARAMEDIC
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS MUST POSSESS A VALID PARAMEDIC LICENSE ISSUED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OR NATIONAL REGISTRY AT TIME OF APPLICATION
AND
BE ACTIVE ON THE FCTC STATEWIDE ELIGIBILITY LIST (SEL) ON 7/31/2026.
Click here to see the Stockton Regional Fire Academy 23-1
The City of Stockton Fire Department is seeking career-minded individuals whose performance is reflective of a very high level of dedication and commitment to public service. Stockton firefighters are trained professionals who provide a wide range of services to include: fire suppression, fire prevention, and emergency services to protect the lives and property of a diverse community. The Fire Department’s goal is to develop staffing that reflects the rich make-up of the diverse population residing within the City of Stockton. The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be committed to fostering respect, dignity, and fairness, and is driven by a strong commitment to providing quality service.
SALARY
During the Fire Academy, Trainees receive the annual salary below. After successful completion of the Fire Academy, trainees achieve the sworn status of Firefighter and the salary steps are reflected below:
FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE
$69,281.58 annually(while attending the academy)
CURRENT BIWEEKLY SALARY STEPS :(after successful completion of the academy) Step 2: $72,844.89 annually after successful completion of the academy
Step 3: $76,593.27 annually after six (6) months at step 2
Step 4: $80,526.23 annually after six (6) months at step 3
Step 5: $84,677.54 annually after one (1) year at step 4
Step 6: $89,030.82 annually after one (1) year at step 5
Step 7: $93,602.71 annually after one (1) year at step 6
Step 8: $98,409.36 annually after one (1) year at step 7
Step 9 (Top Step): $103,469.13 annually after six (6) months at step 8
Opportunity for 2% for 5 years of service
Opportunity for 4% for 10 years of service
Opportunity for 6% for 15 years of service
Opportunity for 8% for 20 years of service
Paramedic Certification - Additional Pay
12% of top step Firefighter Engineer added to their base pay ($547.04 per bi-weekly pay period)
HAZ/MAT Assignment - Additional Pay
The City shall pay 5% of the top step of rank for sworn Fire Unit employees actively assigned to the HAZ/MAT response team
Education Incentive - Additional Pay
Employees that satisfy the educational and service requirements shall receive:
Intermediate Education Certification receives 3% above the top step of rank for sworn Fire Unit employees
Advanced Education Certification receives 5% above top step of rank for sworn Fire Unit employees
Continuing Education for Paramedics.
Upon prior approval of the Fire Chief the City will compensate members of the Fire Unit at their straight time rate for time spent, in an off-duty status, in continuing education necessary to maintain their certification, up to twenty-four (24) hours or less in a two (2) year certification period.
BENEFITS
- Vacation - 120 hours per year
- Holidays - 13 fixed and 1 floating per year
- Sick Leave - 12 hours per month of service
- Health Benefits - Choice of plans for medical and hospitalization, dental and orthodontia, vision, and prescription coverage for employees and dependents
- Life Insurance - $50,000 policy value
- Retirement - California Public Employees' Retirement Systems (CalPERS) = 2.7% at 57
- Section 125 (Flexible Spending Account) - available at employee's option
- Education Assistance Program - up to $1,500 per fiscal year
- Uniform allowance - $950.00 yearly allowance
FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt
Veteran's Preference:
Pending approval by the Civil Service Commission, this position is eligible to receive five (5) Veteran's Preference Points for entrance into the Civil Service. Veteran's Preference Points will not be granted on the promotional list. If you believe you may qualify for Veteran's Preference Points, please attach a DD-214 Member-4 copy indicating at least 181 consecutive days of service with honorable discharge with your application (see supplemental questions for details).
This position is an apprentice-level, non-sworn position in the Fire Department. Incumbents are assigned to the Fire Academy and must satisfactorily pass all the requirements of the Academy before becoming candidates for the sworn position of Fire Fighter. Assignment to this classification is temporary. If incumbents do not successfully complete a fire academy, they will be terminated.
For Firefighter Trainee full Job Description, click here.
Education/Experience:
Possession of a high school diploma or GED. College-level fire science course work and/or previous experience fighting fires in a volunteer or paid capacity is desirable. (Note: For this specific recruitment, applicants are required to be active on the FCTC SEL on 7/31/2026.)
· To view upcoming Cal-JAC CPAT and FCTC Written Test dates, click here (https://www.fctconline.org/candidates/upcoming-test-schedule/).
· Candidates experiencing financial hardship may qualify for financial aid to pay for their FCTC testing fees. (https://www.fctconline.org/grants/)
Other Requirements:
- Must possess and maintain a valid California Class C driver’s license. If driver's license is not issued in the State of California, must be able to obtain prior to the completion of the Fire Academy as a condition of continued employment.
- Must possess a valid CAL-JAC Candidate Physical Ability Card (CPAT) issued by the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC). CPAT must be issued between 7/31/2025 - 7/31/2026.
- Must obtain a Firefighter endorsement from the California Department of Motor Vehicles within seventeen (17) months of appointment.
- Must possess or be able to obtain and maintain, within one (1) year of employment, current certification as an Emergency Medical Technician/Level I.
- Must meet the physical standards and successfully complete a background investigation, which shall include a polygraph and psychological examination, a medical examination, and obtain a California Department of Justice fingerprint clearance.
- Must possess a valid Paramedic license issued by the State of California or National Registry at the time of application. (Note: For this specific recruitment, applicants must possess a valid Paramedic license at time of application)
- Required licenses and certifications must be maintained as a condition of continued employment.
The Examination:
Applicants who qualify in terms of relevant work experience, license, education, and are active on the FCTC SEL on 7/31/2026, will be eligible to move forward in the hiring process.
Applicants who qualify in terms of relevant work experience, license, education, and are active on the FCTC SEL on 7/31/2026, will be eligible to move forward in the hiring process.
The examination process will include
- The successful completion of a written exam administered by FCTC (this is a requirement in order to be active on the SEL.) Applicants that are active on the SEL and have obtained a written exam score of 75% or better will be invited to participate in the Oral Panel Interview.
- Oral panel interviews will be scheduled for the week of August 10, 2026 (tentative). Successful candidates must receive a minimum passing score of 70%, as determined by the relative performance of all candidates.
- Scores from the written exam will be combined with scores from the oral panel to create the overall score and establish the eligible list. In the event of identical ratings, candidates' names will be arranged in order of application date/time, and, if the same, then arranged alphabetically.
Notes:
- After on-line submittal, immediate notification will appear on your screen indicating your application has been received. Please print this notice as proof of filing.
- Notices and correspondence will be sent via email only. No paper notices will be mailed to applicants. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure a correct email address is provided and that correspondence is received.
- NeoGov.com: You will receive correspondence via the e-mail address you placed on your application. Some e-mail accounts have been known to place these e-mails in the spam/junk file. Please check your e-mail folders or accept e-mails ending with neogov.com.
The City of Stockton requires employees in this position to reasonably respond to emergencies at all times. Employees will be required to maintain primary residence within 45 minutes of City Hall in order to timely respond to emergencies and meet the health, safety, and welfare needs of the City. New employees have up to three (3) months from date of hire to comply with the requirement. Any interested candidates must be willing to adhere to this requirement throughout the duration of employment.
Still have questions? Email: recruitment@stocktonca.gov