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Last updated

5 August 2025

Wholetime firefighter - Application process

View details and apply for a wholetime firefighter roles with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Before you apply

We recommend creating an account on myjobscotland ahead of the opening date.
This helps ensure you're ready to apply as soon as applications open.

If you already have an account, make sure you can log in successfully. If you run into any issues, please contact myjobscotland for support.

Dates and details

  • Applications open: 14 August 2025
  • Closing date: Noon (12pm) on 25 August 2025
    We advise you to apply early. If we get a high number of applications, we may close before the deadline.
  • Location: National
  • Salary: Starting at £30,384 per annum
  • Hours: 42 hours per week

Successful applicants will be invited to assessment days and a selection centre. You will need to successfully pass each stage to progress to the next.

  • Stage one: Assessment centre (Day 1) 
    Weeks commencing 22 or 29 September 2025
  • Stage two: Assessment centre (Day 2)
    Weeks commencing 6, 13, or 20 October 2025
  • Stage three: Selection centre
    Weeks commencing 3 or 10 November 2025

More information on each stage can be found below. 

Online application

You will be able to apply for the role through myjobscotland. To start your application, you will be required to create or login to your account. Complete all sections of the application form. This will include your:

  • personal details
  • qualifications 
  • employment history (last 5 years)

We encourage early applications, as we may close the advertising window ahead of the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of interest.

We will send all communications to the email address you provided in your application. Please ensure your contact details are current, including your home address. 

Check your inbox regularly, including your spam or junk folder, to avoid missing any important updates.

 

Complete application questions

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you will receive an email with a unique ID number and a link to complete the application questions via our AI-enabled platform (ALICE).

Once you have this email, click the link to ALICE and enter your unique ID number and email address.

You will need to answer behavioural questions , with a word limit of 400 words for each question.

You must submit your answers by Monday, 25 August at noon.

The ALICE (Automated Language Inference Cognitive Evaluation) platform uses AI to help our recruitment team in the selection process. After you submit your answers, the AI will read your answers and score them. This scoring is based on the  NFCCs leadership framework, NFCC code of ethics and SFRS Values.

The system provides us with a rationale for the score it has awarded, which will be based only on the information provided in your answers. Shortlisting decisions will be made by members of the SFRS. 

For more details on how AI is used in this process and your data protection rights in relation to this, please read our ALICE privacy notice.

Assessment centre

The assessment centre will be in two stages. 

Stage one

The first stage will involve a fitness assessment and a numerical calculation test. We have helpful information on how to prepare for the fitness assessment.

If you successfully pass the this stage, you will be invited to attend the second stage which will happen on a different date. 

Stage two

The second stage involves our practical selection tests (PSTs). We have helpful information and videos of our practical selection tests.

Selection centre

At the selection centre, you will be required to deliver a short presentation (5-10 minutes) followed by an interview. 

At this stage, we want to hear about your own personal values and the skills you have that will make you an effective wholetime firefighter.

During your interview, you’ll be asked a series of questions designed to explore your understanding of what it means to be a firefighter.

 

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