POSITION OVERVIEW
FIRE FIGHTERS’ AND POLICE OFFICERS’
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
CITY OF HOUSTON
EXAMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR
THE POSITION OF
District Chief 2026
Houston Fire Department
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELIGIBILITY TO TAKE TEST: All Firefighters who have ever held a continuous position for two (2) years or more in the classification of Senior Captain, and who have four (4) years actual service in the Houston Fire Department are eligible. In order to be promoted, applicants must comply with all applicable provisions of Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code and provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. |
DUTIES: As assigned by the superior officer. |
APPLICATION TO TAKE TEST: ONLY “on-line” applications will be accepted. To apply for this examination, please search for at: www.governmentjobs.com/careers/houston/promotionaljobs. Access to the Internet and to computer terminals may be found at any Public Library. On-line applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m., Friday, July 3, 2026. Please take a screen shot of your COH confirmation email. All information regarding education points and certification points must be turned into HFD Human Resources [email protected] before the promotional exam. The deadline to turn in your records for a promotional exam is three (3) weeks prior to the promotional examination date. Any education or certification points presented at or after the exam, will be used in subsequent promotional exams, and will not be awarded toward the current promotional exam. |
PREFERENCES
DATE AND TIME OF EXAMINATION: The examination will be given at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Location and Source Material to be announced at a later date.
NOTE: Please note that rankings for this exam may be adjusted on the eligibility list as members returning from military service take a comparable examination and are added to this list. (Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act).
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: Please notify Classified Testing ([email protected]) if you will need special accommodations at the test site. You must submit the necessary documents 3 weeks before the exam date.
DATE OF ANNOUNCEMENT: June 5, 2026
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GENERAL INFORMATION
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER M/F
POST UNTIL: July 3, 2026
Benefits
The city offers a competitive benefits program, including competitively priced health coverage and a defined contribution pension plan. Benefits include:
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Wellness
- Supplemental Insurance
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability
- Retirement pension
- 457 deferred compensation plan
- Employee Assistance Program
- 10 days of vacation each year
- 13 city holidays, plus one floating holiday
- Compensable Sick Leave
- Personal Leave
- Flexible schedules
- Hybrid-Telework for eligible positions
- Professional development opportunities
- Transportation/parking plan
- Section 125 pretax deductions
- Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
- Paid Prenatal, Parental and Infant Wellness Leaves
- Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
For plan details, visit http://www.houstontx.gov/hr/benefits.html
Supplemental Questions
01
Please provide your employee number. (Ex: 000965)
02
What is your date of hire with the Houston Fire Department?
03
Have you ever left an employment position with the Houston Fire Department and returned to the Houston Fire Department at a later date?
04
On the date of this exam, October 14, 2026, will you have at least four (4) years of service in the Houston Fire Department?
05
Have you worked in any other City of Houston departments besides the Houston Fire Department?
06
On the date of this exam, October 14, 2026, will you have at least two (2) years in the classification of Senior Captain in the Houston Fire Department?
07
All candidates will be expected to uphold the Houston Fire Department's Honor Code throughout the examination and promotion processes. The Honor Code requires that candidates do NOT discuss the content of any portion of the examination at any time with any other person or group (other than Classified Testing personnel)--including any potential Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act ("USERRA") candidate who may take the exam at a later date. Any other action that threatens the security or integrity of the exam process may also be considered a violation of the Honor Code and discovery of such will result in disqualification from the exam and/or promotion process. The following actions are examples, but not an exhaustive list, of the type of actions that may be deemed violations of the Honor Code:
•Possession of an electronic device (example: cell phone, smart watch) in the examination area (written and assessment center where applicable), during the assessment, and in designated areas during the review or in any area where such use is restricted by the exam component administrators;
•Taking notes out of the test site or review site regarding component material or any answer;
•Copying, removing or distributing test materials from exam component sites;
•Discussing exam questions with any other candidate(s) in the exam component site;
•Memorizing and posting or discussing exam items, answers, or examples in public forums (including Internet forums, blogs, groups, etc.)
•Bringing reference materials, study materials, or any other testing aid into the examination component site;
•Using or referring to reference material, study material, or any other testing aid at any time during a component of the entire examination process without express permission of the exam component administrator;
•Revealing to another candidate an answer to examination question(s) or seeking to receive answer(s) to promotional examination question(s) from any other candidate during or after any component of the examination process;
•Revealing to any USERRA candidate the content of any portion or part of a promotional examination component or, in the instance of a USERRA candidate, seeking to discover the content of or answer(s) to any portion or part of a promotional examinations component;
•Seeking to identify, making contact with, or attempting to influence any assessor at any time before the assessment scoring process is complete;
•Seeking to identify, making contact with, or attempting to influence any member or potential of the TRC;
•Using an electronic device for any purpose set out herein as a violation of the Honor Code Pledge;
•Discussing questions you have or plan on appealing;
•Intentionally and/or knowingly failing to correct over-calculation of supplemental points.
In any instance, in addition to disqualification, infractions may be subject to discipline up to and including indefinite suspension.
Required Question
Agency Information
EmployerCity of HoustonAddress
901 Bagby St
Houston, Texas, 77002
Website
https://www.houstontx.gov/