The City of Clayton is accepting applications for the Firefighter/Paramedic position. The purpose of the Firefighter/Paramedic position is to respond to fire alarms, medical and all other emergency calls, save and protect life and property; combat, extinguish and prevent fires and treat people in need of medical assistance. Our mission is, "Devoted to preserving life and property through teamwork, exceptional performance, and professionalism."
Clayton is an urban community that presents new firefighter-paramedics with a wide variety of operational opportunities, including high-density commercial areas, complex structures and heavy daytime population.
The Clayton Fire Department operates with a team of highly trained professionals who are cross-trained in both fire suppression and emergency medical services. The department provides comprehensive fire, EMS (ALS), fire prevention, and special operations services.
The Department maintains an ISO Class 1 rating, placing it among the top fire departments in the nation. Clayton is also a 2026 Mission Lifeline EMS Gold Award recipient, recognizing exceptional cardiac care performance and was the EMS service of the year in 2023.
The FD will soon place into service the region's only tiller truck, further strengthening our operational capability.
The department maintains high expectations for both fire and EMS performance, supported by a modern, progressive fire service culture based on our organizational values.
We offer a competitive salary range from $75,408 to $95,624 that allows Firefighters/Paramedics to reach the top of the scale within just 8 years.
Applicants without St. Louis County firefighter certification may also be considered, with a starting salary of $68,748, contingent on successful completion of the St. Louis County Fire Academy.
We will also consider candidates who are going to receive their paramedic certification with in 45 days of May 11, 2026.
Additionally, the City provides full tuition reimbursement for higher education after one year of employment, supporting continued professional development.
Employee Compensation & Benefits include:
Minimum Qualifications of the Firefighter/Paramedic:
Application Instructions for the Firefighter/Paramedic position:
The deadline to apply is June 1, 2026. In addition to the online application, applicants must submit copies of the following documents:
Copies of required documents may be submitted via one of the following methods:
hr@claytonmo.gov
Candidates who fail to submit the copies of required documents by the application deadline may be disqualified from advancing in the selection process.
For those selected to advance, the tentative schedule for the selection process is as follows:
Testing - No later than June 15th: Written testing must be completed no later than 06/15/2026. The City has recently partnered with the National Testing Network for written testing of qualified applicants by invitation only. Human Resources will review applications as they are received and contact candidates to confirm details and/or request missing application materials. Following HR's review of application materials, qualified candidates will receive invitation to test via email. Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit their application and copies of supporting documents early so as to ensure they have greater availability for testing dates.
Candidates can purchase a practice test at https://nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs/ntn-test-practice.cfm. Because testing dates can fill up quickly, particularly those toward the end of the testing period, candidates are strongly encouraged to test early!
Successful candidates for the position will be required to satisfactorily complete additional screening including, but not limited to the following: Background investigation, motor vehicle records check, employment, education, and reference checks, physical and drug screening.
Please contact Human Resources at
hr@claytonmo.gov
or 314-290-8448 with any questions about the process.
Employment Notice
The City of Clayton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions made at the City of Clayton will be based on merit, qualifications and abilities. It is the policy of the City of Clayton not to discriminate against any individual because of race, color, national origin or ancestry, religion or creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected statuses. The City of Clayton will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. The City of Clayton encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with Human Resources.
This policy extends to all stages of the employment process, including but not limited to: recruiting or advertising for employment; evaluating the skills, education and experience of applicants; establishing rates of pay and terms, conditions and privileges of employment (including training opportunities); and promoting, upgrading, demoting, transferring, laying off and terminating employees.
Any employees with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of their immediate supervisor, Human Resources, or the City Manager. Employees can raise concerns and make reports without fear of retaliation. Anyone found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.