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Forestry Technician

Department of the Interior
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is being re-advertised. Applicants who applied previously need not to reapply unless submitting updated and/or additional information.

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Region, Trust Services, Branch of Wildland Fire and Aviation Management, Operation - Engines Section, in Fort Defiance, Arizona. The incumbent of this position is to provide leadership on an engine crew to perform wildland fire suppression/management/control functions.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
07/13/2020 to 07/27/2020
Salary
$38,921 - $50,598 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fort Defiance, AZ
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Seasonal
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ST-10726638-20-PR
Control number
562412100

Duties

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  • Serve as a lead wildland firefighter on a handcrew.
  • Perform initial attack fire suppression activities, locates fireline, directs and participates in fireline construction, backfiring and burnout operations.
  • Serve as a lead wildland firefighter on a prescribed fire crew.
  • Perform prescribed fire operations including preparation, ignition, monitoring, holding, and mop-up.
  • Monitor fire behavior, fire effects, and fire weather on prescribed fires and wildland fire use.
  • Use specialized firing equipment (e.g. fuses, drip torches, flares, and terra torch).
  • Serve as a lead wildland firefighter on a wildland fire engine.
  • Drive and operate a wildland fire engine, positioning the engine for proper use and operation.
  • Serve as a lead wildland firefighter on a helitack module.
  • Lead the fire suppression efforts of the helicopter module.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • Indian Preference applies
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit
  • You may be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  • Incumbent is required to operate a government motor vehicle, must possess a valid driver's license, and have a safe driving record within the 3 year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607.
  • This position is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and annual medical screening and physical fitness testing for arduous duty.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions, and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0462: Forestry Technician Series).

GS-6: 1 year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-05 level. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, on-the-line wildland fire experience as a senior wildland firefighter in forest/range control, prevention or suppression work, prescribed burning; operating and maintaining specialized wildland fire tools, equipment, vehicles, and may include leading the work of crew personnel or 1 year of graduate level education directly related to the position or a combination of graduate level education and specialized experience that is directly related to the work of the position..

This position has been identified as one of the key fire management positions under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard. This position has been categorized as a Supervisory Fire Engine Operator, and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found at http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/

SELECTIVE FACTORS: The applicant must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position:

1. Primary Core Requirement: Engine Boss (ENGB)
2. Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander Type 5 (ICT5)
3. Additional Required Training: S-211, "Portable Pumps and Water Use"

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE AND MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE LIMIT: This position is covered as a primary firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of U.S.C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS) subject to maximum entry age and mandatory retirement at age 57, or any time after 57, upon reaching 20 years of covered service. Applicants for this position must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to this position unless there is prior service in an approved covered position to permit retirement on/before the mandatory retirement age of 57 or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date.

Education

If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION

Additional information

THIS POSITION WILL SUPPORT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE EFFORTS TO COVID-19.

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2020 Salary Tables and select the pay chart for Fort Defiance, Arizona. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework under any circumstances.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 70 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp .

Under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) two groups of individuals are eligible to apply under this announcement: current and/or former employees serving or who have served under time-limited competitive appointments at land management agencies. Land Management Agencies include: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service.

  • Current appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; AND 3) must have performed at an acceptable level during each period of service.
  • Former appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; 3) must have separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; AND 4) must have performed at an acceptable level through the service period.

Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/; Vets Info Guide: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.

Former Federal Employees are required to indicate whether they received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) buyout in their previous employment with the Federal government, and are required to submit a copy of the applicable Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) regarding the VSIP. Most individuals who accept reemployment with the Federal government within 5 years of receiving the VSIP amount, must repay the gross amount of the separation pay prior to reemployment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application package will be evaluated against the minimum qualification requirements specified above. In order to qualify, your resume must specifically describe your work history and the duties you performed in each position. Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date of 07/27/2020 to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. Qualified candidates will then be rated as best qualified, well qualified, or qualified depending on their possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, competencies and experience requirements as demonstrated by your responses to the assessment questions. Competencies measured include:

  • Ecology
  • Oral Communication
  • Technical Competence
  • Technology Application

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If the information in your resume does not support your responses to the assessment questions, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your qualifications.

Qualified Indian preference candidates will be referred to the hiring manager in order of veterans' preference.

You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10726638. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs

Indian Affairs provides services to 573 federally recognized tribes with a population of about 1.9 million American Indian and Alaska Natives. Indian Affairs offers an extensive range of programs such as social services, law enforcement and detention services, administration of tribal courts, natural resources management, economic development, implementation of land and water claim settlements, housing improvement, disaster relief, and the replacement and maintenance of schools, roads, and bridges.

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472). Verification Form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. Indian Preference eligibles not currently employed in Federal service may be appointed under the Excepted Service Appointment Authority Schedule A, 213.3112(a)(7). Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants in the absence of qualified Indian Preference eligibles. For more information about Indian preference or to obtain BIA Form 4432 application instructions, please visit: https://www.bia.gov/jobs.

Agency contact information

Patricia Sandoval-Yazzie
Phone
505-563-5130
Fax
505-563-5133
Email
Patricia.Sandoval-Yazzie@bia.gov
Address
BIA Center for Recruitment Albuquerque
BIA Center for Recruitment Albuquerque
1011 Indian School Road, NW
Suite 136
Albuquerque, NM 87104
US

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http://www.bia.gov/

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