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Forestry Technician (Dispatch)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in Region 6, Deputy Regional Forester, Fire and Aviation Management, Operations, Portland, OR.

Carries out priorities for the mobilization, reassignment and demobilization of firefighting resources to incidents as deemed necessary in light of changing fire conditions and incident priorities within the Geographic Area.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Ted Pierce at 503-808-2722 or email at ted.pierce@usda.gov

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/21/2020 to 08/31/2020
Salary
$51,117 to - $73,398 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8 - 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Portland, OR
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Overnight travel may be required for fire suppression/fire related assignments, meetings, and training.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
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
20-FIRE-DHA-R6-669328DH-AW
Control number
576761800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

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  • Assists with the overall execution of activities of the Operations Section of the GACC.
  • Cooperates with Federal, State and other land management agencies in this activity.
  • Assists Operations Coordinator in the mobilization of resources, and support of communication capabilities and operational facilities.
  • Monitors the availability and recommends geographical placement of shared resources (e.g. air tankers, lead planes, aerial delivered firefighters (smokejumpers and rappellers), and aerial delivered firefighter aircraft) within the Geographic Area.
  • Monitors daily fire situation in the geographical area, and keeps Operations Coordinator or Operations Manager apprised of current and anticipated fire complexities in order to support decision making for critical wildfire situations.
  • Applies the technical methods, practices, and procedures of fire and aviation operations as well as management practices, agency policies and programs.
  • Assists employees conducting aviation missions such as flight/mission planning, scheduling, and flight following.
  • Provides input to the Geographic Area mobilization plan and dispatch operating plans and guides. Implements plans governing the supply and use of resources such as personnel, equipment, supplies, aircraft and fire retardant.
  • Assists in development of office policy and technical guidance of the operational systems, including handbooks, guides, and operational plans.
  • Coordinates information, resource utilization, and accountability with higher level and adjoining units, other adjoining state, local, and federal agencies, and other cooperating entities.
  • Conducts preparedness reviews and determines adherence to regulations and instructions for the mobilization and readiness of fire equipment and personnel.
  • Provides operational oversight, guidance, and limited supervision for up to ten support/supervisory dispatchers and other support personnel during emergency 24-hour/7 days-per-week sustained operations.
  • Performs wildfire suppression support as directed within training and physical and other duties as assigned.
  • Duties listed are at the full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.
  • Must be at least 18 years of age.
  • This is a Test Designated Position. You will be tested for illegal drugs prior to appointment and randomly thereafter. Appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of training.
  • This announcement may be used to fill positions with a seasonal work schedule where full-time work is guaranteed for 18 pay periods and when not working, you will be placed in non-pay/non-duty status.
  • Minimum of 90 days of wildland firefighting experience is required.
  • There may be additional Conditions of Employment not listed here, however applicants will be notified of any specific requirements at the time a tentative job offer is made.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-08: One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7 grade level OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education described above. Only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours/27 quarter hours may be used to qualify for this grade level. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Examples of specialized experience are: Assisting in prioritizing distribution of aid, supplies, and equipment in wildland fire incidents. Assisting in coordinating and monitoring the use of airspace over and around wildland fires. Conducting inventories of equipment or service organizations to document the resources available for fire suppression activities. Assisting in maintaining documents such as dispatching guides and handbooks, staffing and action guides, mobilization plans, directives, and/or reference materials.

For the GS-09: One year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-08 OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education described above. Only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours/27 quarter hours may be used to qualify for this grade level. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Examples of specialized experience are: Assisting in coordinating and implementing logistical operations to ensure the adequate distribution of resources. Performing dispatch duties such as assisting in coordinating ground and air transportation, and determining the nature of the resources needed including personnel, equipment, and services. Collecting information for statistical and narrative reports on wildland fire activities or situations. Assisting in developing mobilization plans, emergency and disaster plans, and dispatch handbooks, policies and procedures.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS:

  • A minimum 90 days experience performing on-the-line (Primary/Rigorous) wildland fire suppression duties as a member of an organized fire suppression crew or comparable unit that utilized knowledge of wildland fire suppression, containment or control techniques and practices under various conditions. This experience must be documented with specific dates in the online application or resume.
FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary position covered under the special retirement provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) for the Civil Service Retirement System and of 5 USC 8412(d) for the Federal Employees Retirement System.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed.

Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel Help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email SM.FS.asc_tos@usda.gov

This announcement may be used to fill positions with a seasonal work schedule where full-time work is guaranteed for 18 pay periods and when not working, you will be placed in non-pay/non-duty status.

This is a bargaining unit position represented by the National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW.

Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

Government Housing is not available


This position is eligible for adhoc/situational telework.

How you will be evaluated

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

This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10893782

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