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.

Basic Requirement:

A. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major course of study in biological sciences, agriculture or natural resources management, chemistry or at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, natural resources, wildland fire management, forestry, or agriculture equivalent to a major field of study, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, or natural resources.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For GS-9: Experience in at least two of the following three categories:1. Experience that demonstrated understanding of fire effects on cultural and natural resources. The assignments must have shown participation in activities such as:

• Developing fire management plans to ensure resource objectives can be met from a fire management standpoint; or
• Conducting field inspections before and/or after prescribed fires or wildland fires to determine if defined resource objectives have been met.

2. Prescribed fire/fuels management - experience in activities such as:

• Professional forest or range inventory methods and procedures (e.g., Brown's planar intercept for dead and down fuels; live fuel loading assessments), or
• Analysis of fuel loadings and determination of appropriate fuel treatment methods and programming, or
• Evaluating prescribed fire plans or fire management plans to ensure fire containment is possible and identify appropriate suppression contingencies if containment is not obtained.

3. Fire management operations - analyzing and applying fire management strategies, plus experience in at least four of the following activities:

• Mobilization and dispatch coordination
• Fire prevention
• Training
• Logistics
• Equipment development and deployment
• Fire communications systems
• Suppression and preparedness

Selective Placement Factors

Successfully completed the Primary NWCG Core Requirement of Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) -AND- Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Engine Boss (ENGB) OR Crew Boss (CRWB) OR Helicopter Manager (HMGB) or Felling Boss (FELB) or Heavy Equipment Boss (HEQB).

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.

In order to be considered for this position, copies of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record (or equivalent training documents) which contain documented proof of the certification or attainment of the IFPM Selective Placement Factor for this position MUST be attached to your application. Red cards are not acceptable documentation. Currency Requirement: Required to maintain currency once hired into the position. Currency of NWCG qualifications is not required for selection. If not currently qualified, the applicant must provide documented evidence that they have been fully qualified in the past, and are able to regain currency within one year of being hired. Failure to provide this documentation will result in disqualification.

This position has been identified as High or Moderate or Low Complexity under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) or Forest Service Fire Program Management (FS-FPM) and is subject to selective placement factor requirements contained in the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard and Guide when filling this vacancy. IFPM or FS-FPM selective placement factors are made up of a primary and secondary National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) core Incident Management Qualifications and Required Training. The applicant must possess these qualifications at the applicable complexity level to be considered eligible for this position.

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.

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.


WORK CAPACITY TEST (WCT) for Wildland Firefighters: This position participates in wildland firefighting activities. Based on the type of work performed, TAKING and PASSING the WCT at the ARDUOUS level is a condition of employment.

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