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Forestry Technician (Fire) (Engine Captain)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Lakeview District
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource.

For additional information about the BLM, please visit Our website.

For information about the BLM in Oregon/Washington, visit our website.

For information about the Lakeview area, visit the Lake County Chamber of Commerce.

We expect to fill 5 vacancies at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/07/2020 to 10/20/2020
Salary
$43,251 to - $62,269 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 8
Locations
Klamath Falls, OR
2 vacancies
Lakeview, OR
3 vacancies
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - Frequent travel will be required during peak fire activity.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - This is a career seasonal position. You will be in pay status for at least 6 months, but less than 12 months per calendar year.
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
8
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ORMP-20-10911531-AB
Control number
581019200

Duties

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  • Oversees operation of a Fire Engine Module.
  • Maintains records and prepares reports on history of action taken on fires.
  • Serves as initial attack Incident Commander on wildland fires.
  • Evaluates fire behavior in order to plan and direct necessary courses of action independently and performs risk analyses.
  • Manages and maintains engines and equipment to ensure that personnel meet fire readiness standards.
  • Provides technical and administrative supervision to an Engine Module.
  • Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of project work.
  • Directs project work such as development of prescribed fire burn plans, prescribed fire implementations, and fuels inventory.
  • Present wildland fire suppression and prescribed fire training.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position.
  • You must pass a pre-employment physical.
  • You must meet specified levels on annual physical fitness tests, and pass periodic medical exams for wild land fire personnel, commensurate with current incident management qualifications.
  • You must also pass the work capacity test for arduous positions.
  • Must have and maintain a valid driver's license.
  • Applicant(s) tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use and to pass the test prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • May require a one year probationary period.

Qualifications

Selective Placement Factor(s): This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as ascreen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.

A) Engine Boss (ENGB), AND;
B) Incident Commander, Type 5 (ICT), AND;
C) S-211 "Portable Pumps and Water Use"

In addition to meeting the selective factors above, applicant must also meet the following specialized experience/education requirements:

Specialized Experience Requirements:
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement - please be sure to include this information in your resume. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.

To qualify for the GS-07: 1 year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to GS-06 is required. Examples of work experience include, but are
not limited to: on-the-line wildland fire experience leading or managing resources, equipment, and tools directly related to the suppression of wildfires as an Assistant Module leader or as an Engine Boss.

To qualify for the GS-08: 1 year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07 is required. Examples of work experience include, but are
not limited to: on-the-line wildland fire experience leading or managing resources, equipment, and tools directly related to the suppression of wildfires as an Engine Boss or Engine Captain.

Substitution of Education for Experience:
For GS-07: 18 semester hours of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position OR an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.

For GS-08: 36 semester hours (2 years) of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position OR an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level.

This is a primary firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c)(CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). The position is subject to maximum entry age (MEA) requirements.

The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37 unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian firefighter experience 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 loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement. If over the MEA and you are not a veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted prior to employment. Acceptable proof consists of SF-50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments and copies of approved letters based on individual claims.

Physical Demands: Duties involve rigorous fieldwork requiring above average physical performance, endurance and superior conditioning. Work requires prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar strenuous activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity.

Duties include demands for strenuous activities in emergencies under adverse environmental conditions and over extended periods of time. Operation of some specialized fire equipment can place extended physical stress on the incumbent during fire activities.

Work Environment: The work is primarily performed in forest and range environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with vegetation, and in smoky conditions, etc. Temperatures vary from above 100 degrees Fahrenheit to below freezing. Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material.

Personnel must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements, dust and smoke, poor sleeping and eating conditions and unpredictable sets of circumstances. Incumbent may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the work requires that personal protective equipment be worn (boots, hardhat, gloves, flame resistant clothing, etc.). Work may require travel by light fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft, and operating fire trucks (engines) under adverse conditions.

Additional information

BLM may use certain incentives, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract high quality applicants. A recruitment incentive may be available to the selected candidate.

As a career seasonal employee. You will be in pay status for at least 6 months, but less than 12 months per calendar year. When work and/or funds are unavailable, you will be placed into non-pay status. Pay status may be less than 6 months during initial appointment.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program(ICTAP): CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they receive a minimum score of 90 based on the rating criteria used for this position.

SELECTIVE SERVICE: Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

This is a Bargaining Unit position.

BLM may use certain incentives, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract high quality applicants.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document, you do not have in electronic form; view the following link for information regarding an Alternative Application

How you will be evaluated

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

Resumes must show relevant experience and other information. Your resume must list your education and work experience including the dates (mm/yyyy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week and optional salary information. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume?

Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Fire Management
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Teamwork

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