Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Forestry Technician (Wilderness/Trails)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This announcement is to fill three vacancies on the Chugach National Forest in Cordova, Girdwood, and Moose Pass, Alaska.

The incumbent will serve as a trail crew leader for both trail maintenance and trail construction projects, under the supervision of the district Trails Program Supervisor.

The position is a 13/13 permanent seasonal position, guaranteed 13 pay periods of employment with up to 13 pay periods in non-pay status. A pay period is 80 hours.

Overview

Help
Job canceled
Open & closing dates
12/11/2020 to 12/17/2020
Salary
$39,048 - $43,526 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 6
Locations
Cordova, AK
1 vacancy
Girdwood, AK
1 vacancy
Moose Pass, AK
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
75% or less - Travel will be required for overnight fieldwork and occasional meetings and trainings.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
6
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
21-R10-10981697-DP-ER
Control number
586866500

Duties

Help
  • Duties listed below are at the full performance level, GS-6.
  • Provide field leadership for a trail crew working in both backcountry and frontcountry settings, with up to 6 crew members at a time.
  • Ensure crew safety by leading tailgate safety sessions, discussing Job Hazard Analyses, providing formal and informal training in the safe handling of tools, and ensuring appropriate personal protective equipment is worn for the task at hand.
  • Maintain communication with Forest Dispatch and Trails Program Supervisor via radio and satellite phone.
  • Assist Trails Program Supervisor in project development, including trail layout and making recommendations to solve trail problems.
  • Coordinate logistics necessary for field projects and backcountry camps.
  • Take primary responsibility for the maintenance, inventory, and organization of all trails program tools and supplies.
  • Delegate field work to trail crew members as appropriate, recognizing individuals? strengths while providing for skill development.
  • Perform trail maintenance and construction tasks including but not limited to: brushing, logout, drainage cleaning and installation, turnpike and puncheon installation, rock work, gravel surfacing, and new tread construction.
  • Serve as district heavy equipment operator, operating equipment such as loaders, mini-excavators, and skid steers.
  • For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Will Brennan at william.brennan@usda.gov or 907-754-2351.

Requirements

Help

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.
  • 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.
  • This position requires initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996.
  • This is a bargaining unit position represented by the National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW.
  • Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.
  • Government Housing may be available
  • This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements; however, this is not a virtual position and incumbent will be expected to report to duty station.

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.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-05: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: provided information to users of recreational areas or trails on resource management practices, recreation use regulations, opportunities, and restrictions; performed routine support assignments in a forestry specialty area such as recreation or timber; and/or performed crew-based forestry related support work such as experience using chainsaws in trail construction/maintenance tasks, recreation trail or recreation facility construction and/or maintenance projects.

For the GS-06: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: assisting staff in planning and implementing the logistics required for completion of wilderness projects, such as trail maintenance and reconstruction projects, experience using chainsaws in trail construction/maintenance tasks, habitat restoration projects; ensuring recreation/wilderness areas are operated, used, and maintained in accordance with trail and/or wilderness management plans; serving on a crew responsible for assisting with trail maintenance surveys and documenting trail work needs in data management systems; and/or following trail maintenance schedules for the reconstruction and construction of trails and wilderness/recreation sites.

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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

The hourly rate for this position begins at $18.71 for the GS-5 and $20.86 for the GS-6.

Salary will be adjusted to include a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA). A gradually reducing COLA will continue to be paid after December 31, 2012. COLA will not be eliminated until 65% of the locality pay equals the frozen COLA rate. See the OPM website at: http://www.opm.gov/oca/cola/index.asp for additional information.

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. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

This position is being concurrently announced under Merit Promotion Announcement Number 21-R10-10981696-G-ER Current or former Federal employees or other eligible applicants may apply to both announcements to expand all possibilities of consideration since different referral criteria apply to each type of announcement. See the above announcement for more information.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. You will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Individuals with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or 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/10981697

Forest Service

A career with the Forest Service will challenge you to manage and care for more than 193 million acres of our nation's most magnificent lands, conduct research through a network of forest and range experiment stations and the Forest Products Laboratory, and provide assistance to State and private forestry agencies.

It's an awesome responsibility - but the rewards are as limitless as the views.

Agency contact information

HRM Contact Center
Phone
1-877-372-7248 X2
Email
SM.FS.FSJobs@usda.gov
Address
USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.