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Fire Management Specialist (Fuels Planner)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located on a USDA Forest Service Unit within the Southwestern Region, Region 3.

The incumbent conducts analysis for fuels treatment planning, vegetation analysis, smoke modeling, fire effects determinations, and integration of out-year planning. The incumbent provides professional advice and assistance to meet resource management objectives with prescribed fire and/or wildfire.

See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Section for location representative details.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/14/2025 to 04/24/2025
Salary
$40,332 to - $79,443 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 9
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Truth or Consequences, NM
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel overnight on fire suppression, fire related assignments, meetings and/or training for this position.
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
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
25-FIRE-P3VA-FUELSPT-579DH
Control number
835183400

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.

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Duties

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  • Duties listed are at full performance grade GS-09 level.
  • Provide program management oversight for a high complexity fire/fuels management program, based on the IFPM complexity analysis rating factors.
  • Provide professional expertise in the development and implementation of multiple resource objectives.
  • Evaluate individual fuels treatments, effectiveness of the overall program and makes recommendations for improvement.
  • Implement and administer prescribed fire activities, wildland fire use, and fuels management activities.
  • Monitor fire behavior, evaluate fire effects; and identify potential problems.
  • Develop fuels treatment alternatives adhering to applicable laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines.
  • Serve as a member of an interdisciplinary team planning, developing, and implementing land management plans, compliance documents, and agreements.
  • Participate in the development, review and modification of fire management plans.
  • Participate in preparedness reviews, proficiency checks and drills, safety sessions, and after action reviews.
  • Coordinate multi-disciplinary field studies related to fuels management program issues to determine effectiveness of treatments.

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 18 years of age.
  • This is a drug testing designated position. You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. Appointment is based on a negative result. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice.
  • Secondary Coverage: Prior wildland firefighting experience is required.
  • Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
  • Some Fire positions may have Conditions of Employment such as: a valid state driver's license; a commercial driver's license (CDL); pre-appointment and random drug testing; or a physical or medical examination.
  • 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.

Basic Requirement:
GS-0401:
Degree: Biological Sciences, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position;
-OR-
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major;
-OR-
Combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field needed to perform the work of the occupation.

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:

GS-05: No specialized experience required. Applicants who meet the basic requirements described in the individual occupational requirements are fully qualified for the GS-5 level.

GS-07: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include the following: Assisted other resource program managers in the design of fuels management prescriptions and/or implementation plans; Participated in the development, review, and/or modification of the fire management plan; Supported prescribed fire activities, wildfire, and/or fuels management activities to ensure targets are achieved, management objectives are met and/or mitigation measures are adequate; Evaluated post burn fire effects, identifies potential problems and/or makes appropriate recommendations;
-OR- One full year of graduate level education;
-OR- An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience;
-OR- Superior Academic Achievement (to determine if you are eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

GS-09: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include the following: Participated in the development, review, and/or modification of the fire management plan; Assisted in the development of fuels treatment alternatives to support management decisions while adhering to applicable laws, regulations, policies, and/or guidelines; supported prescribed fire activities, wildfire, and/or fuels management activities to ensure targets are achieved, management objectives are met and/or mitigation measures are adequate; Evaluated post burn fire effects, identifies potential problems and makes appropriate recommendations; designed and implemented fuels management surveys to document presence, amount, and types of hazardous fuels and/or utilized the results of the surveys to prioritize prescribed fire and fuels management projects;
-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;
-OR- An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants 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.

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.

Selective Placement Factors

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary firefighter position under 5 USC 8336 (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Prior wildland firefighting experience is required. There is no age limit for entry into secondary positions. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent depends upon his or her individual work history.

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

Please see QUALIFICATIONS section for education requirements.

Additional information

For additional information about the duties and location(s) of these positions, please contact regional representative: To see the different locations within the Regional Offices | US Forest Service (usda.gov)

Region 3: Southwestern Region - Tobe Haught at tobe.haught@usda.gov

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.

This is a permanent position and may include weekend work.

The duty station for this position will be at Truth or Consequences, NM. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates.

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.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional Information is available on the OPM Website.

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 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 neither implied or guaranteed.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

Forest Service daycare facilities may be available.

Government Housing may be available.

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.

Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given a new appointment.

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/12722323

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