The Northern Rockies Servicing Human Resources Office (NR SHRO) is currently seeking applicants to fill numerous temporary Forestry Technician (Fire Lookout), GS-0462-04/05 positions at Glacier National Park. Appointments are limited to 1039 hours in a twelve month period. Seasonal work is expected to start in the spring and last through early to late fall. Work schedule will be 40 hours per week, usually 8 hours per day. The appointee will work 10 days on, four days off. Some overtime, night or weekend work my be required in emergency situations. Appointments may be terminated at any time. Under rare circumstances appointments may be extended. Positions offer rehire eligibility for subsequent appointments, provided the employee has not exceeded 1039 hours of work in a twelve month period and has achieved an acceptable level of performance.
GS-04: $14.07 per hour
GS-05: $15.74 per hour
Duty Location West Glacier: West Glacier has seasonal food and gas services. All services are available in Columbia Falls (17 miles), Kalispell (32 miles) or Whitefish (28 miles). Lookouts may be: Huckleberry, Scalplock, Numa, Loneman or Swiftcurrent.
Government housing is available; incumbent must live at assigned lookout and will not be charged rent at the lookout. Additional housing for use during non-work days may be available and deductions for rent of additional government housing are made from the employee's paycheck. Seasonal employees occupying government housing at Glacier National Park are not permitted to have pets.
Information on Glacier National Park is available at www.nps.gov/glac
Summary
The Northern Rockies Servicing Human Resources Office (NR SHRO) is currently seeking applicants to fill numerous temporary Forestry Technician (Fire Lookout), GS-0462-04/05 positions at Glacier National Park. Appointments are limited to 1039 hours in a twelve month period. Seasonal work is expected to start in the spring and last through early to late fall. Work schedule will be 40 hours per week, usually 8 hours per day. The appointee will work 10 days on, four days off. Some overtime, night or weekend work my be required in emergency situations. Appointments may be terminated at any time. Under rare circumstances appointments may be extended. Positions offer rehire eligibility for subsequent appointments, provided the employee has not exceeded 1039 hours of work in a twelve month period and has achieved an acceptable level of performance.
GS-04: $14.07 per hour
GS-05: $15.74 per hour
Duty Location West Glacier: West Glacier has seasonal food and gas services. All services are available in Columbia Falls (17 miles), Kalispell (32 miles) or Whitefish (28 miles). Lookouts may be: Huckleberry, Scalplock, Numa, Loneman or Swiftcurrent.
Government housing is available; incumbent must live at assigned lookout and will not be charged rent at the lookout. Additional housing for use during non-work days may be available and deductions for rent of additional government housing are made from the employee's paycheck. Seasonal employees occupying government housing at Glacier National Park are not permitted to have pets.
Information on Glacier National Park is available at www.nps.gov/glac
Incumbent is stationed at a fire lookout to detect and report forest fires. Reports and maps lightning strikes and/or fires by using topographic maps and compass or Osborne fire-finder to plot fire locations by coordinate and geographic features, and transmits information to the fire dispatch center. Uses two-way radios to communicate with fire dispatch, and may serve as radio relay with firefighters or for other park operations. May use hand tools for clearing fire trails. Collects and reports daily weather readings, conducts visitor contacts, and provides park information.
2. Forestry Technician (Lookout), GS-462-05:
Duties will be the same as GS-4 above, with the additional duties of serving as Lead Lookout. Incumbent will provide some mentoring and training for junior lookouts; assist with logistical requirements; assist with basic lookout maintenance; and assist with lookout work scheduling.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Standing and hiking over rough, uneven, rocky, and sometimes hazardous surfaces is required. Demands of long days in the tower may not be physically demanding, but are mentally fatiguing by occasional heavy fire activity. Many times lieu days must be worked because of emergency fire conditions. Extended operation of equipment may place unusual physical stress during certain monitoring activities.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The incumbent will work in mountainous and forested terrain. Risks include exposure to toxic and irritating insects, exposure to potential animal-borne disease vectors, exposure to machinery/aircraft noise, falling and rolling material, heat and exhaustion. Duty stations are located in remote areas, accessible only by hiking. Work is performed indoors and outdoors and is subject to weather variances. All supplies for scheduled work days will be delivered by pack string.
U.S. citizenship required and must be at least {INSERT AGE} years of age.
Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with the Selective Service.
Pre-Appointment drug test required; random testing after reporting date
Qualifications
To be eligible for this position, you must possess the qualifying specialized experience and/or education as well as any selective factors or screen-out elements as described in the occupational questionnaire and as outlined below. All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement, Wednesday, March 08, 2017. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors.
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.
To qualify at the GS-04 level based on your experience you must show you have 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience. General experience includes experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: forestry aid or technician work; engineering, range, or soil conservation technician work that involved the application of cultural, resource conservation, or land management practices on non-forest or ranch lands when combined with knowledge of forestry operations and equipment; farming or ranching work that involved application of cultural and soil and water conservation practices, including safety and use of equipment, and that provided a basic understanding of land use; forest or range fire control, prevention, or suppression work. If you are claiming this experience, it must be documented in your resume.
To qualify at the GS-04 level based on your education you must show you have successfully completed 2 years of study above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable. IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of college courses taken that identify for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed. We cannot determine eligibility without this information. We will not solicit you for this information and you may not receive consideration if it is not submitted. One year of full-time undergraduate academic study is defined as 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours.
You may also qualify at the GS-04 level based on a combination of your experience and education. For example: 6 months of experience (50% of the experience) and one year of study above high school (50% of the education), would qualify an applicant for this position, which included at least 6 semester hours of such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable.
To qualify at the GS-05 level based on your experience you must show that you have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level in Federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: forestry aid or technician work; engineering, range, or soil conservation technician work that involved the application of cultural, resource conservation, or land management practices on non-forest or ranch lands when combined with knowledge of forestry operations and equipment; forest or range fire control, prevention, or suppression work.
To qualify at the GS-05 level based on your education you must show that you successfully completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to these positions or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses as listed in 1B above. No more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable. IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must submit a copy of your transcripts. We will not solicit you for this information and you may not receive consideration if it is not submitted.
You may also qualify at the GS-05 level based on a combination of education and experience. For example: 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the experience) and three years of undergraduate education (50% of the education), would qualify an applicant for this position. The education must have included at least 12 semester hours of such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable.NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable for this requirement.
Education
Qualifying Based on Education
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Applicants can verify accreditation HERE .
Transcripts do not need to be official but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify then you will need to provide official transcripts before you enter on duty.
You can receive credit for education received outside the United States if you provide evidence that it is comparable to an accredited education institution in the United States when you apply. For further information click HERE.
Additional information
1. CTAP/ICTAP: If you are an eligible Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant you may apply for special selection over other candidates for this position. To be considered under this special selection priority you must fall into at least the Well Qualified category. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. For additional information go to www.opm.gov/ctap
2. In accordance with PL 104-134, new employees of the Department of the Interior must identify a financial institution for direct deposit of net pay within 30 days of entrance on duty.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Temporary Federal employees, depending on the type of appointment and work schedule, may earn 4 to 8 hours of annual (vacation) leave, dependent on years of service, each 2 week pay period. Sick leave is earned at a rate of 4 hours each 2 week pay period, regardless of length of service. Temporary Federal employees may be paid Sunday pay, holiday pay, night or shift pay, or hazard pay.
Temporary, seasonal, and intermittent employees on appointments expected to last at least 90 days, and expected to work a schedule of 130 hours or more a calendar month, will be eligible to enroll in a Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) health plan upon notification from their employing office. Temporary, seasonal, and intermittent employees for whom the expectation of hours of employment changes to meet the above requirement would become eligible to enroll in an FEHB health plan upon notification from their employing office. Eligible employees who elect to participate will receive the same government contribution as permanent employees and will be responsible for the employee share of the premium while on the official agency roles; the employee share is deducted from bi-weekly earnings.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the requirements of the position. Your rating will be based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire. Your answers to the questionnaire will be compared against your resume and other application materials in order to validate your score. The assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) that are required to perform the work of this position. Only education and experience acquired by Wednesday, March 08, 2017 will be considered.
Lookout Operations (GS-04 and GS-05)
Ability to communicate orally and in writing (GS-04 and GS-05)
Knowledge of fire operations, fire weather, fire suppression and fire behavior (GS-04 and GS-05)
Lookout Operations Coordination (GS-5 only)
Please Note: If it is determined that your resume/application materials do not support your answer to the assessment questionnaire, you may be rated ineligible, not qualified or your score may be modified.
You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".
Category rating procedures will be used to refer candidates. Candidates will be placed into either the Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified category.
Best Qualified - applicants possess experience and/or education that well exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, including all selective factors and all quality ranking factors. Applicants considered best qualified must be highly proficient in all requirements of the job and be able to perform effectively in the position. Well Qualified - applicants possess experience and/or education that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
Order of Consideration: Candidates will be considered in the following order:
1. Applicants with veterans preference who have a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more and who scored at least in the Qualified category, and Best Qualified veterans preference eligibles who do not have a service-connected disability, followed by all other Best Qualified applicants;
2. Well Qualified veterans preference eligibles who do not have a service-connected disability, and then all other Well Qualified applicants;
3. Qualified veterans preference eligibles who do not have a service-connected disability, and then all other Qualified applicants.
Veterans must submit the required documentation to verify/confirm eligibility for preference (see "How to Apply" section), otherwise, no veteran's preference will be granted. Additional veteran's information is found at http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Temporary Federal employees, depending on the type of appointment and work schedule, may earn 4 to 8 hours of annual (vacation) leave, dependent on years of service, each 2 week pay period. Sick leave is earned at a rate of 4 hours each 2 week pay period, regardless of length of service. Temporary Federal employees may be paid Sunday pay, holiday pay, night or shift pay, or hazard pay.
Temporary, seasonal, and intermittent employees on appointments expected to last at least 90 days, and expected to work a schedule of 130 hours or more a calendar month, will be eligible to enroll in a Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) health plan upon notification from their employing office. Temporary, seasonal, and intermittent employees for whom the expectation of hours of employment changes to meet the above requirement would become eligible to enroll in an FEHB health plan upon notification from their employing office. Eligible employees who elect to participate will receive the same government contribution as permanent employees and will be responsible for the employee share of the premium while on the official agency roles; the employee share is deducted from bi-weekly earnings.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
To be eligible for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:
1. A Resume - Applicants may use the USAJobs online resume builder to create a resume. Please preview your resume to ensure all required information is included. If you choose to use your own resume format, be sure it includes all the same information that is required in USAJobs Resume Builder such as current contact information for all supervisors as well as month/year and hours worked per week for each job experience block.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire.
3. If you qualify based on education - college transcripts (official or unofficial). Official transcripts will be required at time of selection
4. For Veterans: DD-214 which shows the character of discharge. If still on active duty, you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days from the date the certification is signed.
5. For Disabled Veterans: DD-214 which shows the character of discharge, SF-15 plus proof required by that form, and appropriate Veterans' Affairs letter issued 1991 or later.
6. For Displaced Federal employees: CTAP/ICTAP documentation as described below.
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, March 08, 2017
Do not send copies of documents unless specifically requested.
DO NOT SEND PHOTOGRAPHS. Any resumes with these attachments cannot be forwarded to the hiring official.
Applicants must submit their application packages electronically or by fax. Applications/resumes and supporting documentation sent by mail (including email) WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Applicants are advised that a variety of public facilities such as schools, public libraries, state employment offices and regional job centers provide access to computers at no charge. Help may also be available to targeted groups through a variety of public assistance agencies.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: If you receive an email stating that there was a technical problem uploading your documents, you should fax the applicable documentation to OPM at 478-757-3144. Be sure to use the fax cover sheet that is linked in the vacancy announcement. Include the appropriate Office Code (YL) and VIN (six digit code) so that the fax is processed properly and promptly. For further questions regarding applying online or by fax, please visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Support.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, March 08, 2017 to receive consideration.
· To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents (see required documents section) and complete the occupational questionnaire.
· Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
· It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
· To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login , select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
· To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
APPLYING VIA FAX INSTRUCTIONS:
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203FX) as this will overwrite your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible.
If you completed the occupational questionnaire online and are unable to upload supporting document(s):
If you cannot complete the Application Package online, you may fax all of your materials. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, March 08, 2017 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your fax confirmation in the event verification is needed.
To complete the occupational questionnaire and submit your entire application via fax:
3. Fax all 6 pages of the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents (see required documents section) to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.
Faxed documents will take 2-3 business days to process. Also, faxed documents submitted with missing information will not be processed. The following will prevent your documents from being processed:
*Not using the special cover page listed in the How to Apply section
*Missing, incomplete, or invalid Vacancy Identification Number
*Missing or incomplete Social Security Number or name
Northern Rockies SHRO
Human Resources Office
Do Not Mail Applications
Apply On-line or by Fax
Yellowstone NP, WY 82190
USA
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To be eligible for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:
1. A Resume - Applicants may use the USAJobs online resume builder to create a resume. Please preview your resume to ensure all required information is included. If you choose to use your own resume format, be sure it includes all the same information that is required in USAJobs Resume Builder such as current contact information for all supervisors as well as month/year and hours worked per week for each job experience block.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire.
3. If you qualify based on education - college transcripts (official or unofficial). Official transcripts will be required at time of selection
4. For Veterans: DD-214 which shows the character of discharge. If still on active duty, you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days from the date the certification is signed.
5. For Disabled Veterans: DD-214 which shows the character of discharge, SF-15 plus proof required by that form, and appropriate Veterans' Affairs letter issued 1991 or later.
6. For Displaced Federal employees: CTAP/ICTAP documentation as described below.
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, March 08, 2017
Do not send copies of documents unless specifically requested.
DO NOT SEND PHOTOGRAPHS. Any resumes with these attachments cannot be forwarded to the hiring official.
Applicants must submit their application packages electronically or by fax. Applications/resumes and supporting documentation sent by mail (including email) WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Applicants are advised that a variety of public facilities such as schools, public libraries, state employment offices and regional job centers provide access to computers at no charge. Help may also be available to targeted groups through a variety of public assistance agencies.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: If you receive an email stating that there was a technical problem uploading your documents, you should fax the applicable documentation to OPM at 478-757-3144. Be sure to use the fax cover sheet that is linked in the vacancy announcement. Include the appropriate Office Code (YL) and VIN (six digit code) so that the fax is processed properly and promptly. For further questions regarding applying online or by fax, please visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Support.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, March 08, 2017 to receive consideration.
· To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents (see required documents section) and complete the occupational questionnaire.
· Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
· It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
· To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login , select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
· To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
APPLYING VIA FAX INSTRUCTIONS:
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203FX) as this will overwrite your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible.
If you completed the occupational questionnaire online and are unable to upload supporting document(s):
If you cannot complete the Application Package online, you may fax all of your materials. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, March 08, 2017 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your fax confirmation in the event verification is needed.
To complete the occupational questionnaire and submit your entire application via fax:
3. Fax all 6 pages of the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents (see required documents section) to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.
Faxed documents will take 2-3 business days to process. Also, faxed documents submitted with missing information will not be processed. The following will prevent your documents from being processed:
*Not using the special cover page listed in the How to Apply section
*Missing, incomplete, or invalid Vacancy Identification Number
*Missing or incomplete Social Security Number or name
Northern Rockies SHRO
Human Resources Office
Do Not Mail Applications
Apply On-line or by Fax
Yellowstone NP, WY 82190
USA
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
