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Forestry Technician (Handcrew)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Job Corps graduates of fire certified programs are encouraged to apply.

These positions are located Northern Idaho, Region 1, Northern Region.

This position serves as an assistant to the supervisor of a Wildland Firefighter, Type 2 IA HandCrew. The primary responsibility is for leadership of highly effective wildland fire suppression and wildland urban interface/intermix situations.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/27/2020 to 05/06/2020
Salary
$38,921 to - $56,222 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Many vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignments.
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
7
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
20-FIRE-UHE-ID-HCREWH-7DH
Control number
566647900

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.

Duties

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  • Serves as a full assistant to the Handcrew Supervisor in the technical and administrative supervision of a work force of 10 to 20 persons.
  • Uses technical equipment such as programmable two way radios, GPS units, weather monitoring equipment, computers for accessing fire weather, fire modeling and mapping programs.
  • Assists in the technical decisions and implementing appropriate strategy and tactics.
  • Participates in the planning and implementing work activities such as setting priorities, identifying objectives, coordinating resources, vehicles, supplies and equipment.
  • Develops job hazard analysis and conducts job skill training.
  • Recognizes, reacts to and communicates changes in predicted weather and fire behavior, topography and fuel types, and adapts planned strategies and tactics to identify and locate firelines, escape routes and safety zones.
  • Works with other resource managers in the development and implementation of prescribed burn plans.
  • Participates with the supervisor in developing and implementing training programs (mandatory, formal and informal) to comply with policy and regulations and to develop and implement a comprehensive physical training program.
  • Duties listed are at the full performance level.

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.
  • Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of training.
  • 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.
  • Must pass the Work Capacity Test for certain Interagency Fire Program Management or Fire Program Management positions.
  • 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.
  • Under age 37; less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Permanent Federal Service in a primary or secondary firefighter/law enforcement position or a veteran preference eligible, older than age 37 and is requesting a waiver to the requirement.

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.

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.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-6: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-5 OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture) OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Examples of specialized experience include: Served on a fire suppression crew under the most adverse conditions of climate, fuels, and terrain and/or Performed many technical specializations such as felling, saw repair, long line, rappelling, or water handling used in fire suppression and prescribed burning and/or Assisted crew leader with conducting formal training in the techniques of fire suppression and prescribed burning, and other slash disposal methods.

For the GS-7: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-6 OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture) OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Examples of specialized experience include: Recognized, reacted to, and communicated changes in predicted weather and fire behavior, topography and fuel types, and adapted planned strategies and tactics to identify and relocate firelines, escape routes, and safety zones and/or served as a crew leader for a small fire crew responsible for the suppression of wildland fires and/or fuels management duties and/or conducted initial evaluation of fire situation and determined suppression method to use and/or conducted formal training in the techniques of fire suppression and prescribed burning, and other slash disposal methods.

Selective Placement Factors

Successfully completed the Primary NWCG Core Requirement of Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) -AND- Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Incident Commander Type 5 (ICT5).

Primary firefighter positions include the following age requirements: Under age 37 -OR- less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Permanent Federal Service worked in a primary or secondary firefighter/law enforcement position -OR- a veteran preference eligible, older than age 37 and is requesting a waiver to the maximum age requirement.

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 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.

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a primary/rigorous 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.

Education

See Qualification Section.

Additional information

Location Negotiable at Selection: The Northern Region, Region 1, will be filling multiple positions at R1-only Forest Service duty locations across the state of Idaho. Job offers will be at specific duty locations and by specific units with vacant positions; final determination of duty location will be made by the selecting official(s) at the time of job offer. Applicants who are selected must be willing to accept at the duty location offered. Alternative duty locations will not be negotiated at the time of selection. To see where Forest Service offices are located, click here. Click each National Forest name to see the different locations within Northern Idaho.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r1/about-region/offices

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.

These are permanent positions with varying tours of duty and may include weekend work. Some positions may have irregular and protracted hours of work. Tours of duty include full-time or less than full time (guaranteed minimum 13 pay periods full-time employment).

Availability of government housing, federal day care facilities, and telework may be available. Some positions filled via this announcement are bargaining unit positions represented by the National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW. This is dependent upon unit location.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations in Region 1. 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.

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses -2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel Help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email asc_tos@fs.fed.us.

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.

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/10802953

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