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Forestry Technician

Department of the Interior
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is being re-advertised. Applicants who applied previously need not to reapply unless submitting updated and/or additional information.

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Superintendent, Northern Pueblos Agency in San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico. The incumbent of this position serves in a key fire management position in a field fire management organization as a Prescribed Fire/Fuels Technician.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/23/2020 to 08/21/2020
Salary
$48,201 - $69,210 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8 - 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
San Juan Pueblo, NM
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ST-10788418-20-AG
Control number
569182700

Duties

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  • Participate in planning, implementing, and coordinating all aspects of the prescribed fire and fuels management program.
  • Develops and recommends plans and schedules for prescribed fire, wildfire response, and fuels treatment projects.
  • Reviews project plans and make recommendations on appropriate levels of monitoring.
  • Utilizes fire model applications to analyze fire behavior and fire effects observation data.
  • Identifies and provides for training needs to support prescribed fire and fuels management programs

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • Indian Preference applies
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit
  • You may be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  • Incumbent is required to operate a government motor vehicle, must possess a valid driver's license, and have a safe driving record within the 3 year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607.
  • This position is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and annual medical screening and physical fitness testing for arduous duty.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions, and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0462: Forestry Technician Series)

GS-8: 1 year of specialized work experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service.
Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, forestry technician work; forest or range fire
control, prevention, or suppression work; assisting in prescribed fire and fuels program planning and
coordination; recommending plans and schedules for prescribed fire, wildfire response, and fuels treatment
projects; participating in technical aspects of prescribed fire operations, ensuring preparation, ignition, holding,
mop-up, and rehabilitation meet prescription standards; monitoring fire behavior and evaluating fire effects;
participating in wildland fire and safety training and preparedness reviews.

GS-9: 1 year of specialized work experience equivalent to at least the GS-08 level in the Federal service.
Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, forestry technician work; forest or range fire
control, prevention or suppression work; developing plans and schedules for prescribed fire, wildfire
response, and fuels treatment projects; evaluating prescription treatments, monitoring methods; conducting
surveys; using a database to model and analyze fire behavior and fire effects observation data; implementing
technical aspects of prescribed fire operations, ensuring preparation, ignition, holding, mop-up, and rehabilitation meet prescription standards; conducting field reconnaissance and summarize findings; providing for training needs to support prescribed fire and fuels management programs; or two (2) full years of graduate
education in forestry, range management, agriculture, or closely related discipline. One year of graduate
education is considered to be the number of credit hours that your graduate school has determined to represent
one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If
you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27
quarter hours) is considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full- time graduate study; or a
combination of experience as described in A above and education in B above which total at least one year. For
example, 6 months of experience (50% of the experience) and one year of related graduate-level study
(50% of the education requirement) would qualify an applicant for this position.

This position has been identified as one of the key fire management positions under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard. This position has been categorized as a Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist - Moderate Complexity, and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found at http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS: The applicant must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position:

  • Primary Core Requirement: Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2)
  • Secondary Core Requirement: Engine Boss (ENGB) or Crew Boss (CRWB) or Helicopter Manager (HMGB)

This position requires a minimum of 90 days previous wildland firefighting experience which provided knowledge of the techniques, policies, and practices of wildland fire management. Wildland fire are categorized into two distinct types: 1) Wildfires - unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires; 2) Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions. This description includes only fireline experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning states.

This position is a secondary-administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 USC 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 8412 (d) (FERS).

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date.

THIS POSITION WILL SUPPORT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE EFFORTS TO COVID-19.

Education

If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION

Additional information

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2020 Salary Tables and select the pay chart for San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

The full performance level of this position is GS-09. Promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. A career ladder promotion is at the discretion of management, and in no way guaranteed.

TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has determined that the duties of the position are not suitable for telework under any circumstances.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp .

Under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) two groups of individuals are eligible to apply under this announcement: current and/or former employees serving or who have served under time-limited competitive appointments at land management agencies. Land Management Agencies include: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service.

  • Current appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; AND 3) must have performed at an acceptable level during each period of service.
  • Former appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; 3) must have separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; AND 4) must have performed at an acceptable level through the service period.
Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/; Vets Info Guide: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.

Former Federal Employees are required to indicate whether they received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) buyout in their previous employment with the Federal government, and are required to submit a copy of the applicable Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) regarding the VSIP. Most individuals who accept reemployment with the Federal government within 5 years of receiving the VSIP amount, must repay the gross amount of the separation pay prior to reemployment.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application package will be evaluated against the minimum qualification requirements specified above. In order to qualify, your resume must specifically describe your work history and the duties you performed in each position. Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date of 08/21/2020 to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. Qualified candidates will then be rated on their possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, competencies and experience requirements as demonstrated by your responses to the assessment questions. Competencies measured include:

  • Ecology
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Technical Competence

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If the information in your resume does not support your responses to the assessment questions, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your qualifications.

Qualified Indian preference candidates will be referred to the hiring manager in order of veterans' preference.

You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10788418. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs

Indian Affairs provides services to 573 federally recognized tribes with a population of about 1.9 million American Indian and Alaska Natives. Indian Affairs offers an extensive range of programs such as social services, law enforcement and detention services, administration of tribal courts, natural resources management, economic development, implementation of land and water claim settlements, housing improvement, disaster relief, and the replacement and maintenance of schools, roads, and bridges.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is committed to ensuring a safe and engaging workplace, which exhibits the values of respect, teamwork, fairness, and honesty.

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472). Verification Form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. Indian Preference eligibles not currently employed in Federal service may be appointed under the Excepted Service Appointment Authority Schedule A, 213.3112(a)(7). Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants in the absence of qualified Indian Preference eligibles. For more information about Indian preference or to obtain BIA Form 4432 application instructions, please visit: https://www.bia.gov/jobs.

Agency contact information

Antonia Gachupin
Phone
(505) 563-5135
Email
antonia.gachupin@bia.gov
Address
BIA Center for Recruitment Albuquerque
BIA Center for Recruitment Albuquerque
1011 Indian School Road, NW
Suite 136
Albuquerque, NM 87104
US

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Learn more about what it's like to work at Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.bia.gov/

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