Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen.

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These permanent career-seasonal positions includes all the benefits of permanent employment, but does not provide employment on a full year-round basis. As such, selectees will be in a non-pay/non-duty status for at least 2 weeks to 6 months per year based on project requirements or weather conditions. Selectees are guaranteed to work at least 6 months per year but not more than 50 weeks per year, with the work schedule to be determined upon appointment.

The employee will participate in wildland firefighting, prescribed fires and hazard fuel reduction projects as a skilled senior crewmember on a wildland fire engine or hand crew. He or she must have knowledge of standard practices of wildland fire suppression and fire prevention activities. The employee will work on a four-wheel drive wildland engine, driving the engine, operating the pump, making hose lays and performing mobile and stationary engine attack under the direction of an engine foreman. He or she will patrol roads and heavy visitor use areas for detection and reduction of potential fire hazards; utilize a variety of specialized tools, equipment and techniques to suppress wildland fires; prepare, conduct or rehabilitate prescribed burns; and participate in mechanical hazard fuel reduction projects. He or she will clean, maintain, and conduct periodic maintenance of fire equipment, pumps, and hand and power tools. The employee will assist with fire station and fire cache maintenance and operations. He or she will participate in resource management activities and projects throughout the fire zone (MI, IL, IN and WI), put on fire education programs, and prepare various forms and reports as assigned.

This is a Primary firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8812(d) (FERS) and5 U.S.C. 8336(c) (CSRS). Maximum age for entry conditions apply. See "Qualifications" for additional information.

The Work Capacity Test (WCT-Pack Test) is a method for assessing an employee's fitness levels for fire qualifications in the positions covered by this recruitment notice. Employees required to pass a WCT-Pack Test as a "condition of employment" will be provided one opportunity to pass the required test with a second chance provided at the discretion of management based on the results of the first test. This recruitment notice constitutes the required 30 days advanced notice for testing requirements. NOTE: Arduous fitness (WCT-Pack Test) will consist of completing a three-mile hike, within 45 minutes, while carrying a 45 pound pack. A time of 45 minutes, the passing score for the test, approximates an aerobic fitness score of 45, the established standard for firefighters. Applicants shall be disqualified for appointment if they fail to meet any physical requirement. Probationary or seasonal employment is subject to termination for failure to meet the 25th percentile in each of the identified component being measured.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Essential functions require arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping and twisting. Duties involve rigorous fieldwork requiring above average physical performance, endurance and superior conditioning. Work requires prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity. Duties include demands for strenuous activities in emergencies under adverse environmental conditions and over extended periods of time. Operation of some specialized fire equipment can place extended physical stress on employee during fire activities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is primarily performed in forest, range and desert environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with thick tangled vegetation, smoky conditions, etc. Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and fall below freezing. Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material. Employee must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements, dust and smoke, poor bivouac and eating situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. Employee may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the work requires that personal protective equipment be worn (boots, hardhat, gloves, flame resistant clothing, etc.). Work may require travel by fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• You will be required to be subject to furlough. See additional information for more details.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and also pass a medical examination (which includes vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. You will also be required to undergo periodic medical examinations throughout employment.
• Required to Pass a Work Capacity Test (WCT-Pack Test). See detailed information for WCT-Pack Test under Qualifications.
• You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• Subject to frequent extended travel up to 5 nights per month particularly during fire season, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• Selectees will be expected to travel in (not pilot) a small single-engine aircraft.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/18/2020-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience.

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 Senior Firefighter and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. For more information on IFPM, click here.

Selective 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:

1. Primary Core Requirement: FFT1
2. Required Training: S-290 Intermediate Fire Behavior

Selectees for IFPM positions requiring currency will be required to obtain and maintain currency for the NWCG qualifications listed above.

MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE (MEA): This position is covered by the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d) as a Primary/Rigorous Firefighter. Applicants must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to this position unless there is sufficient prior Federal service in a covered position to permit retirement on or before the mandatory retirement age for this type of position. An exception is allowed if you are a qualified veteran preference eligible.

- AND -

Applicants must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience could include: on-the-line wildland fire experience in forest/range fire control, prevention or suppression work as a skilled wildland firefighter, utilizing a variety of specialized wildland fire tools and equipment. You must include hours per week worked on your resume.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or (b) that included at least 24 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 and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable.. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year (junior/senior level) is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described in "A" above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified in "B" above and no more than 3 hours of which was mathematics (50% of the related coursework required).

Volunteer Experience: 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

• Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
• Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience 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 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.

• Fire Management
• Risk Management
• Technical Competence
• Technical Application