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Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource.

This position is located in Shoshone, Idaho. Information about the surrounding area may be found here.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/16/2020 to 12/30/2020
Salary
$38,921 to - $56,222 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Shoshone, ID
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - Frequent travel will be required during times of peak fire activity.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - PFT
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
7
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ID-DE-21-10986573-AV
Control number
587329500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous federal service is required. This position is being advertised under an OPM government-wide Direct Hire authority. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

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  • Determines the appropriate response to incidents and requests from the field and independently plans and carries out the procedural and technical tasks involved in the dispatching of personnel, equipment, and/or supplies to suppress wildland fires.
  • Coordinates aviation dispatch operations (e.g., aircraft capabilities and limitations, flight planning, flight following, aviation safety)
  • Processes and interprets weather information (e.g., spot weather forecasts, weather station observations, current and forecasted weather, lightning detection, and fuel moisture levels).
  • Performs, and directs others, in inputting data into a number of fire-related computer applications (e.g., incident qualification records, fire reporting systems, and automated dispatching systems) and makes assessment of outputs.
  • Provides information and consults with cooperators and other interested entities. Provides critical logistical support information to supervisor and makes recommendations concerning the efficient uses of available resources

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.

Qualifications

Physical Demands: The work involves long hours of sitting, intense concentration, and working at peak proficiency/intensity levels with irregular breaks and mealtimes. The duties of this position create a highly stressful environment during peak activity, requiring the ability to keep calm in emergency situations. Must be able to cope with the pressure of meeting timeframes and changing priorities. Mental concentration and accuracy are required.

Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in an office setting. During peak activity, increased radio traffic, numerous ringing phones, and conversations result in high noise levels, which require a high level of concentration to perform duties. This creates a high stress work environment.

Specialized Experience Requirements: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement - please be sure to include this information in your resume. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.

For GS-06: One year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-05 in the federal service. Examples of specialized experience may include experience as a dispatcher or experience in wildland fire, police, structure fire or other emergency related fields. Examples: perform dispatch duties for wildland fire, police or fire departments, or other emergency services including receiving, filling & tracking requests, providing logistical support information, recording & maintaining records & communications logs.

For GS-07: One year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-06) in the Federal service. Specialized experience at this level is defined as but not limited to: dispatcher or experience in wildland fire, police, structure fire or other emergency fields. Examples: perform dispatch support duties for wildland fire, police, fire departments, or other emergency services. Directs others in completing & processing requests for resources, train lower level personnel, coordinate with others on mobilization, reassignment & demobilization of resources.

Substitution of Education for the Specialized Experience Requirement:

For GS-06/07: One year (18 semester hours) of graduate level college education in a field related to range work such as a major study in forestry, range management, agriculture or a field directly related to this position.

Education and experience may be combined to meet the specialized experience requirement.

We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, more than one position may be filled from this announcement.

This is a secondary/administrative fire position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). While secondary positions are not subject to the maximum entry age policy, the selectee must have prior service in a primary position and meet the transfer requirement for movement from a primary to secondary position to be eligible for special retirement coverage. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your SF-50). YOU MUST LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A PRIMARY POSITION.

THIS IS A DRUG TESTING DESIGNATED POSITION. In accordance with Executive Order 12564, and under the Department's Drug Free Workplace Program, applicant(s) tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use and to pass the test prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

You must possess a valid state driver's license by the closing date of the announcement and at all times during your appointment in this position.

Responses to the online job-specific questions must be supported in your resume.

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.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

You must meet all NWCG minimum qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.

Selective Placement Factor 1: PRIOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. Applicants must have at least one season (3-6 months) of prior wildland firefighting experience. This must be evidenced in your application. Your experience needs to have been on an organized crew where you received training and experience on a variety of initial attack, extended attack or project fires which would provide an understanding of the support requirements provided by the dispatch functions.

Selective Placement Factor 2: To meet NWCG minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must possess all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position:

1) Initial Attack Dispatcher (IADP)

You must provide a copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other equivalent documentation which verifies you meet the required NWCG minimum qualifications for this position. Failure to provide this documentation by the closing dated of the announcement will result in you being rated as not qualified.

Additional information

Travel and per diem are not covered for this position.

May require completion of a 1 year probationary period.

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on a Reemployment Priority List, you may be given priority consideration.

If the position is filled at a lower grade level, subsequent promotion to the next grade level will be processed without further competition dependent upon administrative approval and the continuing need for an actual assignment and performance of higher-level duties.

SELECTIVE SERVICE: Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System website.

Government facilities are required to provide a smoke free environment for their employees. Smoking will be permitted only in designated areas.

FACT SHEET FOR FIRE/LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS: Information on Special Retirement.

How you will be evaluated

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

This is a Public Notice for positions being filled under the Direct Hiring Authority (DHA) for Wildland Fire. Under this recruitment procedure, applications will be accepted for each location identified in this Public Notice. To learn more about Direct-Hire Authority, go to: OPM.GOV Hiring Information - DHA.

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

Because this vacancy will be filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans' Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to positions filled under this announcement. All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion.

Upon receipt of your complete application package, a review will be made to ensure basic qualification requires are met.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

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