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Backcountry Visitor Technician (Wilderness)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Zion National Park
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These Backcountry Visitor Technician (Wilderness) positions are located in Zion National Park in a busy Wilderness Permit office. The purpose of this position is to provide Wilderness education and permit services to the public to enhance visitor safety, encourage visitor enjoyment, and promote visitation that preserves both the health of the environment and quality of the overall wilderness and park experience.

This is a Career-Seasonal appointment.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/03/2022 to 06/16/2022
This job will close when we have received 75 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$40,262 to - $58,158 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Zion National Park
Springdale, UT
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position for training purposes or site visits up to 1 night per month. Occasional overnight wilderness camping is required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Career-Seasonal
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
7
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
IM-1539-ZION-22-11472985-ST
Control number
657796800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All current or former career/career-conditional federal employees with competitive/reinstatement eligibility; Eligible applicants under: Veterans' Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA); CTAP/ICTAP within the local commuting area; Special Hiring Authorities; Current or former time-limited employees under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA); All former PLC members meeting PLC requirements.

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Duties

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Open to the first 75 applicants or until 06/16/2022 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

This is a Career-Seasonal appointment. Permanent, Career-Seasonal positions include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. Non-pay status will be up to four (4) pay periods each season, scheduled some time between mid-December and early March.

The Purpose of this Position: To provide Wilderness education and permit services to the public to enhance visitor safety, encourage visitor enjoyment, and promote visitation that preserves both the health of the environment and quality of the overall wilderness and park experience.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Major Duties:

  • This position performs technical rope skills used in canyoneering, climbing, or mountaineering. Independently, complete and lead canyoneering or climbing routes, ascend and descend ropes, as well as create and evaluate anchors.
  • Lead operations of a visitor information and permitting station, including opening and closing procedures. Collects and reconciles federal funds for Wilderness permit and park entrance fees using electronic register. Operates an internet based reservation and permitting system to issue Wilderness use permits for tracking visitor use. Makes updates to an on-line permitting system with the ability to problem solve routine issues. Training volunteers and co-workers on daily operations.
  • Collects Wilderness resource use information. Uses computerized database to track resource conditions and impacts. Completes state of resource reports, makes suggestions, and implements resource improvement efforts.
  • Communicates information regarding Park, Wilderness, and surrounding areas to a variety of visitors. Provides information regarding minimum impact (Leave No Trace) methods, wilderness, and park resources at a Visitor Center and in the Zion Wilderness. Provides information in person, via phone, email, and social media.
  • Perform and lead wilderness patrols in harsh environments. Off trail travel, route finding with maps, campsite selection, locating water sources; hiking may include up to 15 miles per day. Must assess terrain, weather, and skill levels for safety.
  • Uses basic search and rescue equipment (wheeled litters, backboards, splints, etc.). Participates on an incident management team using an Incident Command System. Participates in non-technical rescues (searches, carry outs, etc.), and performs technical rock climbing rescue.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment (if required/prompted).
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • TIME IN GRADE (TIG) - Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
  • DRIVER'S LICENSE: 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 submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
  • UNIFORM: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • WORK SCHEUDLE: You may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • TRAVEL: You may be expected to travel for this position for training purposes or site visits up to 1 night per month. Occasional overnight wilderness camping is required. You may need to obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • Government housing may be available.
  • Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
  • This position performs technical rope skills used in canyoneering, climbing, or mountaineering. The selected candidate(s) must have the skills to independently, complete and lead canyoneering or climbing routes, ascend and descend ropes, as well as create and evaluate anchors.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-06/16/2022-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs technical rope skills used in canyoneering, climbing, or mountaineering. The selected candidate(s) must have the skills to independently, complete and lead canyoneering or climbing routes, ascend and descend ropes, as well as create and evaluate anchors. These skills and abilities are required. Candidates who do not meet these requirements by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. Your resume must include these skills and abilities or you will be found ineligible.

- AND -

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

For the GS-06 level:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service or equivalent.
Examples of specialized experience include:
- Providing information or assistance to the public in a business, recreation, or outdoor setting;
- Compiling and/or analyzing information to prepare reports;
- Experience using software programs such as word processing, spreadsheet, or database systems (e.g., Excel, Access, Word, or similar);
- Working in a public facing office while providing customer service and/or office support work;
- Perform field patrols to complete permit compliance checks to ensure resource protection, fee compliance, and visitor safety;
- Monitor, collect, and report on field information regarding park or recreation area resources and their conditions including visitor encounter rates, trail use counts, and/or resource impacts.
You must include hours per week worked.

For the GS-07 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level in the Federal service or equivalent.
Examples of specialized experience include:
- Providing information, assistance, or guidance to the public in a business, recreation, or outdoor setting;
- Compiling, analyzing, and/or reporting resource information to leadership.
- Experience using software programs such as word processing, spreadsheet, or database systems (e.g., Excel, Access, Word, or similar);
- Lead and/or train others in working in a public facing office while providing customer service and/or office support work;
- Lead field patrols to complete permit compliance checks to ensure resource protection, fee compliance, and visitor safety;
- Experience leading and mentoring others in resource monitoring, collecting, and reporting field information regarding park or recreation area resources and their conditions including visitor encounter rates, trail use counts, and resource impacts;
- Explain policies, regulations, or information on natural, historical, and/or resource preservation to the public, coworkers, and/or volunteers.
You must include hours per week worked.

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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.

Additional information

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ZION AREA INFORMATION: Zion National Park is located in southwestern Utah. The climate is generally hot with daytime temperatures averaging 95 to 100 degrees in the summer, and 55 degrees in the winter. Nighttime lows range from 65 degrees in the summer to 30 degrees in the winter. Minimal shopping is available in Springdale, Utah, located (2) miles from Park Headquarters. A full range of shopping, medical, dental, religious, and recreational facilities are available in Hurricane (25 miles), St. George, (45 miles), and in Cedar City, (63 miles), Utah. Elementary school (grades K-5) is available in Springdale, with bus service provided. Junior high and high school is available in Hurricane, with bus service provided. Utah Tech University (formerly Dixie State University) is located in St. George, and Southern Utah University is located in Cedar City.

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Physical Demands: The work includes both indoor and outdoor work. While indoor work is usually not strenuous, outdoor work regularly involves extensive hiking, often over rough surfaces or steep inclines carry backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads. At times backpacks and rescue loads can weigh more than 50 pounds and be carried over very long distances. These duties are performed often in isolated outdoor environments while exposed to routine severe conditions.

Working Conditions: Outdoor work requires extended periods of outdoor activity where the incumbent will be exposed to severe weather conditions including temperatures well below freezing to in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Field patrols involve hiking with heavy loads on steep, uneven, slippery, or extreme hot or cold weather situations with tremendous height exposures where risk might be understood and mitigated with careful planning and appropriate equipment. Adherence to specific safety procedures and other precautions are required. Bad weather, insets, or discomforts, and the hazards of rough terrain are common. While the indoor work environment is temperate, work performed both at the visitor contact stations, and in the field can busy, creating a stressful environment

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

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 who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your responses to the online assessments completed during the application process. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Manages Resources
  • Oral Communication
  • Reading
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

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