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Forestry Technician (Wildland Fire Operations Technician)

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.

We expect to fill one vacancy in one of the following locations; however, additional positions may be filled:

Bishop or Lee Vining or Topaz, CA

A hiring incentive of up to 25% of an employee's annual rate of basic pay may be offered to highly qualified eligible applicants.

Learn more about the DHA here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/#url=Fact-Sheet

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
01/06/2023 to 01/30/2023
Salary
$51,713 to - $74,250 per year

A supplemental pay increase of $20,000 or 50% of base pay per year, is authorized under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through 9/30/2023.

Pay scale & grade
GS 8 - 9
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Bishop, CA
Lee Vining, CA
Topaz, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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
9
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CADHA-23-11783918-GC
Control number
698561600

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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  • Provides oversight during initial and extended attack fires, directs fireline activities and tactics of dispersed firefighters, resources, equipment, and aircraft.
  • Assigns missions to ground and aviation wildland fire suppression resources.
  • Monitors weather and fire behavior and communicates changes to strategy and tactics.
  • Recognizes potential hazardous situations and provides operational briefings.
  • Coordinates with the Dispatch Office regarding current fire behavior and fire conditions, release of resources, and other logistical considerations.
  • Participates in incident objectives, strategies and tactics to provide for safe operations and cost-effective incident management.
  • Ensures preparedness of wildland fire suppression equipment and personnel.
  • Ensures preparedness of wildland fire suppression equipment and personnel.
  • Conducts field reconnaissance of proposed prescribed burn units; makes recommendations on treatment techniques for meeting objectives; drafts prescribed burn plans; performs post-burn evaluation and completes documentation.
  • Assists in developing and revising interagency annual operating plans, annual budget requests, the fire management plan and operating procedures pertaining to preparedness, wildland fire suppression and prescribed fire.
  • Assists in wildland fire management planning such as fire assistance program coordination, interdisciplinary team participation, NEPA and other compliance document preparation, contracting, fire rehabilitation planning and fire mitigation measures.
  • Organizes fire caches, maintains inventory and accountable property, positions equipment and personnel; evaluates equipment and personnel needs, and develops/prioritizes equipment and personnel funding requests.
  • Assists in conducting local level preparedness reviews and supports state level reviews.
  • Assists in managing the budget for facility maintenance, supplies, and equipment
  • Coordinates wildland fire and aviation training courses and may serve as an instructor for 300 and 400 level courses.
  • Provides technical and administrative supervision. Plans and directs overall work to be accomplished.
  • Sets and adjusts priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work.
  • Develops performance standards and evaluates work performance of subordinates.
  • Responsible for the on-the-job safety and health of all employees supervised.

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.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • Supervisory Probationary Period: If you are selected for this position, you will be required to serve a one year supervisory/managerial probationary period if one has not previously been completed.
  • This position requires regular and recurring overtime and shift work.
  • This position requires you to wear an officially-approved uniform while in a duty status.
  • You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position.
  • You must pass a pre-employment physical.
  • You must meet specified levels on annual physical fitness tests, and pass periodic medical exams for wild land fire personnel, commensurate with current incident management qualifications.
  • You must also pass the work capacity test for arduous positions.
  • An applicant appointed to this position must possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
  • May require a one year probationary period.
  • 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.

Qualifications

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:

This position is subject to the Interagency Fire Program (IFPM) Standard for a Wildland Fire Operations Specialist - Moderate Complexity. This position requires one of the following Pathways - Currency Not Required:

  • Pathway #1: TFLD (Task Force Leader) and ICT3 (Incident Commander Type 3) or RXB2 (Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2)
  • Pathway #2: HEBM (Helibase Manager) and ICT3 (Incident Commander Type 3)
  • 90 Day Prior Firefighting Experience Requirement (resume must show to and from dates and a description of work performed). The Department of the Interior defines wild land firefighting experience as on-the-line wildland firefighting experience gained through containment, control, suppression, or use of wild land fire. This experience can be met by serving in a temporary, seasonal, or equivalent private sector fire position for no less than 90 days. Periods of wildland firefighting experience, gained through militia and rural fire departments, can also be credited, as long as the total amount of this experience equates to at least 90 days. Wildland fire is defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Two (2) distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fire: (1) Wildfire - An unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. (2) Prescribed Fire - Planned ignitions. This description includes only fire line experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience.
Specialized Experience: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

For the GS-8: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-7 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Leading a wildland fire module in the suppression of wildland fire incidents, such as on a Handcrew: locating fireline and directing fireline construction, backfiring and burnout operations, engine and pump operations, brush clearing, tree falling and holding/patrol/mop up operations; Prescribed Fire: monitoring fire behavior, fire effects, and fire weather; collecting fire data such as fuel loading, tree stand density, fuel moisture, map projects, weather, and records maintenance; Engine: operating a wildland fire engine directing the correct positioning, starting, priming, and adjusting pump valves, hose, nozzles and adjusting additives; Helitack: directing the loading of helicopter, flight manifests, preparing and hooking long line loads.

- OR- Directly Related Master's Degree or equivalent, or at least two years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a Master's degree.

- OR- Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

For the GS-9: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-8 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Assisting in the supervision of a wildland fire module described above, assisting in the day-to-day planning of work assignments and distribution of work, determining preparedness and suppression needs, facilitating procurement, formulating and preparing project plans for the module; managing inventory and assigning property; ensuring safe operation of tools and equipment; determining training needs; determining best tactical method of fire suppression, tools and methods to use; maintaining records and reports on crew hours and movements and history of action taken on fires; determining probable causes of fire and preserves evidence.

-OR- Directly Related Master's Degree or equivalent, or at least two years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a Master's degree.

- OR- Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the 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 (MEA) 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.

Physical Demands: Duties involve fieldwork: requiring above average physical fitness and endurance. 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 strenuous 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 incumbent during fire activities.

Work Environment: Work is performed in both an office and field setting. The work performed in an office setting is primarily sedentary. The work performed outdoors is in forest and desert environments or in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, or covered by vegetation.
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. Personnel must adjust and cope with exposure to weather
elements, dust and smoke, poor sleeping and eating situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. Incumbent may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the job requires that protective clothing be worn (hard hat, gloves,
boots, flame resistant clothing and other personal protective equipment). Work requires travel by light fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft. Incumbent will adhere to all safety rules and regulations as prescribed in manuals/supplements or by the designated Safety Officer.

Education

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

Additional information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): 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, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Tax Law Impact for PCS: Moving expenses reimbursement is a taxable benefit. However, the Federal Travel Regulation 18-05 issued by General Services Administration has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance and Relocation Income Tax Allowance to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals.

This position is not eligible for Telework, however, due to COVID-19, the BLM is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement in accordance with the Department's reentry procedures provided by your Servicing Human Resources Office. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days per pay period depending upon the terms of the Department of the Interior's telework policy.

Hiring Incentive: A hiring incentive of up to 25% of an employee's annual rate of basic pay may be offered to highly qualified eligible applicants.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document, you do not have in electronic form; view the following link for information regarding an Alternative Application

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine your eligibility for Federal employment and your qualifications for this position specifically.

Because this vacancy will be filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this announcement. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the announcement. All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics). You do not have to respond to the competencies separately, but your resume should contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of the following competencies:

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