Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Fire Behavior Analyst-Direct Hire Authority

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

Summary

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/#url=Fact-Sheet

This position is located in, Fairbanks, AK. Information about this location can be found by clicking here Fairbanks, AK.

This salary includes base pay & locality pay, you will also see a 2.01% cost of living allowance. This allowance is subject to annual review.

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/25/2023 to 05/15/2023
Salary
$77,898 to - $121,378 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 11 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fairbanks, AK
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—The BLM has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel is required to attend training, conferences, workshops, and/or field visits. Frequent travel may be required during peak fire activity.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulation, Chapter 302, and Departmental policy. Please Note: The selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Refer to the "Additional Information" section for Information on 2017 Tax Cuts as related to PCS.
Appointment type
Permanent - This is a permanent appointment.
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12 - If 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 and performance of higher-level duties.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FADHA-23-11936506-AE
Control number
721600900

This job is open to

Help

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.

Videos

Duties

Help
  • Analyzes Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) outputs to assess fuels and fire danger concerns, and anticipated fire behavior.
  • Communicates differences between the Canadian and the National Fire Danger Rating Systems and can articulate why the Canadian system is used in Alaska.
  • Determines appropriate method and system(s) to develop fire behavior predictions.
  • Evaluates associated data and techniques to develop improved incorporation into wildland fire management and planning.
  • Analyzes fire weather elements, including Red Flag Warnings, and their effects on fire behavior.
  • Uses Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) to create fire perimeters and keep fire managers informed.
  • Creates and improves strategic documents using long term fire growth and fire probability support programs.
  • Works with all agencies to develop and review fuel models and critical break points, and how those can be incorporated into long-term plans.
  • As a Fire Analyst, serves on and/or organizes interagency committees, meetings, and conferences.
  • Develops scientifically innovative solutions in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
  • Institutes or recommends changes in the development and trial of new methods and approaches for fire behavior analyses.
  • Incorporates existing and emerging technologies to address issues in wildland fire management and towards advancing the program.
  • Communicate complex fire danger and fire behavior topics to managers and staff with varying levels of knowledge, including clear technical direction and guidance in application of such information.
  • Establishes and maintains contact with all levels of fire management officials within federal and state agencies.
  • Organize and conduct training on fire danger, behavior, and analysis tools and technologies.

Requirements

Help

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.
  • 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.
  • Background Investigation Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background investigation. Failure to possess or obtain a favorable determination will result in the cancellation of the offer or will be grounds for termination.
  • This position requires regular and recurring overtime and shift work.
  • An applicant appointed to this position must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
  • May require a one year probationary period.

Qualifications

Basic Education Required: Must have degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR- Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological sciences, agriculture or natural resources management, or at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, natural resources, wildland fire management, forestry, or agriculture equivalent to a major field of study, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, or natural resources.

Additional Experience Required: In addition to meeting the basic education requirements, you must meet specialized experience requirements.

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(s); please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.

To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 is required.

Experience must have included ALL of the fire program management elements described as:1) developing, reviewing and evaluating fire management plans for ecological soundness or consistency with land management goals and/or potentially adverse impacts to cultural and natural resources; 2) conducting field inspections before and after prescribed or wildland fires to determine if resource objectives were achieved and/or evaluating the effectiveness of actions taken; and 3) analyzing the ecological role of fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management.

IN ADDITION to fire program management elements listed above, appropriate experience must have included EITHER prescribed fire/fuels management - OR - fire management operations.1) Prescribed fire/fuels management: examples include: performing professional forest or range inventory methods and procedures, (e.g. Brown's planar intercept for dead and down fuels; live fuel loading assessments); analyzing fuel loadings and determining appropriate fuel treatment methods and programming; performing land use planning and environmental coordination; and/or evaluating prescribed burn plans or fire management plans to ensure fire containment is possible and identifying appropriate suppression contingencies if fire containment is not obtained; -OR-2) Fire Management Operations: experience in analyzing and/or applying fire management strategies in at least five of the following activities: a) Mobilization and dispatch coordination; b) Fire prevention and education; c) Training; d) Logistics; e) Equipment development and deployment; f) Fire communication systems; g) Suppression and preparedness; h) Aviation.

To qualify for the GS-12 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11 is required. Specialized experience is experience that demonstrates provide ongoing analysis of wild land fire potential and decision support to federal and state agencies. Communicate with federal and state fire managers at their regional/state/area offices. Utilize and train agency employees with Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System.

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.

Substitution of Education for Experience:

To qualify for the GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree -OR-3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree in a field of study that is directly related to this position.

There is no substitution of education for the GS-12 grade level.

Selective Placement Factor(s): 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.

1.) Prior on-the-line firefighting: The Department of the Interior defines wildland firefighting experience as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Wildland firefighting experience is gained through work on the fire line in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. This experience can be met by serving in a temporary, seasonal, or equivalent private sector fire position for no less than 90 days. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: (1) Wildfires - Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires; and (2) Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions. This description includes only fireline 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. This experience must be documented in the online application or resume with specific to AND from dates (MM/YY), description of work performed, AND hours worked per week.

2.)
You must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management (qualifications to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required):

Applicants must be currently qualified in one of the two following positions:
1. Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) OR
2. Long-Term Analyst (LTAN), working toward the second qualification.

You must meet all qualifications and selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement unless stated otherwise.

Physical Demands: Work is predominantly sedentary but does require some intermittent physical exertion such as walking long distance over rough, steep, and rocky terrain. High stress levels are common due to the pressure of responding in a timely matter to emergency demands, the analysis required for regularly produced products and interpretations in short timeframes, and the need to resolve complex problems arise. The position requires the ability to adjust to frequent interruptions and outside demands, and thus the ability to multitask.

Work Environment: Work is usually performed in an office setting with some travel to the field to review operations and perform fire duties and meet with interagency fire personnel. In either situation, extended working hours during the summer fire season is routine and national rest guidelines are followed.

This is a secondary/administrative firefighter 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 (3 years of service in primary/rigorous position(s)) 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.

FACT SHEET for Fire Positions:
Information on Special Retirement.

Education

See Qualification Section of this Vacancy announcement.

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.

We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

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

CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they fall within the Well or Best Qualified categories on the rating criteria for this position.

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 RPL, you may be given priority consideration.

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

Tax Law Impact - PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. The law made taxable certain reimbursements and other payments, including driving mileage, airfare and lodging expenses, en-route travel to the new duty station, and temporary storage of those items. The Federal Travel Regulation Bulletin (FTR) 18-05 issued by General Services Administration (GSA) has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals. For additional information on WTA/RITA allowances and eligibilities, please visit: Federal Travel Regulation - GSA Bulletin FTR 18-05

Tax Law Impact for PCS: Moving expenses reimbursement is a taxable benefit. However, the Federal Travel Regulation 18-05 issued by the 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.

Certain incentives, such as, Recruitment, Relocation, or Student Loan Repayment, may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis, and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentives (OPM.gov), or Relocation Incentives (OPM.gov), or Student Loan Repayment (OPM.gov)

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

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. All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. The interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis.

The job specific questions relate to the following competencies required to do the work of this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics). Your resume should contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of the following competencies:

  • Technical Competence
  • Fire Management
  • Research
  • Teaching Others

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.