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Forestry Technician (Fire) (Wildland Firefighter) - Direct Hire Authority

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

Summary

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

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

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

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/01/2023 to 05/16/2023
Salary
$34,584 to - $43,801 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 4
Locations
Susanville, CA
Few vacancies
Boise, ID
1 vacancy
Bruneau, ID
1 vacancy
Hammett, ID
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
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 - This is a permanent seasonal appointment. You will be in pay status for at least 6 months; but less than 12 months in a calendar year. When work/funds are unavailable, you will be placed in non-pay status.
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4
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
FADHA-23-11926788-CGR
Control number
721880200

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.

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Duties

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  • Serves as a wildland firefighter on an engine, fuels, hotshot, helitack, hand crew or wildland fire module.
  • Performs basic fireline activities such as line construction, hose layout, operations of pumps and accessories, lopping and scattering of fuels using hand tools and holding, patrolling, monitoring, and mop-up operations.
  • Applies practices and techniques to minimize resource damage.
  • Participates in fire and safety training in the techniques, practices, and methods of fire suppression and in the safe, efficient operation and use of tools, equipment and vehicles used in fire line activities.
  • Ensures own and others? welfare and safety in all aspects of the assignment.
  • Ability to communicate and work as part of a team to achieve overall mission goals.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Incumbent may be required to obtain and maintain a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), depending on location.
  • 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.
  • Background Investigation Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination. Failure to possess or obtain a favorable determination will result in the cancellation of the offer or will be grounds for termination.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • This position requires regular and recurring overtime and shift work during peak fire season.
  • May require completion of a one year probationary period.
  • Position may require a valid state driver's license and have the ability to operate light vehicles and 4X4s, depending on location.

Qualifications

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.

To qualify for the GS-04 grade level, 6 months of general work experience and 6 months of specialized work experience; OR 2 years of successfully completed education above the high school level that included at least 12 semester hours in any of following courses: forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable; OR 4 seasons of specialized experience.

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience may be substituted for general experience.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Experience which has provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully function in the wildland fire management position. Example of qualifying specialized experience include:

  • Forestry aide or technician work.
  • Engineering, range, or soil conservation technician work that involved the application of cultural, resource conservation, or land management practices on non-forest or ranch lands when combined with knowledge of forestry operations and equipment.
  • Farming or ranching work that involved application of cultural and soil and water conservation practices, including safety and use of equipment, and that provided a basic understanding of land use.
  • Forest or range fire control, fire prevention, or fire suppression work as a skilled wildland firefighter.

SEASONAL EXPERIENCE: A season of experience is considered to be a period of no less than 3 months of continuous employment on a seasonal basis. Shorter periods may be combined to make a season, provided a total of at least 3 months' experience is shown. For any period where the work exceeded 3 months, the excess work is credited towards an additional season of 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.

Substitution of Education for Experience: GS-04: Successful completion of 2 years of education above the high school level which included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of the following courses: forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine biology and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours of mathematics is creditable toward this requirement.

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

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.

This is a primary firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c)(CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). The position is subject to maximum entry age (MEA) requirements. The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37 unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian firefighter experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement. If over the MEA and you are not a veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted prior to employment. Acceptable proof consists of SF-50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments and copies of approved letters based on individual claims.

* You must meet all qualification and selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

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 hose, jumping and twisting. Duties involve rigorous fieldwork requiring above average physical performance, endurance and superior conditioning.

Work Environment: The work is primarily performed in the 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.

FACT SHEET for Fire & Law Enforcement Positions: Information on Special Retirement.

Education

SEE QUALIFICATIONS SECTION

Additional information

This is a permanent career seasonal appointment. You will be in pay status for at least 6 months; but less than 12 months in a calendar year. When work/funds are unavailable, you will be placed in non-pay status. Pay status may be less than 6 months upon initial appointment.

General Schedule Salary Table for "Rest of US" (RUS), without locality was used to indicate the salary in this announcement. Salaries may vary dependent upon location selected. Please refer to the Salary Tables link for more information: OPM FY23 general-schedule salaries-wages.

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 exceed minimum qualifications 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.

Travel and relocation expenses MAY be offered by the Department of the Interior.

IF PCS is authorized for a location: Tax Law Impact for 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 individual.

The BLM has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine your eligibility for Federal employment and your qualification 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:

  • Fire Management
  • Technical Competence
  • Interpersonal Skills



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)

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