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Forestry Technician (Wildland Firefighter) - Direct Hire Authority

Department of the Interior
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
NAVAJO REGION
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These are full-time temporary not-to-exceed 6 months (1040 hours) positions located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Region, Branch of Wildland Fire and Aviation Management, Operations-Hotshot Section in Fort Defiance, AZ; and will be filled from Standard PD# FDI0204.

This announcement will be used to fill vacancies utilizing the Direct-Hire Authority (5CFR 337.201). Category rating, veteran's preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do NOT apply for this vacancy.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/31/2023 to 06/14/2023
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
Location
5 vacancies in the following location:
Fort Defiance, AZ
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position. Travel required for work assignments and/or training and may require travel by light fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft. Frequent travel may be required during peak fire activity.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 6 Months (1040 hours)
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DHA-23-11991864-CBXH-CB
Control number
729031400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL U.S. CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: These positions will be filled using Direct Hire Authority for this occupation. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

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  • Serves as a skilled wildland firefighter during prescribed burns, monitoring and controlling the fire, and collecting data on fire weather and fire behavior.
  • Utliizes a variety of specialzied tools, equipment and techniques while actively suppressing wildldand fires.
  • Performs basic fireline activities such as line construction, lopping and scattering of fuels using hand tools and holding, patrolling, monitoring and mop-up operations.
  • As a skilled wildland firefighter, you may be assigned to carry out specialized assignments such as tree falling, backfire, and burnout operations.
  • Performs project work such as fuel inventory and hazard fuel reduction projects
  • Cleans, maintains, reconditions and stores firefighting tools and equipment.
  • Inventories fire supplies and equipment.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit
  • You may be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  • This is a Testing Designated Position and is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and annual medical screening and physical fitness testing for arduous duty.
  • This position has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program, therefore, the incumbent will be required annually to acknowledge and certify possession of a valid state driver's license.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0462: Forestry Technician Series; and NWCG/Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations Qualifications Standards).

GS-4: 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.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS: These are MANDATORY qualification prerequisites to qualify for this position. The applicant must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements under the Standards for Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations to be considered eligible for this position:
  • Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) or higher
  • Required Training:

    I-100 "Introduction to ICS"; S-130 "Firefighter Training"; S-190 "Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior"; L-180 "Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service".

NOTE: Selective factors are knowledges, skills, abilities, or special qualifications that are in addition to the minimum requirements in a qualification standard but are determined to be essential to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. Applicants who do not meet the selective factors are ineligible for further consideration. You MUST provide a current copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other agency equivalent documentation which verifies you meet the required qualifications for this position when submitting your application.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION

Additional information

Indian Preference Policy: Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC Section 472). Verification form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. No other documents will be accepted as proof of Indian Preference.

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2023 Salary Tables here and select the duty station from Fort Defiance, Arizona to choose the appropriate pay chart. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart. NOTE: This vacancy is utilizing the Nationwide Special Salary Table Number 001M along with applicable chart for designated geographic location.

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

THESE ARE FULL-TIME TEMPORARY NOT-TO-EXCEED (NTE) 1039 APPOINTMENT POSITIONS. These positions will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1040 hours in a current service year. Hours may be extended up to 1730 hours dependent on the agency's authority per Office of Personnel Management approved exception.

TRAVEL AND RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE AUTHORIZED. ANY RELOCATION EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH REPORTING FOR DUTY WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELECTED EMPLOYEE.

TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework under any circumstances.

This position has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program and requires the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle in order to properly carry out his/her assigned duties but whose principal duties are not operating a motor vehicle and his/her position is not classified as a motor vehicle operator. The incumbent will be required initially and annually to acknowledge and certify possession of a valid state driver's license.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

The COVID-19 vaccination requirement for federal employees pursuant to Executive Order 14043 does not currently apply. Click here for more information.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the closing date.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position described above.

Under this Direct-Hire announcement, all applicants who meet the minimum requirements at the grade level for which they apply will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference and category rating DO NOT APPLY for this announcement under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.

All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion.

If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted.

You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11991864.

If a determination is made that an applicant has inflated qualifications or experience on the resume, the applicant will receive no consideration for the position, as per OPM regulations.

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