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Forestry Technician (Helitack)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These positions will be located at a USDA Forest Service Unit.

This position manages permanent and temporary helibases, provides contract administration for, and plans and directs helicopter operations in support of, prescribed fire, fire suppression, emergency incidents and resource management functions.

See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION section for the specific contact information.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/31/2023 to 09/29/2023
Salary
$51,713 to - $74,250 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8 - 9
Locations
MANY vacancies in the following locations:
Heflin, AL
Montgomery, AL
Talladega, AL
Anchorage, AK
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for fire suppression or fire related assignments 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
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
24-FIRE-P1GVA-HELIMGR-89DH
Control number
745634400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

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Duties

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  • Duties listed are at full performance grade GS-09 level.
  • Plans, coordinates, and directs aviation support or helicopter personnel in support of prescribed fire, fire suppression and resource management.
  • Assesses readiness to meet short-term project and emergency needs. Determines forest aviation needs; orders personnel, equipment, and supplies; directs and monitors aviation activities related to prescribed fire, fire suppression and resources.
  • Acts as Contracting Officer Representative and effectively administers aircraft contracts, recommends contract language changes to the Contracting officer, and completes related reports, records, and payment documents.
  • Participates in Forest, Regional and National planning committees related to helicopter operational policies and procedures.
  • Plans helicopter budget, including supplies, equipment, training, and personnel necessary for safe and efficient helicopter operation.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.
  • Must be 18 years of age.
  • This is a drug testing designated position. You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. Appointment is based on a negative result. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice.
  • Must pass the Work Capacity Test for certain Interagency Fire Program Management or Fire Program Management positions.
  • Minimum of 90 days of wildland firefighting experience is required.
  • Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
  • Some Fire positions may have Conditions of Employment such as: a valid state driver's license; a commercial driver's license (CDL); pre-appointment and random drug testing; or a physical or medical examination.
  • There may be additional Conditions of Employment not listed here, however applicants will be notified of any specific requirements at the time a tentative job offer is made.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-08 level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-07); OR two full years (36 semester/ 54 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level education or master's degree if the coursework is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture); OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position (in excess of 18 semester/ 27 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience include: Provides input into long range and broad planning efforts to comply with USDA Forest Service policies, procedures, and objectives. Assesses readiness to meet short term project and emergency needs. Recommends forest aviation needs; orders personnel, equipment, and supplies; directs and monitors aviation activities related to prescribed fire, fire suppression and resource management. Completes and maintains reports and records for helicopter use.

For the GS-09 level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-08); OR two full years (36 semester/ 54 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level education or master's degree if the coursework is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture); OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position (in excess of 18 semester/ 27 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience are: Assisting in administering aircraft contracts, contract language changes, and in completing related reports, records, and payment documents. Assisting in planning and coordinating aviation support and helicopter personnel in support of prescribed fire, fire suppression and resource management. Participating as an instructor or coordinator of fire aviation training programs.

Selective Placement Factors:

A minimum 90 days experience performing on-the-line (Primary/Rigorous) wildland fire suppression duties as a member of an organized fire suppression crew or comparable unit that utilized knowledge of wildland fire suppression, containment or control techniques and practices under various conditions. This experience must be documented with specific dates in the online application or resume.

In order to be considered for this position, copies of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record (or equivalent training documents) which contain documented proof of the certification or attainment of the IFPM Selective Placement Factor for this position MUST be attached to your application. Red cards are not acceptable documentation. Currency Requirement: Required to maintain currency once hired into the position. Currency of NWCG qualifications is not required for selection. If not currently qualified, the applicant must provide documented evidence that they have been fully qualified in the past, and are able to regain currency within one year of being hired. Failure to provide this documentation will result in disqualification.

This position has been identified as MODERATE Complexity under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) or Forest Service Fire Program Management (FS-FPM) and is subject to selective placement factor requirements contained in the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard and Guide when filling this vacancy. IFPM or FS-FPM selective placement factors are made up of a primary and secondary National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) core Incident Management Qualifications and Required Training. The applicant must possess these qualifications at the applicable complexity level to be considered eligible for 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.

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary position covered under the special retirement provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) for the Civil Service Retirement System and of 5 USC 8412(d) for the Federal Employees Retirement System.

WORK CAPACITY TEST (WCT) for Wildland Firefighters: This position participates in wildland firefighting activities. Based on the type of work performed, TAKING and PASSING the WCT at the MODERATE level is a condition of employment.

Education

See QUALIFICATION sections for education requirement.

Additional information

For additional information about the duties and location(s) of these positions, please contact regional representative: To see the different locations within the Regional Offices | US Forest Service (usda.gov)

Region 2: Rocky Mountain Region - Scott McDermid at scott.mcdermid@usda.gov
Region 3: Southwestern Region - Tobe Haught at tobe.haught@usda.gov
Region 4: Intermountain Region - Celeste Hancock at celeste.hancock@usda.gov
Region 5: Pacific Southwest Region - Deirdre Cherry at deirdra.cherry@usda.gov
Region 8: Southern Region - Russ Marchion at russell.marchion@usda.gov
Region 9: Eastern Region - Brian Hicks at brian.a.hicks@usda.gov
Job Corps Center: All Region- Dirk Huber at dirk.huber@usda.gov

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

These are permanent positions with varying tours of duty and may include weekend work. Some positions may have irregular and protracted hours of work. Tours of duty include full-time or less than full time (guaranteed minimum 13 pay periods full-time employment).

Availability of government housing, federal day care facilities, and telework may be available.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates.

Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel Help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email SM.FS.asc_tos@usda.gov

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied or guaranteed.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

How you will be evaluated

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

This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.

Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given a new appointment.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12076680

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