Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. DIRECT HIRING AUTHORITY will be used to fill this position.

The incumbent is responsible for all phases of the Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest aviation program. Programmatic duties include safety, policy development and compliance, budget management, training, planning, evaluation, and all other aviation related services performed or provided by the Parks. Routine missions include, but are not limited to, interagency fire support such as wildland fire suppression, fire monitoring, initial attack, prescribed fire and aerial ignition; search and rescue; law enforcement; and resource project work. The incumbent provides advice and guidance to the Superintendent, fire management officers, program managers, and project leaders to meet a variety of National Park Service (NPS) objectives, considering safety and cost effectiveness. May serve as a Contracting Officers Representative (COR) or Contracting Officers Representative(COTR) for aviation contracts, assist with aircraft rental agreements, on-call helicopter contracts; provide aviation program oversight to include training of park/forest personnel as well as others involved in aerial fire and SAR management missions; provide leadership in the fire and aviation safety program.

Physical Demands: The physical requirements are a mixture of office and outdoor physical demands. Indoor work is generally performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. Office duties, including meetings, require periods of sitting and the physical ability to operate computers and other common office equipment. The work requires sitting, standing, bending, walking, and occasionally lifting and moving supplies and equipment weighing up to 40 pounds. Field work includes areas that are remote and require physical ability to travel on foot, operate off-road vehicles over rough terrain, travel in light aircraft, or travel in similar conveyances is necessary. Other physical demands include hiking, walking, bending, climbing, riding and stooping when required on visits to field sites. Requires some walking over rough, uneven, rocky terrain or slippery surfaces in elevations from 500ft to 7,000ft and in temperatures from 20F to 115F. Work requires frequent travel by scheduled and chartered aircraft or ground vehicles to various destinations in the western U.S. Occasionally the incumbent must travel by foot to remote field locations to conduct technical investigations and site visits. During the field season, the position demands extended and variable work shifts and on-call status while away from work. Incumbent must meet the established physical fitness standards for his/her ICS position.

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office as well as in the field. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather conditions (over 100 degrees F), steep and uneven terrain, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Work sites may occur at various points along a steep elevation gradient, in a temperate climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters at low elevations and mild summers and frigid winters at high elevations. Fieldwork is performed at remote locations at helibases, unimproved helispots, and remote environments of temperature extremes, rough terrain, and reduced visibility. Due to the mission requirements of low-level flight in mountainous terrain and all- hazard flight operations, the incumbent is exposed to substantial hazards on a regular and recurring basis. While on incident assignments, the incumbent may be exposed to temperature extremes, dust, smoke, noise, rugged topography, high-risk flight in fixed or rotor wing aircraft, extended outdoor living and high-stress emergency activities. Fieldwork involves exposure to potentially dangerous situations caused by uncontrolled wildfire, numerous aircraft being flown in close proximity, and flights in high angle mountainous terrain. Errors could be catastrophic and result in serious injury or death. Other hazards include working in close proximity to rotor blades, handling and transporting hazardous materials, carbon monoxide, smoke, dust and debris and the use of other mechanical or motorized equipment. The hazardous nature of the work requires that protective clothing or devices (boots, hard hat, gloves, ear protection, etc.) be worn. Work includes travel to different sites in the parks over long distance and exposure to extreme weather conditions (i.e. rain, snow, fog). Occasional travel out of the park/forest is required.

Salary in this announcement reflects the 2023 General Schedule, Rest of US (RUS). Salary will be determined based on selectee's duty location. For more information please click HERE

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.

• You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• Work may require travel by fixed-wing or rotorwing aircraft.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• Subject to frequent extended travel up to 14 or more night per month particularly during fire season, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• ** If applicable, prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and also pass a medical examination given by an authorized government physician. You will also be required to periodic medical examinations throughout employment.
• ** If applicable, the Work Capacity Test (WCT-Pack Test) as a method for assessing an employee's fitness levels for fire qualifications in the positions covered by this recruitment notice. WCT Information

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement10/06/2023 unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience.

Selective Factors: The applicant must have possessed at least ONE of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position:
1. NWCG certifications of A-450 (Unmanned Aircraft System Pilot) -OR-
2. ATGS (Air Tactical Group Supervisor) -OR-
3. HMGB (Helicopter Manager) -OR-
4. Resource HMGB certification (Resource Helicopter Manager), or equivalent.
**Your qualifying NWCG certification will determine your fitness category for this position.

-AND-

Candidates must possess a minimum of 90-days of wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days and hours per week at which the work was performed in order to be considered.

A minimum of 90 days of wildland firefighting experience is required to meet qualifications for secondary (administrative) covered positions. The Department of Interior defines wildland firefighting experience as: On-the-line wildland firefighting experience gained through 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. 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 distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fires as follows: Wildfire: Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. 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.

- AND -
Applicants must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience are: Develop strategies and tactics to implement effective aircraft all hazard to include fire/SAR operations; ensure aviation facilities and operations programs are maintained and managed within the scope of agency standards; manage complex aviation issues in the fire/SAR operations related to wilderness program implementation and overflight restrictions.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a major study to the position such as accounting, business administration, business or commercial law, commerce, economics, engineering, finance, industrial management, statistics, traffic management, transportation, motor mechanics or other fields related to the position. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. For example, six months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirements), and 45 semester hours or 68 quarter hours of graduate education in the fields of study described (50% of the education requirement).

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must submit a legible copy of your transcripts (A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected).

Volunteer 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.

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). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system.

FERS TRANSITION REQUIREMENT: To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under CSRS, an employee must transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position. To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved retirement covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary retirement covered position.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applicants will be evaluated based on how whether they meet the qualification requirements.

Upon receipt of the completed application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure basic qualification requirements are met.

This vacancy will be filled through a Direct Hire Authority. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this Authority. All qualified applicants, as determined by the SHRO, will be referred for consideration. While managers and supervisors are not required to conduct interviews, it is highly recommended that they do so in order to assess the competencies of each applicant.

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.

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.