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Helicopter Pilot

Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Region 7 - Aviation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The incumbent supports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) mission and programs in the Alaska Region by operating rotary aircraft in support biological, public use, subsistence, maintenance, etc.) and law enforcement; and supports natural resource conservation through logistics and assisting with data collection for scientific studies.

This position is open to status candidates under R7-24-12250797-RM-MP. You must apply separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitments.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/20/2023 to 01/17/2024
Salary
$114,697 - $149,107 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Anchorage, AK
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel 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
12
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
R7-24-12250796-RM-DE
Control number
766964000

Duties

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As a Helicopter Pilot your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Serves as pilot-in-command of turbine and/or piston helicopters. Flight hours will depend on the organizational need and budgets, but for a full-time employee will generally average between 350 and 450 hours per year. A significant amount of this time involves personnel/cargo transport, wildlife surveys, and law enforcement patrols under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), often below 200 feet above ground level (AGL) over hazardous terrain.
  • Keeps management apprised of all FAA, Office of Aircraft Services (OAS), Department of the Interior (DOI), and Service rules and regulations regarding operation of helicopters (public and private) associated with the FWS missions within the Region.
  • Conduct other flying related duties which include: aircraft record keeping; coordination with other FWS pilots, the Regional Aviation Manager, Regional Aviation Training Manager, and OAS; initiation of cyclical and non-scheduled maintenance; refueling and fuel handling; lubrication and cleaning of aircraft; preflight and post-flight activities; weather briefings and flight planning; loading and unloading of helicopters; and de-icing and extensive preparations for winter flights.
  • Maintains records, including: pilot training records, check ride expiration dates, flight hours, helicopter maintenance needs, helicopter inspection dates, and other information.
  • Coordinate flight support or assist in emergency operations, including search and rescue, wildfire management, law enforcement, and
    emergency medical operations; provide support to law enforcement for criminal investigations; plan and coordinate logistical arrangements for field camps; and perform resource management projects including wildlife capture and tracking, population counts, vegetation studies, and erosion monitoring.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Resume (See "Required Documents"). Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is provided on resume.
  • Eligibility and Supporting documents - You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to AND submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section.
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
  • Drug Testing Position: Selectees tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
  • Driver's License: Selectees MAY be required to possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during their tenure.
  • Firearm: Selectees will be required to carry a firearm in the performance of their duties.
  • Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • Requires an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Helicopter Pilot Certificate or FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (or military or other acceptable certificate)
  • Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. To verify registration, visit SSS.gov.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 01/17/2024 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements: Minimum Eligibility Requirements for positions in this occupation are based on possession of the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) helicopter pilot certificates and/or appropriate military ratings, meeting the applicable flight hour requirements, and possession of the knowledge and skills required for the positions.

Certificates and Ratings: For all grade levels and specializations, candidates must possess a current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Helicopter Pilot Certificate or FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (or military or other acceptable certificate) and demonstrate possession of knowledge and skills required for the work by meeting minimum flight hour requirements, including flight experience. In addition, meet the following requirements: completed at least 1500 hours of total flight time which includes at least 250 hours of flight time as a Pilot-in-Command; at least 75 hours of night flight flying AND at least 100 hours of flying time within the last 12 months. In addition, must have at least 75 hours of instruments flight time. You must submit the required supporting documentation when applying for this position. Please include detailed summary of flight time per make/model aircraft.

Minimum Qualification GS-12

One year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service performing ALL of the following duties:

  1. Conducting helicopter flights from designated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airfields, non-designated landing sites, and unimproved/unprepared landing sites (gravel bars, beaches, ridge tops, etc.) in confined and isolated areas.
  2. Administering helicopter preflight inspections, aircraft loading, and equipment assessments, and navigation.
  3. Maintaining records, including: pilot training records, check ride expiration dates, flight hours, helicopter maintenance needs, helicopter inspection dates, and other information.
Resume review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume and other supporting documents to determine your qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. Your resume must demonstrate how you meet all aspects of the specialized experience statement.

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.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: 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.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: 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.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

PCS INFORMATION:
-Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable.
-In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements May be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale.

Telework:
This position is suitable for telework only in an emergency or natural disaster.

Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP):Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. CTAP/ICTAP 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 SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.
For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: Career Transition

Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

Cost of Living Allowance:In addition to the yearly salary, this position is entitled to a 2.01 percent cost-of-living allowance (COLA).This allowance is subject to annual review, adjustment, and rate decrease.

Applicants are ineligible for this position if ANY time they have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside or the applicant receives a pardon.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Knowledge of aviation mission planning techniques, airspace deconfliction, aircraft weight and balance, and aircraft performance planning.
  • Skill in helicopter takeoff and landing in confined areas and at unimproved sites such as ridgelines, pinnacles, gravel bars, beaches, soft sand, snow, tundra, etc.
  • Knowledge of instrument flying rules and techniques.
  • Knowledge of aircraft recordkeeping maintain accurate records of aircraft maintenance and use.
All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified

The category rating process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

You too can make a difference in our world. The work of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is meaningful and varied. Want to know more about what it is like to work for us? Click here to learn more about Fish and Wildlife Service Regions - www.fws.gov/about/regions

The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.

Agency contact information

Human Resources Staffing Division
Phone
000-000-0000
Email
fwshiring@fws.gov
Address
Division of Human Resources
Division of Human Resources
1101 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99503
US

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https://www.fws.gov/

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