Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Fire Management Specialist (Fuels) 'State Fuels Program Manager' - Direct Hire Authority

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

Summary

At management's discretion this position may be physically located within any BLM AZ State, District, or Field office. Negotiable after selection.

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: DHA

Salary may vary dependent upon location. Reference OPM salaries at: www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2024/general-schedule/

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
02/22/2024 to 03/07/2024
Salary
$86,962 to - $113,047 per year

Salary may vary dependent upon location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Location Negotiable After Selection,
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—The BLM has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel is required to attend training, conferences, workshops, and/or field visits.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulation, Chapter 302, and Departmental policy. Please Note: The selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Refer to the "Additional Information" section for Information on 2017 Tax Cuts as related to PCS.
Appointment type
Permanent - This is a permanent appointment.
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FADHA-24-12325199-BM
Control number
777985500

This job is open to

Help

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.

Videos

Duties

Help
  • Coordinates with other BLM programs, other agencies, and partners within the state to establish an interdisciplinary and interagency approach to vegetation management.
  • Considering DOI and BLM national guidance and priorities, develops the outyear integrated program of work for the State, and ensures the Districts' outyear program of work responds to national priorities.
  • Provides statewide leadership, coordination, and direction of standards, methods, and guidelines for fuels management program elements.
  • Oversees the formulation, development, and implementation of policy and procedures related to prescribed fire, hazardous fuel reduction, smoke management, wildfire risk reduction, and monitoring to achieve land and resource management objectives.
  • Review fuels program actions and operating plans used in the management of lands.
  • Assist the field offices in the preparation of prescribed fire budget proposals and coordinate the prioritization of funding requests and project management statewide for fuels and prescribed burning needs.
  • Develop and evaluate data and methods for the documentation, analysis, and prediction of prescribed fire behavior and effects.
  • Establish standard methods of prescribed fire monitoring and management.
  • Exercises the supervisory authorities and responsibilities 20% of time.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • 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 Land.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Background Investigation Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background investigation. Failure to possess or obtain a favorable determination will result in the cancellation of the offer or will be grounds for termination.
  • May require completion of a one-year probationary period.
  • You must meet specified levels on annual physical fitness tests, and pass periodic medical exams for wildland fire personnel, commensurate with current incident management qualification.
  • You must pass a pre-employment physical.
  • 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.
  • Applicants appointed to this position must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
  • DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/e-verify

Qualifications

Basic Education Required:
A.) Must have a Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

-OR-

B.) Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological sciences, agriculture or natural resources management, or at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, natural resources, wildland fire management, forestry, or agriculture equivalent to a major field of study, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, or natural resources.

You will need to clearly state your undergraduate/graduate degree(s) and submit your college transcripts (unofficial).

Additional Experience Required: In addition to meeting the basic education requirements, you must meet specialized experience requirements.

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(s); please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. 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-12 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) is required in addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to planning, evaluating the effectiveness and implementing vegetation management projects, (prescribed fire, mechanical, chemical treatments); developing mid and long term programs of work; implementing and tracking a program budget based on agency guidance; training others in wildland fire management techniques related to vegetation management; experience in overseeing contracting, agreements and procurement related to achieving wildland fire management goals; experience with interdisciplinary teams and reviewing environmental documents; and experience in wildland fire reviews.

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:
There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-12 and above grade levels.

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.

1.) Prior on-the-line firefighting: Prior wildland firefighting experience and training on the fireline is a mandatory requirement to carry out the duties and responsibilities of this position.

The Department of the Interior defines wildland firefighting experience as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Wildland firefighting experience is gained through work on the fire line in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: (1) Wildfires - Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires; and (2) 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. This experience must be documented in the online application or resume with specific to AND from dates (MM/YY), description of work performed, AND hours worked per week.

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

Physical Demands: The work is primary sedentary. The job requires intermittent physical exertion such as walking over rough or rocky terrain while inspecting field operations, but it is not on a sustained or regular basis.

Work Environment: The work is usually performed in an office setting. Occasionally, some exposure to discomfort or risk is encountered on field trips such as extreme heat or cold, or exposure to fire situations.

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). While secondary positions are not subject to the maximum entry age policy, the selectee must have prior service in a primary position (3 years of service in primary/rigorous position(s)) and meet the transfer requirement for movement from a primary to secondary position to be eligible for special retirement coverage. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your SF-50). YOU MUST LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A PRIMARY POSITION.

FACT SHEET for Fire Positions: Information on Special Retirement.

Education

See Qualifications Section

Additional information

We expect to fill 1 vacancy; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

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

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well-qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

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.

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)

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 based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position.

Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine your eligibility for Federal employment and your qualifications for this position specifically. Due to this vacancy being filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to positions filled under this announcement. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the announcement. All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. Interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis.

Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and/or job elements) in the following areas:

  • Fire Management
  • Decision Making
  • Technical Competence



Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.