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Deputy Division Chief (Aviation)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource.

This position is located with the BLM Fire & Aviation Directorate, Division of Aviation, at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), in Boise, Idaho. Information about the surrounding area can be found at https://www.boisechamber.org.

We expect to fill 1 position(s) at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/29/2025 to 08/28/2025
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$128,266 to - $166,746 per year
Pay scale & grade
GW 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Boise, ID
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% 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
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
FAMP-25-12770259-BCN
Control number
841849800

Duties

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  • Serves as the principal aviation advisor to the assistant director, Fire and Aviation Directorate, other staffs, states, and to the Department of Interior.
  • Identifies and develops bureau aviation policies, methods and procedures, and standardized technical specifications for a variety of specialized firefighting and other mission for incorporation into the directives system
  • Coordinates aviation-related activities between the Washington Office (WO) and BLM states and with other wildland firefighting, regulatory, investigative, and military agencies and services.
  • Represents the BLM at interagency meetings and committees to develop Government-wide aviation policies, requirements, procedures, and reports and at aviation industry meetings and conventions.
  • Develops and implements aviation safety programs, accident investigation procedures, and aviation safety trend analyses.
  • Coordinates provision and use of aviation resources with Business Practices, and aviation user staffs at WO and state office level.
  • Plans and conducts reviews and evaluations of state aviation programs.
  • Supervises and coordinates the work of professional and support staff members to carry out aviation staff and centralized aviation operations functions.

Requirements

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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 Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • If selected for this position, you will be required to annually complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 within 30 days of reporting to duty.
  • Supervisory Probationary Period: If you are selected for this position, you will be required to serve a one year supervisory/managerial probationary period if one has not previously been completed.
  • The official worksite is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience:
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the minimum qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

To qualify for the GS-14 grade level, you must have one (1) full year of creditable specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13. Examples may include the following:

  • Experience advising agency officials at the district, regional or national level concerning natural resource policy (e.g. Fire and Aviation), aviation contracts and/or operations, and decision-making, safety measures, budget requirements or cost management strategies, etc.
  • Experience managing a natural resource program(s) (e.g. Fire and Aviation) to include staff, budget, and performance measures; performing safety, risk management, technical, and/or administrative evaluations of natural resource programs at a district, regional or national level.
  • Experience leading the development and implementation of significant district, regional or national (or equivalent) policy to guide natural resource programs (e.g. fire and aviation) and operations.
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.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days date of the announcement.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level.

Firefighter Special Retirement (Secondary Coverage): This is a secondary/administrative fire 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 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.

Physical Demands:
The work is sedentary, but periodically the incumbent to involved in field activities which require reasonably good physical condition to cope with difficult foot travel in mountainous terrain.

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. Work requires moderate to frequent trips to various local, state or national meetings throughout the nation. Meeting locations vary from remote villages in Alaska to meetings in the National Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

THIS IS A DRUG TESTING DESIGNATED POSITION in accordance with Executive Order 12564, and under the Department's Drug Free Workplace Program. 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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-14 level.

Additional information

Verify Employment Eligibility (E-Verify): 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.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency 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/ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they receive a minimum score of 90 based on the rating criteria used for this position.

The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): P.L. 114-47 allows certain current and former Federal employees under time-limited competitive appointments at land management agencies to compete under merit promotion procedures. LMWFA eligibility requirements.

  • Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency.
  • Must have served under 1 or more-time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years.
  • Must have performed at an acceptable level throughout the duration of the qualifying appointments.
  • Must apply for a position while employed or within 2 years after separation
  • If separated, must have been separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance.
Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority PLC eligibility requirements:
  • Served as a qualified youth on an appropriate conservation project completing a minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service that included at least 120 hours through the PLC and received a certificate of non-competitive eligibility.
  • Completed most recent Corps service, for which a certificate of non-competitive eligibility was issued, within the last 2 years. Appointment must be affected within the 2-year period.

Permanent Change in Station (PCS): Travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulation, Chapter 302, and Departmental policy. Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97.

Incentives:
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 Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

PLEASE LIMIT YOUR RESUME TO NO MORE THAN 2 PAGES. IF MORE THAN 2 PAGES ARE SUBMITTED, ONLY THE FIRST 2 PAGES WILL BE REVIEWED TO DETERMINE YOUR ELIGIBILITY/QUALIFICATIONS.

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position. Once the application process is complete, HR will review your application to ensure you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications. To determine if you are minimally qualified for this position, HR will complete a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications requirement(s), this position requires successful completion of the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Review. This assessment will measure the critical competencies and/or job elements listed below that are required to successfully perform in the position.

The competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) required for this position are a following(s):

  • Technical Competencies: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on the job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
  • Fire Management: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of fire management, including the characteristics, behavior, and ecology of fire; methodologies, strategies, and equipment used in prescribed fires; fire detection, prevention, and suppression strategies; and integration of fire with natural resource management.
  • Strategic Thinking: Formulates effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization in a global economy; examines policy issues and strategic planning with a long-term perspective; determines objectives and set priorities; anticipates potential threats or opportunities
  • Leadership: Inspires, motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches, mentors, and challenges subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.
  • Contracting/Procurement: Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration.
In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

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