Clarification from the agency

ALL U.S. CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: These positions will be filled using Direct Hire Authority for this occupation. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

• Serves as a wildland fire management technical advisor to unit, tribal, state, or regional office managers in fire management programs including operations, aviation, fuels management, prevention, planning, and training.
• Advise leadership and staff on fire management policy and implementation strategies to ensure that intent is clearly articulated and subsequently met.
• Provide analysis-based input in the formulation of annual program budgets, regional accomplishment narratives, review, and recommendation of programmatic proposals, supplemental and record keeping of overall program budget.
• Administer and coordinate Wildland fire physical fitness and medical standards program as appropriate.
• Develop and implement wildland fire prevention and education programs and bureau specific fire trespass investigation and trespass procedures.
• Perform resource allocation analysis and develop fire mitigation, education, and prevention analysis; and recommend programmatic decisions.
• Conduct short- and long- term strategic planning for the wildland fire training program and define the vision and direction for the program.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required.
• If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
• A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• This position has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program, therefore, the incumbent will be required annually to acknowledge and certify possession of a valid state driver's license.
• This is a Drug Testing Designated Position and is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
• This position is subject to pre-employment and annual medical screening and physical fitness testing for arduous duty.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: This position has been identified as one of the key fire management positions under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard. This position has been categorized as a Wildland Fire Operations Specialist (WFOS) - High Complexity and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found at http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/

GW-11: 1 year of specialized wildland fire work experience equivalent to the GS-9/GW-10 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include work involving fire management policy interpretation and work experience in multiple phases of fire management programs on Federally managed lands, .i.e., fire management planning, aviation management, training and workforce planning, fire preparedness, fuels management and fire prevention, dispatching, suppression, post-suppression, as well as hazard and emergency response activities to serve as a technical advisor to fire management programs. Assisting with developing, reviewing and evaluating fire management plans. Performing land use planning and environmental coordination to determine if resource objectives were achieved. Assisting with analyzing the ecological role of fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management. Developing and reviewing fire management plans with fire management staff. Ensures integration of wildland fire management goals/objectives and policy into land use plans and implementation plans; and conducts periodic reviews of fire planning data to analyze fire hazards and fuels risks. Utilizes analytical tools used for fire planning and coordinates with other specialists to ensure local plans are consistent with fire management and land management policies..

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS: These are MANDATORY qualification prerequisites to qualify for this position. The applicant must have possessed the following qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position:
High Pathway #1:

• Primary Core Requirement: Division Supervisor (DIVS), or higher.
• Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander Type 3 (ITC3) OR Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2), or higher.

-OR-
High Pathway #2:

• Primary Core Requirement: Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS), or higher.
• Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander Type 3 (ITC3), or higher.

NOTE: Selective factors are knowledges, skills, abilities, or special qualifications that are in addition to the minimum requirements in a qualification standard but are determined to be essential to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. Applicants who do not meet the selective factors are ineligible for further consideration. You MUST provide a current copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other agency equivalent documentation which verifies you meet this required qualification for this position when submitting your application.

Prior Wildland Firefighting Experience: This is a secondary-administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission, and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE.

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This position is covered under the secondary/administrative firefighter special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c)(CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d)(FERS) when it is filled by an incumbent who transfers directly from a primary or another secondary law enforcement or firefighting position with no break in service to this position. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent will depend upon his or her individual work history. You may meet the qualification requirements, but not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If you are not eligible for special retirement coverage, you will be placed in the regular retirement system.

FERS TRANSITION REQUIREMENT: 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 covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary coverage position.

NOTE: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position described above.

Under this Direct-Hire announcement, all applicants who meet the minimum requirements at the grade level for which they apply will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference and category rating DO NOT APPLY for this announcement under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.

All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion.

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.

You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12819977.

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.