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.

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• Duties are listed at the Full Performance Level of GW-09:
• Directs all aspects of the fuels management program including planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation.
• Oversees the smoke management program to ensure compliance with state air quality standards.
• Develops and implements short-term fire management objectives and strategies based on the effects and behavior of prescribed fire.
• Analyzes, evaluates, and makes recommendation on all sections of the Fire Management Plan pertaining to prescribed fire and fuels treatments.
• Plans, designs, and conducts project assessments which determine the condition of wildland fuels.
• Leads the development and coordination of cooperative agreements to facilitate multi-agency projects.
• Plans, conducts surveys, analyzes, and evaluates data to develop prescriptions for prescribed fire and wildland fire monitoring.
• Plans and administers the technical and administrative aspects of the prescribed fire/fuels plan.
• Identifies, evaluates and provides training needs for other prescribed fire and fuels mgmt. programs supporting staff.
• Participates in contract administration activities as a Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).
• Exercises delegated supervisory authorities and responsibilities 20% of the time.
• Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work.
• Evaluates work performance of subordinates.

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/suitability investigation/determination. Failure to possess or obtain a favorable determination will result in the cancellation of the offer or will be grounds for termination.
• 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 be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position.
• 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.
• May require completion of a one-year probationary period.
• Applicants appointed to this position must POSSESS and maintain a valid state driver's license.
• Driver’s License required – GSA Form 3607 will be required to be completed during onboarding process.

Qualifications

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 GW-07 grade level, 1 year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GW-06) is required. Examples of specialized experience include: performing duties which provided a basic understanding of wildland fire management concepts, theories and practices including the assessment of fire effects on cultural and/or natural resources; assisting other fire management staffs in the development of complex presentations; presenting or conducting simple presentations of fire management concepts, topics, information; researching technical reports and/or other sources to obtain information used by higher graded professionals; applying basic formulas to routine calculations; and/or participating in the development and/or implementation of wildland fire management plans including carrying out initial attack incident management strategies and tactics to meet the stated resource objectives.

To qualify for the GW-08 grade level, 1 year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GW-07) is required. Examples of work experience include but are not limited to: assisting preparation and implementation of prescribed fire plans; assisting evaluating treatments, monitoring methods and new technologies; assisting with conducting fuels management surveys to document types of hazardous fuels.

To qualify for the GW-09 grade level, 1 year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GW-08) is required. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to: participating in wildland fire activities (such as planning and/or implementing prescribed fire or managing wildfires) ensuring resource objectives are being met from a fire management standpoint;assisting with developing and/or implementing initial attack incident management strategies and tactics to meet the stated resource objectives; and/or implementing mitigation measures during wildland fire activities to protect sensitive habitats, endangered species, sensitive plants, or cultural values.

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 GW-07 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.

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 Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist- Low 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 here: Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM). To meet IFPM requirements, you must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required at time of referral, but may be required to obtain and maintain currency if selected):

A) Engine Boss (ENGB) or Crew Boss (CRWB) or Firing Boss (FIRB) or Helicopter Manager (HMGB) AND;
B) Incident Command Type 4 (ICT4)

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

Physical Demands: Work in the office is primarily sedentary. Field work does require frequent physical exertion, involving walking over rough terrain, sometimes for extended periods, and working under occasionally inclement (hot, cold, snow, wind, etc.) weather conditions.

Work Environment: Work is performed in both an office and field setting with field work. Field work involves exposure to temperature extremes, both from weather and fire conditions where falling trees and the presence of smoke and/or dust conditions create hazardous conditions.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the minimum qualification requirements of this position. Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine if you are minimally qualified for the position. 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 minimally qualified candidates will be referred for consideration. Please note that the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. Interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis.

The competencies or job elements below provide an overview of what this position entails once encumbered:

• Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
• 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.
• Technical Competence - 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.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.
• 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.