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Aviation Management Specialist (Air Tactical Specialist)

Department of the Interior
Office of the Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS)

Summary

This position is an Aviation Management Specialist (Air Tactical Specialist), GW-2101-11/12 working for the US Wildland Fire Service.

Boise, ID and/or Location negotiable: You must be physically located within 50 miles of a DOI facility.

One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office.

Information about the surrounding area can be found at https://www.boisechamber.org/

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/20/2026 to 03/26/2026
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$83,639 to - $126,835 per year

Salary Shown is based on Rest of U.S locality. Final salary will be based on final duty location.

Pay scale & grade
GW 11 - 12
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Boise, ID
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - Frequent/Extensive travel will be required during peak fire activity.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
WFSMP-26-12911645-BCN
Control number
861957900

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Duties

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As a Aviation Management Specialist (Air Tactical Specialist), your duties will include but are not limited to the following:

  • Serves as an expert in aviation operations, responsible for direction and oversight of all incident fixed and rotor wing aerial supervision operations.
  • Incumbent is a national focal point for Air Tactical Supervisor (AITS) within the DOI; establishing policy, developing training and qualification requirements, and ensuring the national program is managed within Bureau policy.
  • The position may also provide direction and oversight to aviation operations supporting activities including but not limited to all hazard aviation response, resource management, law enforcement, and research.
  • Provides expert technical assistance to fire and aviation management at the incident, field, state, and national office level for current and future aerial resource requirements.
  • Provides technical expertise for accurate mobilization and demobilization of aerial supervisors and aerial resources in coordination with geographical and national requirements.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.

Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.

Direct Deposit Required.

A condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.

Subject to frequent extended travel (up to 25 nights a month) particularly during fire season, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel.

You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below:

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. You must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management (qualifications to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required).

  • SPF: Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) and Air Tactical Supervisor (AITS)
    • GS-12: Incumbent must possess and maintain qualifications as an ATGS and AITS
    • GS-11: Incumbent must possess and maintain qualifications as an ATGS
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.

For GS-11: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: performance on actual fire suppression support missions as an Air Tactical Group Supervisor, Aircraft Manager (SEAT, and/or Helicopter); demonstrated experience in the management of aerial firefighting activities. Experience working in aviation operations including various fixed wing, and/or Rotor Wing, having experience in program policy development, evaluating safe and cost-effective use of aviation resources for a wide variety of program operations.
-OR-
Education: Completed three (3) full academic years (54 semester hours) of progressively higher level graduate education or a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree in one or a combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management or LL.B. or J.D.
- OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

For GS-12: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: working as an Aviation Manager, Air Tactical Supervisor (AITS), Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS), Aircraft Manager; professional experience in the management of aerial firefighting activities. Experience working in aviation operations including various fixed wing, and/or Rotor Wing, providing subject matter expertise in program policy development, evaluating safe and cost-effective use of aviation resources for a wide variety of program operations.

There is no substitution of education at the GS-12 grade or higher.

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.

Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage - Applicants for this secondary administrative fire fighter position under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d), must possess knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of wildland firefighting as demonstrated by direct wildland firefighting experience. In order to receive credit, you must provide a written description of your experience in wildland firefighting. Education without hands-on wildland firefighting experience does not meet this requirement. Periods of wildland firefighting experience, gained through militia and rural fire departments, can also be credited. Wildland fire is defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Two distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fires as follows: Wildfire: Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. Prescribed Fires: Planned ignitions. This description includes only fire line 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.

Physical Demands: The physical ability to perform all tasks during sustained flights under mentally and physically stressful conditions in cramped space, turbulent atmospheric conditions, reduced visibility, high noise levels, while receiving or sending multiple radio transmissions and performing other aircrew tasks.

Working Conditions: The work is typically performed in various light fixed wing or rotor wing aircraft cockpits and office environments where space is limited. Occasional inspection trips for mission readiness, contract compliance and accident investigations may involve working around hazardous conditions such as moving aircraft, aircraft wreckage, and flammable fuels and in adverse geography and weather conditions requiring specialized training and safety precautions. Office work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled environment.

Eligibility and Qualification Requirements: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement. Specifically,

i. Area of Consideration.
ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502.
iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPM's Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions.

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.

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 programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Additional information

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. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

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 an RPL, you may be given priority consideration.

Career-Ladder Promotion: This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-12. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work and incumbent must become qualified as Air Tactical Supervisor (AITS). Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

PCS INFORMATION: No PCS entitlements authorized

Telework: This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

Probation/Trial Period Con't:
The probationary or trial 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 -OR- trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

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 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. 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.

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

  • Organizational Awareness - Knows the organization's mission and functions, and how its social, political, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them; this includes the programs, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the organization.
  • Creative Thinking - Develops new insights into situations and applies innovative solutions to make organizational improvements; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes.
  • Technical Competence - Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters.

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.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

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