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.

• Serve as an experienced leader exercising supervision and leadership for and executing fire management activities in fire preparedness, fuels management and prevention, and fire suppression, monitoring, and post-fire.
• Provides oversight during initial and extended attack fires, directs fireline activities and tactics of dispersed firefighters, resources, equipment and aircraft .
• Provides follow-up actions to safely and effectively manage wildland fires.
• Makes efficient and effective use of multiple types of interagency wildland fire suppression resources with varying capabilities.
• Monitors weather and fire behavior and communicates changes to strategy and tactics.
• Selects strategies and tactics to ensure safe operations for assigned resources.
• Recognizes potential hazardous situations and provides operational briefings.
• Ensures preparedness of wildland fire suppression equipment and staff .
• Manages inventory and accountable property; positions equipment and personnel for the most efficient response.
• Evaluates equipment and staffing needs; and develops and prioritizes equipment and personnel funding requests.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit
• You may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
• 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.
• 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.
• This is a 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.
• 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.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

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) - Moderate 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/

GS-9: 1 year of specialized wildland fire work experience equivalent to the GS-8 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience may include: develop and revise fire management planning documents for long range wildland fire control and prescribed burns; organize and complete preparedness activities as it pertains to fire equipment, supplies, and fire personnel; analyze incident objectives, strategies and tactics, safety, cost effectiveness/efficiency; experience working with various resources and agencies in order to accomplish work; assign missions to ground and aviation wildland fire suppression resources; make effective use of multiple types of interagency wildland fire suppression resources with varying capabilities; participate in the development of incident objectives, strategies and tactics; serve on preparedness review teams; develop and prioritize equipment and personnel funding requests; conduct field reconnaissance of proposed prescribed burn units; perform prescribed burn evaluation and complete documentation; assist in wildland fire management planning, coordination and implementation such as program coordination, contracting, fire rehabilitation planning and fire mitigation measures.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS: These are MANDATORY qualification prerequisites to qualify for this position. This position is 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) - Moderate Complexity, therefore, the applicant 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:

Moderate Pathway #1:

• Primary Core Requirement: Task Force Leader (TFLD), or higher.
• Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander Type 3 (ITC3) OR Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2), or higher.

-OR-

Moderate Pathway #2:

• Primary Core Requirement: Helibase Manager (HEBM), 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. Selectees for IFPM positions requiring currency will be required to obtain and maintain currency for the NWCG qualifications listed above

MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE (MEA) AND FIREFIGHTER SPECIAL RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a Primary/Rigorous Firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d) (FERS). The maximum entry-age (MEA) for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement or firefighter experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. Applicants must be 18 years of age, but not have reached their 37th birthday by the closing date of this announcement. Applicants over the MEA of 37 MUST have enough prior covered service under the Firefighter Special Retirement benefit in order to be eligible for re-entry into a primary firefighter position.

These positions are covered by the special enhanced annuity retirement provisions for Federal Firefighters and Law Enforcement officers and have a mandatory retirement age of 57. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has prior Federal service in documented special retirement covered position(s) sufficient to count toward 20 years of covered service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement.

Applicants are responsible for submitting all supporting documentation prior to the closing date of a vacancy for an MEA determination. Acceptable forms of documentation consist of SF-50's showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable Federal civilian appointments or copies of agency approved certification letters based upon individual claims for coverage. Failure to provide this documentation with your application may result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the closing date.

The duties of this position are so rigorous that employment is limited to physically vigorous individuals who must meet established maximum age and physical qualification requirements.

Physical Demands: Arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping and twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity.

Work Environment: Forest, range, and desert environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with thick tangled vegetation, smoky conditions, etc. Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and may fall below freezing. Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material. Employee must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements, dust and smoke, poor bivouac and eating situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. Firefighters may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the work requires that personal protective equipment be worn (e.g., boots, hard hat, gloves, flame resistant clothing)

How you will be evaluated

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

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/12759175.

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.