Wildland Fire & Resource Technician 3 - Prevention Lead (PCN 10-9500) at State of Alaska, AK

About the Department

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, is recruiting for a Wildland Fire & Resource Technician in Fairbanks.

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. 

Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

What You Will Be Doing:  

• Respond to Wildland fire incidents as the initial attack and Incident Commander.  
• Conduct wildland fire investigations and complete citation packages for court.  
• Educate the public
• Engineer safe burning practices for the public and enforce Statutes and Regulations through Written Warnings and Citations. 
• Attend and help develop training. 

Mission and Values/Culture:  

The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, Fairbanks Area, proudly serves Alaskans through wildland fire suppression, management, and control. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual to join the team that protects millions of acres of our forests, our communities, and our natural resources.  Individuals must be willing and capable of acting responsibly, being courteous to the public, and accurately disseminating information during high-paced/high-stress wildland fire responses.  The experience gained as a Prevention Technician - Wildland Fire and Resource Technician 3 can form the foundation for a successful career in forestry and other natural resource professions.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:  

Through a letter of agreement, this position receives a 30% increase in the base salary rate. The salary posted on this recruitment reflects the increased rate. This position also receives a 25% pay increase due to hazardous conditions, as outlined in Appendix K of the bargaining unit agreement.

This position offers many opportunities for career advancement in Wildland Fire Prevention and other fire qualifications as assignments become available.   The work is highly rewarding and makes a significant difference in reducing the number of human-caused fires.  

The Working Environment You Can Expect:  

This position is based in Fairbanks, Alaska.  On a daily basis, this position will prepare the Engine, attend briefings, determine the fire danger level, update the Burn Permit website and phone line, perform large-scale burn permit site inspections, patrol assigned areas, conduct initial attack on wildland fires, and perform other duties as assigned.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.  

• Incident Management: Knowledge of tactics, technologies, principles, and processes to protect, analyze, prioritize, and handle incidents.
• Investigation: Knowledge of the guidelines, regulations, and procedures associated with investigation, including interviewing, evidence detection, locating, gathering, and handling, and drawing appropriate factual inferences and conclusions. Provide oral or written reports of findings.  Presenting evidence and providing testimony.
• Integrity/Honesty: Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Oral and Written Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.

Position Duties

Twelve months of wildland fire fighting or forestry field experience, of which at least six months was at the developmental level. The required developmental experience is met by service as a Wildland Fire and Resource Technician 2 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent with another employer.
And
Red Card qualification under the National Incident Qualification System (see required job qualifications special note).

Substitution:
Completed coursework from an accredited college or vocational technical school in forestry, fire science, or a closely related field may substitute for the six months of general field experience. (For college 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours equal one month of work experience. Transcripts or a letter from a vocational technical school must indicate a college credit equivalency for the completed coursework. For example, at Alaska Vocational Technical Center: Forest Ecology = 3 semester credits; Forest Regeneration = 2 semester credits; Timber Harvesting and Sale Administration = 4 semester credits; and Wildland Fire Management = 3 semester credits.)

There is no substitution for the six months of developmental experience.
There is no substitution for the National Incident Qualification System (Red Card) qualifications.

Special Note: 
Applicants must be at least eighteen years of age.

Most positions require National Incident Qualification System certifications. Because there are different specialty areas in this field, recruitment and selection will be made from among those candidates who meet the experience and the basic National Incident Qualification System training requirements specifically listed within the recruitment bulletin. The specialty areas are within one of the following functions: fire operations, wildland fire prevention, and aviation support.

Applicant must be able to pass the Work Capacity Test at the "Arduous" level as defined in Federal Publication PMS 307, Work Capacity Test Administrator' Guide. This test requires that the applicant complete a 3-mile hike carrying a 45-pound pack over level terrain in 45 minutes or less.

Applicant must possess an Alaska driver's license. An individual without an Alaska driver's license, who meets the minimum age and experience requirements, may apply for the vacancy. An applicant qualifying under this option may receive a job offer conditional upon acquisition of an Alaska driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.

Positions may require travel both in and out-of-state for fire suppression assignments; stand-by or recall status during the fire season; must be available for assignments in and out of the area that requires the absence from the duty station for 14 to 21 days; flying in small fixed wing aircraft or helicopters, and handling hazardous materials.

Some positions may require a commercial driver's license with appropriate endorsements.

Minimum Qualifications

** Please read the information below carefully.**

At the time of application, the applicant must attach the following items as individual documents; failure to provide the requested documentation may result in non-consideration.  If you are unable to attach documents, please fax or email the contact listed below.   Required documents include:

At the time of the interview, please ensure that you provide the following materials.  Failure to do so may result in loss of consideration.  Required documents include: 

• Valid driver’s license.
• Contact information for three professional references, with at least one reference from a current or former supervisor.
• Copies of your two most recent evaluations (Seasonal Evaluations), or letters of reference if evaluations are not available.

SPECIAL NOTICES

• This position requires a Red Card under the National Incident Qualification System, accompanied by an arduous fitness rating.
• This position requires travel in Alaska, the Lower 48, and Canada for assignments lasting 14-21 days and frequent travel in helicopters and small fixed-wing aircraft.

Application Notice

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions on how to apply can be found on the Workplace Alaska How to Apply webpage (link).  Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.  

Supplemental Questions

For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions.  The State of Alaska (SOA) utilizes four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s level of competence in applying certain behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.

Education

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. 

Work Experience

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase. 

Note: Attaching a resume is not a substitute for completing the application in its entirety. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.  

Bargaining Unit

If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee. 

Classification Study Notice

This position is currently undergoing review as part of a job class study of firefighters and other fire-related positions.  Therefore, both the title and the assigned pay range may be subject to change upon completion of the study.

Driver’s License Requirement

Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.  

Firearms

This position requires the use or possession of a firearm or ammunition. In accordance with the federal Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 (PL 104-208), if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you may not hold this position.

A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is an offense that is (1) a misdemeanor under Federal or state law and (2) has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim.

If you have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, do NOT apply for this position.

EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Other Qualifications

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the governmentjobs.com domain.

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to [email protected].

For assistance with your password, please visit the reset password page.

For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:

John D. Younce

Wildland Fire & Resource Technician 4

Prevention Lead

Phone: 907-347-3926

Email: [email protected]