Seasonal Wildland Firefighter (Fire Effects and Fuels Monitoring) - Direct Hire Authority na Department of the Interior

Not Required

Duties

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. GW-04 Level: Serves as a member of the wildland fire program by participating in fire response and monitoring, fuels management, and post-fire activities to achieve a wide range of program missions and goals. Helps monitor and record fire characteristics such as rates of spread, flame length, fire behavior, and fire effects and plots fire progression on a map. Observes, collects, and records fire-related weather, topography, and fuels data. Participates in fire education activities such as conducting field trips, attending and presenting for public education and special events, and explaining fire management activities to visitors, youth groups, schools, and other audiences. Enters fire effects and fuels field data into a centralized database using customized software. Additional duties at the GW-05 Level: Serves as an experienced member in the wildland fire program by participating in fire response and monitoring, fuels management, and post-fire activities to achieve a wide range of program missions and goals. Monitors and records fire characteristics such as rates of spread, flame length, fire behavior, and fire effects and plots fire progression on a map. Participates in fire education activities such as conducting field trips, attending and presenting for public education and special events, and explaining fire management activities to visitors, youth groups, schools, and other audiences. Enters fire effects and fuels field data into a centralized database using customized software. Additional duties at the GW-06 level: Serves as an experienced leader in the wildland fire program by directing and participating in fire response and monitoring, fuels management, and post-fire activities to achieve a wide range of program missions and goals. Directs and ensures proper assembly of equipment and supplies needed for fire assignments or daily work assignments. Reviews, provides input to, or drafts fire effects and fuels monitoring plans and reports. Trains crew members and others to establish and collect fire effects and fuels data in a variety of fuel/vegetation types. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt. This is a Test Designated Position. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. The Work Capacity Test (WCT-Pack Test) as a method for assessing an employee's fitness levels for fire qualifications in the positions covered by this recruitment notice. Arduous fitness (WCT-Pack Test) will consist of completing a three-mile hike, within 45 minutes, while carrying a 45 pound pack. NOTE: Arduous Work Capacity Test (Physical Requirements and Work Capacity Tests | U.S. Department of the Interior) Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and pass a medical examination given by an authorized government physician. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution. Must be 18 years of age at time of close date of announcement. Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable). You will be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service fire uniform standards. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Subject to frequent extended travel up to 14 nights a month particularly during fire season, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel. Incumbent will be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. Government housing MAY be available, is on a bid system, and is not guaranteed. FOR ALASKA: You may be required to carry a firearm in the back-country, or other locations, for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals. You must be free of any domestic violence charges/convictions.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If an applicant's resume is incomplete a rating of "ineligible" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted. EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS To qualify for a GW-04: You must meet at least one of the following: 1). Six months of general work experience, which can be any work experience AND 6 months of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS/GW-03 level duties in the Federal service, or equivalent. Examples of general experience include: Farming or ranching work that involved application of cultural, soil and water conservation practices, including safety and use of equipment, and that provided a basic understanding of land use; or forest or range fire control, prevention, or suppression work. Examples of specialized experience include: Forestry aid or technician work; farming or ranching work that provided a basic understanding of land use and management practices; forest or range fire control, prevention, or suppression work. -OR- 2). Successful completion of a 2-year course of study in an accredited college or university with major study in Fire Science, Fire Training, Fire Technology or other related fields of study. -OR- 3). Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university with major study in Fire Science, Fire Training, Fire Technology, or other related fields of study. To qualify for a GW-05: You must meet at least one of the following: 1). One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW/GS-04 level in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes the following: Experience as a member of a crew performing fire effects monitoring, wildfire, fuels, prescribed fire, and/or post-fire operations, collecting vegetation, fuels, weather, fire behavior, or ecological data in any related job field; collecting data to assess burn severity or fire effects after prescribed fire or wildfire. -OR- 2). Successful completion of a 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university with major study in Fire Science, Fire Training, Fire Technology or other related fields of study. -OR- 3). Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university with major study in Fire Science, Fire Training, Fire Technology, or other related fields of study. To qualify for a GW-06: You must meet the following: 1). One year of specialized experience at the GW/GS-05 level in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes the following: Experience as a member of a fire monitoring or wildland fire crew. The applicant must possess experience in any field that demonstrates the ability to lead or assist in leading others; executing fire management activities in fire suppression, fuels management, fire effects and fuels monitoring, and post-fire such as measuring and documenting vegetation and fuels information; identifying plant species; collecting and reporting fire behavior and weather data; performing wildfire, fuels, prescribed fire, and/or post-fire operations. 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. To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the GW-06 grade level of this announcement. When submitting college transcripts, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your 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.

Other Information

This notice is being issued to recruit personnel to occupations for which a critical hiring need has been identified. To assist in filling these positions, OPM has granted the Department of the Interior "Direct Hire Authority". This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Pay rates vary depending on location, the salary shown is for the "Rest of the U.S." See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates: Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay and overtime rates. A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected (step 1). The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. Physical Demands: Requires standing, walking over rough, uneven, rocky and sometimes hazardous surfaces. Travel to and from the post of duty requires hiking of several miles with elevation change. Demands of long days in the tower may not always be physically demanding but are mentally fatiguing by occasional heavy fire activity. Many times, lieu days must be worked because of emergency fire conditions. Extended operation of equipment may place unusual physical stress during certain monitoring activities. Working Conditions: The incumbent works in mountainous and forested terrain. Some activities require work during early mornings, late evenings and at night. Risks include exposure to toxic and irritating insects, exposure to potential animal-borne disease vectors, and exposure to machinery/aircraft noise, falling and rolling material, heat, and exhaustion. The duty station may be located on a remote isolated mountain peak, accessible only by hiking. Work is performed indoors and outdoors and is subject to weather variances. Supplies for scheduled workdays may be delivered by pack string. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For Information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: Career Transition (opm.gov) Pay rates vary depending on location, the salary shown is for the "Rest of the U.S." See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates: Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay and overtime rates. For positions in Alaska: Alaska currently does not have a state income tax. Salary and COLA subject to annual review and adjustment. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Statement for Alaska is currently 1.49% in addition to your salary.