Job opening: Forestry Technician (Fire) - Direct Hire Authority
Salary: $42 022 - 54 625 per year
Relocation: YES
Published at: Nov 14 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
This permanent full-time position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Great Plains Region, Pine Ridge Agency, Branch of Fire Management in Pine Ridge, South Dakota; and will be filled from Standard PD Number: FDI0206
This announcement will be used to fill vacancies utilizing the Direct-Hire Authority (5CFR 337.201). Category rating, veteran's preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do NOT apply for this vacancy.
Duties
Serves as a lead wildland firefighter instructing crew members in specific tasks and techniques on either a handcrew; prescribed fire module/crew or wildland fire engine module.
Handcrew duties: Perform initial attack fire suppression activities, locates fireline, directs and participates in fireline construction, backfiring and burnout operations, engine and pump operations, tree falling and holding/patrol/mop up operation.
Prescribed Fire Module duties: Perform prescribed fire operations including preparation, ignition, monitoring, holding, and mop-up. Monitor fire behavior, fire effects, and fire weather on prescribed fires and wildland fire use
Wildland Fire Engine duties: Drives and operates a wildland fire engine, positioning for proper use and operation. Ensures the engine is kept in a full state of readiness for emergency fire dispatch.
Gathers and considers information on weather data, topography, fuel types, and fire behavior in responding to wildland fire incidents
Makes initial evaluation of fire situations; determines suppression methods to use, deployment of module/crew, type of tools to use and application of water.
Responsible for operation and maintenance of specialized equipment used to respond to wildland and prescribed fire situations.
Requirements
- 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 position requires the incumbent to possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
- 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.
Qualifications
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 Senior Firefighter 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/.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0462: Forestry Technician Series; and NWCG/Interagency Fire Program Management Qualifications Standards and Guide)
GS-6: 1 year of specialized wildland fire management experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include on-the-line wildland fire experience as a senior wildland firefighter in forest/range control, prevention or suppression work, prescribed burning; operating and maintaining specialized wildland fire tools, equipment, vehicles, and may include leading the work of crew personnel or1 year of graduate level education directly related to the position.
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 Senior Firefighter (SFF), 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:
Primary Core Requirement: Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) or higher
Additional Required Training: S-290, Intermediate Fire Behavior
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 the required NWCG qualifications for this IFPM 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.
Education
If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
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.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows 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:
FOREIGN EDUCATION
Contacts
- Address BIA Strategic Recruitment - Trust
301 NW 6th
Room 311
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
US
- Name: Strategic Recruitment-Trust
- Phone: 405-768-4060
- Email: [email protected]
Map