Job opening: Fire Management Specialist (Prescribed Fire and Fuels)
Salary: $57 118 - 89 835 per year
Relocation: YES
Published at: Dec 05 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
These positions are located on a USDA Forest Service Unit.
The incumbent's primary responsibilities include program responsibility for prescribed fire, fuels management, and smoke management, provides professional advice and assistance to meet resource management objectives with prescribed fire and/or multiple objective wildland fires.
For additional information about the duties of these positions, please see Additional Information section below.
Duties
Duties listed are at full performance grade GS-11.
Implements and administers prescribed fire activities, wildland fire use, and fuels management activities to ensure targets are achieved, management objectives are met and mitigation measures are adequate.
Develops fuels treatment alternatives to support management decisions while adhering to applicable laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines.
Responsible for the smoke management program to ensure compliance with state air quality standards.
Performs fiscal analysis, formulates the annual fuels management budget, and maintains a system of accounts to track program expenditures.
Coordinates multi-disciplinary field studies related to fuels management program issues to determine effectiveness of treatments.
Serves as a member of an interdisciplinary team planning, developing, and implementing land management plans, compliance documents, and agreements.
Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
- Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.
- Must be 18 years of age.
- This is a drug testing designated position. You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. Appointment is based on a negative result. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice.
- Must pass the Work Capacity Test for certain Interagency Fire Program Management or Fire Program Management positions.
- Minimum of 90 days of wildland firefighting experience is required.
- Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
- Some Fire positions may have Conditions of Employment such as: a valid state driver's license; a commercial driver's license (CDL); pre-appointment and random drug testing; or a physical or medical examination.
- There may be additional Conditions of Employment not listed here, however applicants will be notified of any specific requirements at the time a tentative job offer is made.
- Subject to one year supervisory /managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
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.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
Basic Requirement:GS-0401:
Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related discipline appropriate to the position being filled.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
For the GS-09 level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: planned, developed, and implemented land management plans, compliance documents, and agreements. Worked closely with other resource specialists to integrate vegetation management project designs in fuels program direction. Provided input and recommended strategies for fuels and fire management. Provided expertise in the development of resource objectives and guidance for implementation of projects and programs. Evaluated post burn fire effects, identified potential problems and made appropriate recommendations.
-OR-
A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., (coursework directly related to the position being filled such as biological sciences, botany, ecology, horticulture, climate sciences, natural resource management);
-OR-
An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
For the GS-11 level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: reviewed and evaluated fire management plans for ecological soundness and technical adequacy; and conducted field inspections before and after prescribed or wildland fires to determine if resource objectives were achieved and/or to evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken; and developed analyses on the ecological role of fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management;
-OR-
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled such as biological sciences, botany, ecology, horticulture, climate sciences, natural resource management);
-OR-
An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).
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.
In addition to fire program management, appropriate experience must have included either prescribed fire/fuels management -OR- fire management operations as described below:
Selective Placement Factors
A minimum 90 days experience performing on-the-line (Primary/Rigorous) wildland fire suppression duties as a member of an organized fire suppression crew or comparable unit that utilized knowledge of wildland fire suppression, containment or control techniques and practices under various conditions. This experience must be documented with specific dates in the online application or resume.
Successfully completed the Primary IFPM Core Requirement of NWCG Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) -AND- Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4) -OR- Task Force Leader (TFLD).
-OR-
Successfully completed the Primary IFPM Core Requirement of NWCG Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) -AND- Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Helibase Manager (HEBM).
Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) and Forest Service - Fire Program Management (FS-FPM) qualifications must be met by the time of selection. Most recent IQCS master record and/or signed Agency Certified task book must be attached to your application. If you are selected, you may be required to submit an updated IQCS master record or signed Agency Certified task book as proof of attainment of IFPM requirements prior to a final verbal offer.
In order to be considered for this position, copies of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record (or equivalent training documents) which contain documented proof of the certification or attainment of the IFPM Selective Placement Factor for this position MUST be attached to your application. Red cards are not acceptable documentation. Currency Requirement: Required to maintain currency once hired into the position. Currency of NWCG qualifications is not required for selection. If not currently qualified, the applicant must provide documented evidence that they have been fully qualified in the past, and are able to regain currency within one year of being hired. Failure to provide this documentation will result in disqualification.
This position has been identified under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) or Forest Service Fire Program Management (FS-FPM) and is subject to selective placement factor requirements contained in the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard and Guide when filling this vacancy. IFPM or FS-FPM selective placement factors are made up of a primary and secondary National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) core Incident Management Qualifications and Required Training. The applicant must possess these qualifications at the applicable complexity level to be considered eligible for this position.
Education
See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.
Contacts
- Address USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US
- Name: HRM Contact Center
- Phone: 1-877-372-7248 X2
- Email: [email protected]