This position is located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for is May - October, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: 19 May 2024

Duties

MAJOR DUTIES: Establishes monitoring plots in a variety of vegetation/fuel types in accordance with established guidelines and directions from the Lead. Follows monitoring procedures outlined in the National Park Service Fire Monitoring Handbook and/or adopted park protocols. Makes minor site-specific decisions relating to plot location and vegetation composition. Recognizes and reports deviations from standard procedures and expected results. Seeks assistance for situations not covered by instructions or protocols. Informs supervisor of monitoring implementation problems and proposes solutions. Monitors plots and makes field observations of resource conditions. Evaluates observed conditions and problems and makes preliminary determinations on the cause of the problems noted. Provides results to higher-level specialists for analysis along with suggestions for protection, mitigation, etc. Independently identifies grasses, herbs, shrubs, and trees to species. Prepares herbarium specimens correctly, and records microhabitat and plant association data. Collates and reports live and dead fuel loading, fuel moistures, and fire behavior and weather data relating to spread rate, flame length, and other prescription elements. Prepares fire behavior monitoring documentation forms for prescribed burns. Utilizing a basic knowledge of biology selects locations and establishes fire behavior observation cycles/intervals according to established protocols and instructions from the Lead or Burn Boss. Prepares field maps and photographs of natural features from the ground. Accurately navigates with map and compass to locate predetermined points anywhere in the park. Locates field plots using GPS. Enters natural resource field data into a personal computer using customized software. Runs simple statistical analyses. Performs data entry quality control. Identifies and reports problems in computer data entry and analysis software. Catalogs, labels, and stores plant materials collected during the season. Prepares fuel loading samples and processes fire weather, behavior and effects data. Prepares and submits regular time management reports and a monthly summary of work accomplished. Operates four-wheel drive vehicles. Performs other incidental duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/08/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for 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 the resume 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 part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. EXPERIENCE: Possess one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). For this position specialized experience is participate in assisting with scientific plot identification, preparation and monitoring in various scientific formats; assist in fire duties to include fire prevention, suppression, communication & interpretation and prescribed burning. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: .Successful completion of a four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study (or 24 semester hours of progressively-higher level course work) in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses in a field of study directly related to the position to be filled (for example, biology, botany, forestry, or fire science). You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described in A above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified in B above (50% of the related coursework required), 3 semester hours of which was related to the work of this position. ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Volunteer Experience: 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.

Education

To qualify based on education, 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.

Contacts

• Address Great Smoky Mountains National Park DO NOT SEND MAIL TO THIS ADDRESS 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 US
• Name: Jessica Armenta
• Email: [email protected]