This position is located within the Washington Office - Fire & Aviation Management (WO-FAM) unit. This position serves as a National Aircraft Inspector Pilot with responsibility for administering pilot evaluations in rotary-wing and/or fixed wing aircraft and provides technical aviation direction to extremely complex elements of the agency's aviation program. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Christ Tipton at [email protected].

Duties

Duties listed are at full performance grade GS-13 level. Serves as pilot-in-command (PIC) of aircraft conducting missions to include point-to-point transportation of personnel and cargo, and utilization of special use skills such as fire suppression/fire retardant delivery and rappel operations. Provides expert technical advice to regional/national aviation programs as a principle advisor in the development/implementation of policies, programs and standard practices for aviation operations and specialized projects. Provides oversight in planning/development and performance of specialized missions for the Forest Service and cooperator units in the use of aircraft to perform high risk activities such as aerial ignition, mountain flying, and fire support missions. Plans, develops and leads training programs for non-pilot aviation personnel, such as helicopter managers, aerial ignition operators and Contracting Officer Representatives (COR). Serves as technical authority and represents the Chief of the Forest Service on joint agency accident investigations involving loss of life, serious injury, and/or property damage. Evaluates and determines suitability and capability of contractor employed pilots for approval to perform special use skills such as search and rescue, point-to-point transportation of personnel and cargo, and operations in mountainous terrain. Evaluates safety of operations, training practices, suitability of aircraft, efficiency with which equipment is used, mechanical condition of equipment used, aircrew proficiency, and adequacy of communications. Evaluates qualifications of employees responsible for management and technical supervision of aircraft operations, adequacy of management's control of aircraft operations, and Government/operator working relationships. Identifies and resolves technical problems related to mechanical condition of aircraft and special equipment, and proper upkeep of flight logs and maintenance records.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered 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.gov
• Must be 18 years of age.
• This is a Test Designated Position. You will be tested for illegal drugs prior to appointment and randomly thereafter. Appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results.
• Minimum of 90 days of wildland firefighting experience is required.
• Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
• 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.

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. To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Basic Requirement: Minimum eligibility requirements for this position are based on possession of the appropriate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificates and/or appropriate military ratings, meeting the applicable flight hour requirements, and possession of the knowledge and skills required for the position. Refer to How You Will Be Evaluated section for additional information. You must possess the Basic Requirements identified below to be considered eligible for this position. Your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the appropriate experience requirements. Must possess: an FAA Airplane Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument and Airplane Multi-Engine Land ratings, or an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with Instrument and Airplane Multi-Engine Land rating; Must possess a current FAA first or second-class medical certificate; AND Must possess and maintain current and valid qualifications as a FAA Certified Flight Instructor in airplanes (Multi-Engine Instructor - Instrument). Must meet all the following flight requirements and all minimum hours must be in Category (Airplane): Possess minimum flight time of 1500 hours with 1200 hours as Pilot-In-Command (PIC); Possess minimum flight time of 500 hours PIC in multi-engine airplanes; Possess minimum PIC time of 200 hours in Category and Class to be flown (Airplane); Possess minimum PIC time of 500 hours performing Cross Country flight; Possess minimum PIC time of 200 hours performing low-level operations in mountainous terrain (flight at 2500 AGL and below in terrain identified as mountainous in 14 CFR 95.11, and as depicted in the Aeronautical information Manual figure 5-6-3); Possess minimum PIC flight time of 100 hours performing Night Flight; Possess minimum PIC time of 75 hours of actual or simulated Instrument time with 50 hours in flight; AND Possess minimum PIC flight time in Category of 100 hours in the preceding 12 months; possess minimum PIC flight time of 10 hours in the preceding 60 days. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience in the amounts listed below. 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. Specialized Experience Requirement: GS12: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS11 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Performing basic systems inspection on multi-engine airplanes to confirm aircraft readiness for flight operations according to prescribed preflight checks; piloting multi-engine airplanes in adverse weather, smoky conditions and/or reduced visibility, turbulent air, low-speed low-level flight over mountainous, unfavorable terrain, constant radio traffic, and high density air traffic (in a non-radar environment); conducting flight inspections and evaluations; and instructing of contractor and agency pilots to ensure their skills and abilities met agency requirements appropriate to the position held. GS13: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS12 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Performing duties as a qualified instructor for administering advanced instrument proficiency checks, flight reviews, equipment checks and mission checks for agency pilots; and performing ground and flight training in preflight planning, aircraft systems, weather, night mountain flying techniques and high altitude operations, standard operating procedures and advanced instrument procedures and techniques. 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. FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary position covered under the special retirement provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) for the Civil Service Retirement System and of 5 USC 8412(d) for the Federal Employees Retirement System. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no education requirement or substitution for this position.

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]