This position will serve as a Senior Fire Dispatcher in support of the fire suppression activities with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Western Regional Office, Division of Forestry & Wildland Fire Management, Duty Station in Mesa, Arizona. 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 fire dispatcher in support of fire suppression activities. Perform and direct others in receiving fire reports, determining location, land status and current fire information. Coordinate aviation dispatch operations (e.g., aircraft capabilities and limitations, flight planning, aviation safety. Determine appropriate resource response to incidents and requests from the field and dispatches personnel, equipment, aircraft, and/or supplies. Process and interpret weather information (e.g. spot weather forecast, weather station observations, current and forecasted weather, lightning detection and fuel moisture. Organizes and review completed records of all orders placed and actions taken to ensure adherence to established operation procedures. Provide information and consults with supervisors, multiple agencies, cooperators and other interested entities. Make initial and extended attack decisions in response to fire reports and orders for additional support from the field by arranging for and coordinating the transportation of personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies.

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 has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program, therefore, the incumbent will be required annually to acknowledge and certify possession of 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.

Qualifications

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) GS-6: 1 year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include serving as a dispatcher receiving, filling, and tracking resource requests and other emergency incidents; sending requests to higher organizational levels for additional resources as needed. Dispatching personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies for fire and non-fire activity; arranging for ground and air transportation of personnel, supplies, and equipment in support of emergency and project activities; and collect, process, and disseminate weather and smoke management information into computer programs or databases. Public safety dispatching (e.g., fire or law enforcement, emergency medical, search and rescue, etc.), operations in the communications center; preparing written records to capture all significant events for later analysis. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, serving as a office or center dispatcher receiving, filling, and tracking resource requests and other emergency incidents; sending requests to higher organizational levels for additional resources as needed; OR 1 full year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent) in forestry, fire or range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position; OR a combination of specialized experience and related graduate education when combined meets the total requirements for the position. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. GS-7: 1 year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include performing as a dispatcher and directing others in receiving fire reports, determining location, land status, and fire information; determines appropriate resource response to incidents and requests from the field and dispatches personnel, equipment, aircraft and/or supplies; anticipates fire suppression needs and determines resource allocation; operates and/or directs the operation of various dispatch telecommunication systems; organizes and reviews completed records of all orders placed and actions taken to ensure adherence to established operating procedures and providing orientation and training to other dispatchers and assisting in implementation of a successful fire management program. Providing public safety dispatching (e.g., fire, law enforcement, emergency medical, search and rescue, etc.) operations in the communications office/center; utilizing emergency reporting systems to coordinate emergency response; OR 1 full year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent) in forestry, fire or range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position; OR a combination of specialized experience and related graduate education when combined meets the total requirements for the position. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: This is a MANDATORY qualification prerequisite to qualify for this position. Applicant must have possessed the following qualifications to be considered eligible for this position: Prior Wildland Firefighting Experience: This position requires a minimum of 90 days previous wildland firefighting experience which provided knowledge of the techniques, policies, and practices of wildland fire management. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: 1) Wildfires - unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires; 2) Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions. This description includes only fireline experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. 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. FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This position is covered under the secondary/administrative firefighter special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c)(CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d)(FERS) when it is filled by an incumbent who transfers directly from a primary or another secondary law enforcement or firefighting position with no break in service to this position. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent will depend upon his or her individual work history. You may meet the qualification requirements, but not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If you are not eligible for special retirement coverage, you will be placed in the regular retirement system. FERS TRANSITION REQUIREMENT: To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary coverage position. 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. Physical Demands: The work involves long hours of sitting, intense concentration, and working at peak proficiency/intensity levels with irregular breaks and mealtimes. The duties of this position create a highly stressful environment during peak activity, requiring the ability to keep calm in emergency situations. Must be able to cope with the pressure of meeting timeframes and changing priorities. Mental concentration and accuracy are required. Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily in an office setting. During peak activity, increased radio traffic, numerous ringing phones, and conversations result in high noise levels, which require a high level of concentration to perform duties. This creates a high stress work environment.

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]