Forestry Technician (Prescribed Fires/Fuels)

DutiesSummary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource.

We expect to fill one vacancy at West Valley City, UT as a Career Seasonal for 6 months.

Information about West Valley City, UT may be found here www.wvc-ut.gov.


Responsibilities
• Assists in planning and implementing of project assessments which determine the presence or absence of hazardous wildland fuels.
• Reviews project plans and makes recommendations on appropriate levels of monitoring.
• Participates in drafting prescribed fire/fuels management plans
• Enters fire behavior and fire effects observation data into a database
• Conducts field reconnaissance of prescribed fire/fuels treatment units and summarizes field findings
• Assists the Module Leader or other senior staff in the technicial and administrative supervision of fuels module
Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel is required to attend training, conferences, workshops, and/or field visits.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

7

• Job family (Series)

  0462 Forestry Technician

• Requirements

  RequirementsConditions of Employment
  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the HOW TO APPLY and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS Sections
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license; nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Land.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination. Failure to possess or obtain a favorable determination will result in the cancellation of the offer or will be grounds for termination.
  • You must meet specified levels on annual physical fitness tests, and pass periodic medical exams for wildland fire personnel, commensurate with current incident management qualification.
  • You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position.
  • You must pass a pre-employment physical.
  • Applicant(s) tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use and to pass the test prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • This position requires regular and recurring overtime and shift work during peak fire season.
  • May require completion of a one year probationary period.
  • Applicants appointed to this position must POSSESS and maintain a valid state driver?s license.
  QualificationsIn order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement(s); please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.
  
  For GS-06: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-05 in the federal service. Specialized experience at this level is defined as having participated in routine aspects of inventory and monitoring for wildland fire, prescribed fire, and/or natural resource activities; participated in field resource data collection for hazardous fuels management program; and assisted in implementing specific plans for fuels treatment projects.
  
  For GS-07: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-06 in the federal service. Specialized experience at this level is defined as having performed specialized aspects of inventory and monitoring for wildland fire, prescribed fire, and/or natural resource activities; planned and directed field resource data collection for hazardous fuels management program; and assisted in developing and implementing specific plans for fuels treatment projects.
  
  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; 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.
  
  Substitution of Education for Experience:
  GS-06: 18 semester hours of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position OR an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.
  
  GS-07: 18 semester hours of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position OR an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.
  
  Education and experience may be combined to meet the specialized experience requirement.
  
  TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.
  
  You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.
  
  May require completion of a one year probationary period
  
  Selective Placement Factor: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.
  
  You must have prior on-the-line wildland firefighting experience. You will NOT receive consideration for this position if you do not have wildland firefighting experience.
  • Prior on-the-line firefighting: The Department of the Interior defines wildland firefighting experience as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Wildland firefighting experience is gained through work on the fire line in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. This experience can be met by serving in a temporary, seasonal, or equivalent private sector fire position for no less than 90 days. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: (1) Wildfires - Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires; and (2) Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions. This description includes only fireline experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience. This experience must be documented with specific dates in the online application or resume.
  You must meet all selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  
  Physical Demands: The work is normally sedentary. However, field work is evaluated as arduous and the duties include demands for strenuous activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity.
  
  Work Environment: Office conditions require long periods of sitting, working with computers and general lifting, bending and reaching. Field conditions involve being exposed to noise, dust, heat, weather, aircraft turbulence and the hazards of firefighting.
  
  .
  
  Education
  Additional information

  DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/e
  
  Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
  
  Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career service vacancies. information about CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility ; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement ; and 3) Your are found well-qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
  
  CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they receive a minimum score of 90 based on the rating criteria used for this position.
  
  Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on a RPL, you may be given priority consideration.
  
  The BLM has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework.
  
  Government facilities are required to provide a smoke free environment for their employees. Smoking will be permitted only in designated areas.
  
  This is a secondary/administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). While secondary positions are not subject to the maximum entry age policy, the selectee must have prior service in a primary position and meet the transfer requirement for movement from a primary to secondary position to be eligible for special retirement coverage. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your SF-50). YOU MUST LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A PRIMARY POSITION.
  
  FACT SHEET for Fire & Law Enforcement Positions: Information on Special Retirement.

  
  How You Will Be Evaluated

  You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

  Upon receipt of your complete application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your rating will be based on your responses to the Job Specific Questionnaire and the information stated in your resume. If qualified, your score may range from 70-100 points. In addition, interviews may be conducted for this position. The interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis or may be scored. The job specific questions relate to the following required to do the work of this position.
  
  Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:
  Leadership
  Fire Management
  Planning and Evaluating
  Administrative and Management
  

  Background checks and security clearanceSecurity clearance

  Not Required

  Drug test required

  Yes

  Position sensitivity and risk

  Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

  Trust determination process

  Credentialing, Suitability/Fitness

• Required Documents

  Required Documents

  In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following supplemental documentation as applicable:
  
  Resumes must show relevant experience and other information. Your resume MUST list your education and work experience including (1) the dates (mm/yy) of each employment, along with (2) the number of hours worked per week, and (3) salary information. Civil service employees must provide their current OPM title, series, and grade. Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. You are welcome to submit a cover letter (optional).
  
  In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume?
  
  In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms:
  Current and former federal career and career-conditional employees: Submit a copy of your most recent (non award) SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, or equivalent document that verifies tenure (block 24, code 1 or 2) and Competitive Status (block 34, code 1).
  
  Transcripts: If using education to qualify, submit a copy of ALL your college transcripts or a list of ALL college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. Upon selection, official transcripts must be received prior to appointment. If your degree is from a Foreign Institution, See Foreign Education.
  
  Veterans' Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) of 1998 allows preference eligibles or veterans to compete for vacancies under merit promotion procedures. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be a preference eligible OR veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. VEOA eligibles that separate with 30 or less days prior to completion of the three-years of continuous active duty service requirement are eligible to receive consideration. You must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 to verify eligibility. Veterans will be rated and ranked with other merit promotion eligibles. Those who are among the best qualified may be selected by the appointing official, but veteran's preference is NOT a selecting factor. For more information, please go to OPMs website at: www.fedshirevets.gov.
  
  Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles: Submit documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location.
  
  If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under other noncompetitive special appointing authorities, you MUST submit proof of this eligibility.
  
  Applicants eligible under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) must submit documentation verifying (a) initial selection under competitive examining procedures to a land management agency under a time-limited appointment in the competitive service, (b) service under this initial appointment, or in conjunction with subsequent competitive service time-limited appointments, was for a period of 24 months without a break in service of two or more years, and (c) performance was evaluated as being at an acceptable level for the entire applicable period(s). "Required documentation" includes first and last SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) for each appointment verifying the Position Occupied code (block 34, code 1-Competitive Service), AND documentation of successful performance for each appointment. Each file must not exceed 3MB. Grouping documents into files will simplify the application process. Failure to submit required documentation will result in loss consideration.
  
  Former Public Land Corps Member: Submit your Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Competitive Hiring Based for Public Land Corps Service.
  
  Submitting Required Documents: Please note that documents selected for transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added do your application. You need to transfer your document(s) in the "Documents" step during the application process.
  Hard copy paper supplemental documents, submitted without prior Human Resources approval, will be considered as an incomplete application.
  
  Required documentation must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.
  
  If you are determined to be eligible and best qualified, you will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Applicants should monitor their status for positions by regularly checking their public status notifications in the USAJOBS profile.

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• Benefits

  Benefits

  Review our benefits

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

• Federal employees - Competitive service

  Current or former competitive service federal employees.

• Individuals with disabilities
• Land & base management

  Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.

• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
• Veterans
• Special authorities

  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

All current or former federal employees with competitive/reinstatement eligibility // CTAP/ICTAP eligibles within the local commuting area // Veterans' Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) Eligibles // Persons eligible under Special Hiring Authorities // Current or former time-limited employees eligible under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) // Public Land Corps (PLC) eligibles who within the past two years have completed all requirements of a creditable PLC project