Forestry Technician

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• 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.
  
  

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.

Specialized Experience Requirement

For the GS-6 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service. OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture); OR a combination of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience include: Participating in prescribed fire operations including line preparation, igniting, and/or holding strategies. Collecting and compiling fuels management field inventory data where a variety of fuel variations were involved. Inventorying fuel beds, preparing associated reports, performing hazard fuel reduction projects, monitoring burning conditions, piling vegetation debris and/or acted in assigned positions such as ignition or holding specialist or other designated positions during actual fuel reduction efforts by prescribed fire.

For the GS-7 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the Federal Service; OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture); OR a combination of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience include: Participating in routine aspects of inventorying and monitoring for wildland fire, prescribed fire, and/or natural resource activities. Planning and directing field resource data collection for fuel hazard management program. Assisting in developing and implementing specific plans for fuels treatment projects.

Selective Placement Factors

Successfully completed the Primary NWCG Core Requirements of Firefighter 1 (FFT1) and Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Incident Commander Type 5 (ICT5).

A minimum 90-day 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.

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 as (HIGH) or (MODERATE) or (LOW) Complexity 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.

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.

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.

WORK CAPACITY TEST (WCT) for Wildland Firefighters: This position participates in wildland firefighting activities. Based on the type of work performed, TAKING and PASSING the WCT at the ARDUOUS level is a condition of employment.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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.

Education

See QUALIFICATIONS Section For Education Requirements.

Additional information

For additional information about the duties and location(s) of these positions, please contact regional representative: To see the different locations within the Regional Offices | US Forest Service (usda.gov)

Region 1: Northern Region - Tiffany Counts at tiffany.countsusda.gov

Region 2: Rocky Mountain Region - Scott McDermid at scott.mcdermid@usda.gov

Region 3: Southwestern Region - Tobe Haught at tobe.haught@usda.gov

Region 4: Intermountain Region - Matthew Nielsen at matthew.nielsen@usda.gov

Region 5: Pacific Southwest Region - Deirdre Cherry at deirdre.cherry@usda.gov

Region 6: Pacific Northwest Region - Jason Heinz at Jason.heinz@usda.gov

Region 8: Southern Region - Russ Marchion at russell.marchion@usda.gov

Region 9: Eastern Region - Brian Hicks at brian.a.hicks@usda.gov

Job Corps Center: All Region- Dirk Huber at dirk.huber@usda.gov

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

These are permanent positions with varying tours of duty and may include weekend work. Some positions may have irregular and protracted hours of work. Tours of duty include full-time or less than full time (guaranteed minimum 13 pay periods full-time employment).

Availability of government housing, federal day care facilities, and telework may be available.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates.

Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel Help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email SM.FS.asc_tos@usda.gov

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied or guaranteed.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.