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Supervisory Forestry Technician (Smokejumper)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located Deschutes National Forest; Redmond Air Center, Fire Management in Redmond, OR.

This position serves as Crew Supervisor and Smokejumper Operations Manager for a national shared resource smokejumper program. The position oversee all aspects of Smokejumper Operations and works directly for the Smokejumper Program Manager.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Anthony Johnson: 541-504-7280; email: anthony.johnson2@usda.gov.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/13/2020 to 07/31/2020
Salary
$58,260 to - $83,210 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 10 - 11
Location
Redmond, OR
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignments.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
20-FIRE-10861941-G-MH
Control number
573422200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current permanent Federal Employees with competitive status, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibles, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP and VEOA eligibles, Farm Service Agency permanent county employees, 30 percent or More Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas, Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement and Other Miscellaneous Authorities, People with Disabilities, Peace Corps and VISTA, Public Land Corps, Reinstatement, Resource Assistant Program and VRA eligible candidates.

Duties

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  • Directly supervises smokejumper squads which include Squad Leaders and Smokejumpers.
  • Perform the administrative and human resource management functions relative to the staff supervised.
  • Fire Management Work 70% Program Management: Oversees all aspects of fire planning, preparedness, and execution.
  • Analyze and predict budget needs for all fire and prescribed fire operations.
  • Insure the maintenance of vehicle fleet; maintains and checks mileage and maintenance vehicle logs for accuracy, secures temporary replacement of vehicles as needed.
  • Plan for and checks on the safety and welfare of the crew, and arranges communication and liaison with other units as required.
  • Train smokejumper pilots in smokejumper operations.
  • Formulate and develop plans, contract specifications, and schedules for well-precedent fire management operations.
  • Maintain individual records of smokejumper utilization, training and experience throughout the group.
  • Incident Management: Makes on-the-ground decisions and controls the actions and decisions on fires of more than average complexity that have potential for resource damage.
  • Inspect and maintain smokejumper aircraft, aircraft accessories and equipment, and pilots for fire readiness.
  • Serve as smokejumper spotter/ mission coordinator. Coordinates and provides for retardant aircraft, helicopters, and other smokejumper aircraft
  • Duties are listed at full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US 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.
  • Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of training.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.

Qualifications

For more information about the smokejumping program in the Forest service click Here.

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:

GS-10: One year equivalent to a GS-09grade. Examples include: Assisting with one or more program responsibilities such as: loft, operations, training, loadmaster, and/or prescribed fire. Assisting in formulating and developing plans, contract specifications, training programs, and schedules. Directing initial and extended attack suppression actions such as determining incident needs, and dispatch/deployment of personnel and equipment.

OR

A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related to this position

OR

An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

GS-11: One year equivalent to a GS-10 grade. Examples include: Assisting with more than one smokejumper program responsibilities such as: loft, operations, training, loadmaster, and/or prescribed fire. Assessing various fire management factors such as fuels, suppression capability, resistance to control, ignition probability, predicted rate of spread, and flame height and weather. Inspecting and maintaining smokejumper aircraft, aircraft accessories and equipment for fire readiness.

OR

Three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that is related to the work of this position

OR

An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).

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.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Senior Parachute Rigger Certificate.
  • Currently or have been previously qualified as a smokejumper on an organized wildland fire smokejumper crew.
Smokejumper duties present unusual hazards and require that personnel be in excellent physical condition and possess a high degree of emotional stability and mental alertness. The health of individuals must be such that they have the capacity to meet demands for performance in the position and for human reliability. Before entrance on duty, and periodically during employment, smokejumpers must undergo a medical exam, physical conditioning, and an adeptness test. Failure to meet any of the required standards will be considered disqualifying for employment or a basis of termination.

See Medical Requirements for Smokejumper Positions

During the training period, incumbents are continually evaluated on their ability to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in various aspects of parachute jumping and smokejumper-related tasks, including aircraft exit procedures, parachute landing falls, parachute maneuvering, timber let-down procedures, parachute and cargo retrieving, tree climbing, and chainsaw and hand tool use. Incumbents who cannot perform up to the required standards of proficiency will be terminated from the smokejumper program.

Smokejumpers must perform safely and efficiently in extreme temperatures and weather conditions, often with severe smoke and dust. Terrain may be extremely steep, uneven, rocky, and covered with thick tangled vegetation. Conditions riding in aircraft may be hot, cramped, and extremely turbulent, which may promote airsickness. The hazardous nature of the work requires that protective clothing (jump suit, helmet, boots, gloves, fire resistant clothing, etc.) be worn and protective equipment, including fire shelters, be carried.

Primary firefighter positions include the following age requirements: Under age 37 -OR- less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Federal Service worked in a primary or secondary firefighter/law enforcement position -OR- a veteran preference eligible, older than age 37 and is requesting a waiver to the maximum age requirement -OR- eligible under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, older than 37 and is requesting a waiver to the maximum age requirement.

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.

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.'' The Arduous fitness (Pack) Test requires completing a three (3) mile hike within forty-five (45) minutes, while carrying a forty-five (45) pound pack.

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.

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a primary/rigorous 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.

Positions may be filled as career ladders or could be filled at the full performance level dependent upon the individual units needs. 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 not guaranteed.

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

Additional information

** The closing date of this announcement has been extended from July 27 to July 31 **

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. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status (such as LWOP) is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.

For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran's Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website

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.

Availability of government housing is not available, federal day care facilities is not available, and telework is not available.

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 asc_tos@usda.gov.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:

  • Knowledge of smokejumper techniques and procedures.
  • Knowledge of wildland firefighting techniques and procedures.
  • Ability to lead, direct and monitor fire crews.
  • Knowledge of non-suppression and other technical administrative duties.
  • Ability to communicate other than in writing.
Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10861941

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