Wildland Firefighter (Forestry Aid/Technician)

Duties

A Wildland Firefighter (GS-03 Forestry Aid) performs assignments as a wildland firefighter crew member in developing a working knowledge of fire suppression and fuels management techniques, practices, and terminology; may assist in more specialized assignments such as backfire and burnout, mobile and stationary engine attack.

A Wildland Firefighter (GS-04 Forestry Technician) is a skilled wildland firefighter. May be assigned to carry out specialized assignments such as tree falling, backfire, and burnout operations; utilizes a variety of specialized tools, equipment and techniques while actively managing wildfires. May be required to operate light vehicles and 4X4s.

For contacts and information regarding housing availability visit Fire Contacts on the DOI FIRES Jobs website and select North Dakota.

For more information about temporary fire positions with DOI, go to the following link: https://www.firejobs.doi.gov/.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/TESTING: You must pass an initial pre-employment physical examination and must be able to pass the work capacity fitness test (must carry a 45 lb pack for 3 miles within 45 minutes). Failure to meet any of the required medical qualifications will disqualify you for employment. Any condition, which would cause you to be a hazard to yourself or to others, will disqualify you for employment.

DRUG TESTING: Positions require a mandatory pre-employment drug test. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. The drug test will be provided at Government direction and expense. Once hired, employees are also subject to random drug testing during employment. This is in accordance with Executive Order 12564 and under the Department's Drug Free Workplace Program.

Positions may require a valid state driver's license.

Some positions may require a CDL; information will be provided at job offer.

You must be 18 years of age or older at the time of appointment.

All positions have medical qualification requirements.

Form BIA-4432, Verification of Indian preference for Employment (if claiming Indian Preference).

Qualifications To qualify for a GS-03, you must meet at least one of the following:

• 6 months of general work experience, which can be any work experience. You must include hours per week worked. OR
• 1 year of education above the high school level, which included at least 6 semester hours in any combination of the following courses: range management; range conservation; agriculture; forestry; wildlife management; engineering; biology; mathematics; other natural or physical sciences; OR
• a combination of education and work experience as described above

To qualify for a GS-04, you must meet at least one of the following:

• 6 months of general work experience, which can be any work experience AND 6 months of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-03 level duties. Examples of specialized work experience include on-the-line wildland fire experience in forest/range fire control, prevention or suppression work as a trainee wildland firefighter. You must include hours per week worked. OR
• 2 years of education above the high school level which included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of the following courses: forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine biology and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours of mathematics is creditable toward this requirement. OR
• a combination of the education and work experience described above.

For more information regarding basic qualifications and combining education and experience click here.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Additional information INDIAN PREFERANCE POLICY: Preference is filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC Section 472). Verification form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. No other documents will be accepted as proof as Indian Preference.

SELECTIVE SERVICE: Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System website.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS: These positions are subject to a pre-employment background investigation. If applicable, the appointment will be subject to successful completion of the background investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to satisfy the background check will result in cancellation of offer of employment or may be grounds for termination.

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 Transition Resources website at 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) You 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 fall within the Well or Best Qualified categories on the rating criteria for this position.

Temporary employees hired in wildland fire or wildland fire support positions are eligible for the following:

• Annual, sick leave, and paid federal holidays

-Depending on tour of duty - Sunday, holiday, shift differential and/or hazard pay
-Participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) program - Employees electing to participate in the FEHB will be responsible for the employee share of the premium while on the official agency roles, which is deducted from bi-weekly earnings. After separating from federal employment, employees will be offered to continue participation in FEHB under the Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) option. Employees electing to continue coverage under the TCC provision will be responsible for the full premium amount plus a 2% administration fee.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information .

• Benefits

  Review our benefits

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 will be made to ensure basic qualification requirements are met. Ratings are determined by your responses given to the job specific questions and validated with the information stated in your resume. If qualification requirements are met, your application will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. An applicant's category level could be changed due to competencies not being supported in one's resume. Additionally, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. The job specific questions relate to the following competency and are required to do the work of this position and must be supported in your resume.

GS-03
Technical Competence - ability to work as a member of a team under stressful and adverse operating conditions; ability to use a variety of hand and power tools to build and control fire line; knowledge of safety practices and procedures.

GS-04
Fire Management - knowledge of standard fire program requirements, tactics and suppression methods in containment and control of wildland fires; knowledge of operations and maintenance of specialized equipment used to respond to wildland and prescribed fire situations; knowledge of fire behavior including causes of wildland fire, influence of wind, slope and moisture.

• Benefits

  Review our benefits

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

  You MUST upload "Required Documents" PRIOR to Closing Date.
  
  **Please note that documents selected to transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added to your application. You need to transfer the document(s) in the Document step at the end of the application process.
  
  Resume which includes your name and a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  
  A complete Assessment Questionnaire: This is completed automatically during the online application process. The questions have to do with minimum qualifications, selective factors if applicable, a verification statement, etc. There is no additional document needed to complete this requirement.
  
  Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
  
  College transcripts - To qualify based on education, you MUST submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution (http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html) with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), grade-point average or class ranking, and if applicable, degree and date conferred. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
  
  BIA Form 4432: Verification of Indian Preference (if claiming preference). Note, this is the only form accepted for verification. Failure to supply documentation will result in ineligibility of preference.
  
  Veteran Preference Documentation - If you are claiming Veteran Preference, you MUST submit evidence of eligibility. DD-214 MUST show character of service. Failure to submit a DD-214 which shows the character of service and other appropriate supporting documentation, if applicable, will result in NOT granting preference. Note: If you are still on active duty, contact the DOI FIRES Program Office for acceptable alternative documentation.
  
  • 0-point Sole survivorship preference (SSP), please provide the documentation you received granting this preference.
  - 5-point preference - DD-214 which shows character of service or other documentation which proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
  - 10-point preference - DD-214, SF-15, an official letter dated 1991 or later from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, or other appropriate source.
  For further information, please refer to the "Veteran Information" link at the bottom of the screen.
  
  Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) - If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP you MUST 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.
  
  
  • You only need to upload documents that apply to you. For uploading instructions please click here.
  
  You will not be contacted for additional information. If you have questions regarding what is considered appropriate supporting documentation, contact the DOI FIRES Program Office. 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.

• How to Apply

  Applications must be received ON-LINE through USAJOBS. On-line applications must be submitted prior to 12:00AM (Midnight) Eastern Standard Time of the closing date of the announcement.
  
  Step 1 - Register with USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov) and Create a Resume. You must build a resume with the USAJOBS Resume Builder or have an Uploaded Resume on your profile BEFORE applying. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk
  
  Your Resume MUST include the following information:
  
  - From and To dates (month/year to month/year) for each season and position held. (Ex: 05/ 2018 - 11/2018)
  
  • Work schedule (number of hours worked per week) for all seasons and positions held. One year of experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hour per week (full-time). Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for a position listed that does not indicate hours per week.
  • Grade level for each season and positions that were in the federal service.
  • Duties for each of the seasons and positions held.
  - References - personal and professional
  
  INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is an available tool when you login to your USAJOBS account.
  
  Step 2 - Review the Vacancy Announcement. Review the announcement thoroughly. The sections describe who is eligible to apply, what education and/or experience is required for the position, and which documents are needed for your application package. To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11502045
  
  Step 3 - Apply. Click the "APPLY" link on the right side of the vacancy announcement. This will direct you to the login page for USAJOBS. Select your USAJOBS resume to submit with your application and proceed through the application process answering all questions.
  
  Step 4 - Supporting Documentation. If applicable, attach all required documents (refer to the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy announcement).
  
  For detailed step-by-step instructions on How to Apply click here.
  Agency contact information DOI FIRES Program Office Phone

  888-364-6432

  Email

  BLM_FA_FIRES@BLM.GOV

  Website

  http://www.firejobs.doi.gov

  Address
  Bureau of Indian Affairs
  call toll free number for address information
  Boise, ID 83705
  US Next steps

  If you are determined to be eligible and qualified, you may be referred to the location(s) you selected in the vacancy question during the application process. You can check your application status by logging into "My Account" on USAJOBS. You will only be notified through e-mail when you are referred; no other notifications will be sent.

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents You MUST upload "Required Documents" PRIOR to Closing Date.

**Please note that documents selected to transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added to your application. You need to transfer the document(s) in the Document step at the end of the application process.

Resume which includes your name and a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.

A complete Assessment Questionnaire: This is completed automatically during the online application process. The questions have to do with minimum qualifications, selective factors if applicable, a verification statement, etc. There is no additional document needed to complete this requirement.

Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:

College transcripts - To qualify based on education, you MUST submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution (http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html) with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), grade-point average or class ranking, and if applicable, degree and date conferred. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

BIA Form 4432: Verification of Indian Preference (if claiming preference). Note, this is the only form accepted for verification. Failure to supply documentation will result in ineligibility of preference.

Veteran Preference Documentation - If you are claiming Veteran Preference, you MUST submit evidence of eligibility. DD-214 MUST show character of service. Failure to submit a DD-214 which shows the character of service and other appropriate supporting documentation, if applicable, will result in NOT granting preference. Note: If you are still on active duty, contact the DOI FIRES Program Office for acceptable alternative documentation.

• 0-point Sole survivorship preference (SSP), please provide the documentation you received granting this preference.

- 5-point preference - DD-214 which shows character of service or other documentation which proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
- 10-point preference - DD-214, SF-15, an official letter dated 1991 or later from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, or other appropriate source.
For further information, please refer to the "Veteran Information" link at the bottom of the screen.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) - If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP you MUST 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.

• You only need to upload documents that apply to you. For uploading instructions please click here.

You will not be contacted for additional information. If you have questions regarding what is considered appropriate supporting documentation, contact the DOI FIRES Program Office. 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.

Help This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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

• The public

  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all qualified U.S. Citizens.