Fire Management Specialist (Prescribed Fire And Fuels)

These positions are located within USDA Forest Service Units.
The incumbent has program responsibility for Prescribed Fire, fuels management, smoke management, and wildland fire use. The incumbent provides professional advice and assistance to meet resource management objectives with Prescribed Fire and/or wildland fire use.
Please see ADDITIONAL INFORMATION section for contact information.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.
Basic Requirement:
Degree: Biological Sciences, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.
OR
Combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field needed to perform the work of the occupation.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess the specialized experience in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
GS-09: Applicants must display one year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal Service. Examples of specialized experience are: developing Fire Management plans to ensure resource objectives can be met from a Fire Management standpoint; or conducting field inspections before and/or after Prescribed Fires or wildland fires to determine if defined resource objectives have been met.
In addition to fire program management, appropriate experience must have included either Prescribed Fire/fuels management -OR- Fire Management operations as described below:
Prescribed fire/fuels management - experience in a broad range of activities such as: professional forest or range inventory methods, (e.g., Brown's planar intercept for dead and down fuels or live loading assessments); analysis of fuel loading and determination of fuel treatment methods and programming and evaluating Prescribed Fire plans or Fire Management plans to ensure fire containment is possible and identify appropriate suppression contingencies if containment is not obtained.
-OR-
Fire management operations - analyzing and applying Fire Management operations/strategies, plus experience in at least four of the following activities: Mobilization and dispatch coordination, Fire prevention, Training, Logistics, Equipment development and deployment, Fire communications systems, Suppression and Preparedness.
GS-11: Applicants must display one year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal Service. Examples of specialized experience are: reviewing and evaluating Fire Management plans for ecological soundness and technical adequacy; and conducting field inspections before and after prescribed or wildland fires to determine if resource objectives were achieved and/or to evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken; and developing analyses on the ecological role of Fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management.
In addition to fire program management, appropriate experience must have included either Prescribed Fire/fuels management -OR- Fire Management operations as described below:
Prescribed fire/fuels management - experience in a broad range of activities such as: professional forest or range inventory methods and procedures (e.g., Brown's planar intercept for dead and down fuels; live fuel loading assessments); Analysis of fuel loadings and determination of appropriate fuel treatment methods and programming; Land use planning and environmental coordination; Evaluation of prescribed burn plans or Fire Management plans to ensure fire containment is possible and identification of appropriate suppression contingencies if containment is not obtained.
-OR-
Fire management operations - analyzing and applying Fire Management strategies, plus experience in at least five of the following activities: Mobilization and dispatch coordination, Fire prevention and education, Training, Logistics, Equipment development and deployment, Fire communication systems, Suppression and preparedness, or Aviation.
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.
Selective Placement Factor:
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.
Successfully completed the Primary IFPM Core Requirement of NWCG Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) -AND- Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4) -OR- Task Force Leader (TFLD).-OR-Successfully completed the Primary IFPM Core Requirement of NWCG Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2) -AND- Successfully completed the Secondary NWCG Core Requirement of Helibase Manager (HEBM).
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.
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.Education: See QUALIFICATIONS section for education requirements.Employment Type: FULL_TIME