Forestry Aid/Technician (Wildland Firefighter Apprentice) - Direct Hire Authority

Summary
Positions will serve in a developmental trainee capacity as a wildland fire apprentice with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southwest Region, Division of Forestry and Fire, Duty Station TBD and will be filled at one of the locations identified in the vacancy announcement overview.
This announcement will be used to fill vacancies utilizing the Direct-Hire Authority (5CFR 337.201). Category rating, veteran's preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do NOT apply for this vacancy.
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
ALL U.S. CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: These positions will be filled using Direct Hire Authority for this occupation. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.
Duties

• Serves as a registered apprentice in a developmental capacity as a Wildland Firefighter trainee serving on one or more of the following module types: engine, hand crew (suppression, fuels or wildland fire module), or helitack.
• Performs all aspects of wildland and prescribed fire operations such as, line construction, ignition device (e.g. fuses, drip torches, flares, and terra torch) use, patrolling fie line and the use of water and hand tools to perform mop-up.
• Will fight wildland fires in extreme heat conditions and participate in search and rescue operations.
• Starts pump engine, primes pump, adjusts engine speed and pump valves, lays hose, and uses appropriate nozzles and nozzle adjustment in effective use of water and additives.
• Services and makes minor repairs to engine; inspects, checks and services accessories such as pump, water lines, tank, reels, or pump power plant; and keeps in fire readiness.
• Inspects, cleans and stows hose. Makes emergency repairs and adjustments of pump while in use. Performs line construction and mop-up activities.
• Performs the duties of a chainsaw operator and performs simple chainsaw maintenance.
• Other apprenticeship training assignments may include: trail maintenance; may be assigned to a fire lookout for reporting of fires; with training may serve in wildland fire dispatch center communicating weather and resource status.
• Gathers and considers information on weather data, topography, fuel types, and fire behavior in responding to wildland fire incidents.
• Duties listed are at the full performance level of the position. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• You may be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
• If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
• This position requires the incumbent to possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
• This is a Testing Designated Position and is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
• This position is subject to pre-employment and annual medical screening and physical fitness testing for arduous duty.
• This is a Permanent, Full-Time Seasonal Position and is subject to placement in Non-Pay Status when services are not needed do to lack of work, funds, or unforeseen circumstances.
• Must meet the minimum/maximum age requirement.
• This position has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program, therefore, the incumbent will be required annually to acknowledge and certify possession of a valid state driver's license.

Qualifications
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0462: Forestry Technician Series)
For the GS-3 grade level:
Six months of general work experience. General experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience may be substituted for general experience.
-OR-
One year of successfully completed education above the high school level that included at least six (6) semester hours in any of following courses: range management or conservation, agriculture, forestry, wildlife management, engineering, biology, mathematics, or other natural or physical sciences.
-OR-
Two seasons of specialized experience. Specialized experience is experience which has provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position. Example of qualifying specialized experience include: 1) Forestry aide or technician work; 2) Engineering, range, or soil conservation technician work that involved the application of cultural, resource conservation, or land management practices on non-forest or ranch lands when combined with knowledge of forestry operations and equipment; 3) Farming or ranching work that involved application of cultural and soil and water conservation practices, including safety and use of equipment, and that provided a basic understanding of land use; 4) Forest or range fire control, fire prevention, or fire suppression work as a skilled Wildland Firefighter. NOTE: A season of experience is considered to be a period of no less than 3 months of continuous employment on a seasonal basis. Shorter periods may be combined to make a season, provided a total of at least 3 months' experience is shown. For any period where the work exceeded 3 months, the excess work is credited towards an additional season of experience.
-OR-
Equivalent combination of experience and education.
For the GS-4 grade level:
Six months of general work experience and six (6) months of specialized work experience.
General experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience may be substituted for general experience.
Specialized experience is experience which has provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position. Example of qualifying specialized experience include: 1) Forestry aide or technician work; 2) Engineering, range, or soil conservation technician work that involved the application of cultural, resource conservation, or land management practices on non-forest or ranch lands when combined with knowledge of forestry operations and equipment; 3) Farming or ranching work that involved application of cultural and soil and water conservation practices, including safety and use of equipment, and that provided a basic understanding of land use; 4) Forest or range fire control, fire prevention, or fire suppression work as a skilled Wildland Firefighter.
-OR-
Two years of successfully completed education above the high school level that included at least 12 semester hours in any of following courses: forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable
-OR-
Four seasons of specialized experience. A season of specialized experience is considered to be a period of no less than 3 months of continuous employment on a seasonal basis. Shorter periods may be combined to make a season, provided a total of at least 3 months' experience is shown. For any period where the work exceeded 3 months, the excess work is credited towards an additional season of experience. See examples of specialized experience as noted above under specialized experience.
-OR-
Equivalent combination of experience and education.
For the GS-5 grade level:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level in the federal service. Example of specialized experience include but are not limited to work in forest or range fire control, fire prevention or fire suppression work as a skilled Wildland Firefighter (i.e., on-the-line wildland fire experience in forest/range fire control; and fire prevention or fire suppression work as a trainee Wildland Firefighter) utilizing a variety of specialized wildland fire tools and equipment;
-OR-
Four years of successfully completed education above the high school level leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable.
-OR-
Equivalent combination of experience and education.
MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE (MEA) AND FIREFIGHTER SPECIAL RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a Primary/Rigorous Firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d) (FERS). The maximum entry-age (MEA) for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement or firefighter experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. Applicants must be 18 years of age, but not have reached their 37th birthday by the closing date of this announcement. Applicants over the MEA of 37 MUST have enough prior covered service under the Firefighter Special Retirement benefit in order to be eligible for re-entry into a primary firefighter position. These positions are covered by the special enhanced annuity retirement provisions for Federal Firefighters and Law Enforcement officers and have a mandatory retirement age of 57. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has prior Federal service in documented special retirement covered position(s) sufficient to count toward 20 years of covered service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Applicants are responsible for submitting all supporting documentation prior to the closing date of a vacancy for an MEA determination. Acceptable forms of documentation consist of SF-50's showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable Federal civilian appointments or copies of agency approved certification letters based upon individual claims for coverage. Failure to provide this documentation with your application may result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement
Education
If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION
Additional information
Indian Preference Policy: Preference in 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 of Indian Preference.
All new hires earn the beginning salary of their ...