Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Chief Fire Operations Branch)-Direct Hire Authority

Full Job Description

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement.

Learn more about this authority at: DHA Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. This position is located in Fairbanks, AK.

Information about the surrounding area may be found by clicking on the location name listed.

We expect to fill 1 vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Specialized Experience Requirements: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement(s); please be sure to include this information in your resume.

No assumptions will be made about your experience. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.

To qualify for the GW-13 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS/GW-12 is required.

Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to: advising high level management officials on fire management planning at the district or state level or equivalent; reviewing wildland fire preparedness actions and operating plans; evaluating, coordinating, directing and implementing policy to support wildland fire management programs and operations; familiarity with budget formulation and expenditure of funds; supervising or leading a staff of fire and aviation professionals responsible for fire and aviation programs.

Substitution of Education for Experience: There is no substitution of education for experience at the GW-13 and above grade levels.

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(s): This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element.

Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified.

You must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management (qualifications to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required): A.) Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS); AND B.) Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3), You must meet all qualification and selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: The work is normally sedentary; however, some physical exertion is required as it relates to site visits and fire line assignments which involve walking on rough, uneven terrain, long periods of standing, and exposure to extreme heat, smoke, and temperatures.

Work Environment: The work is normally performed in an office setting.

During the wildland fire season, field work may involve high risk exposure to potentially dangerous situations or stress such as wildfire, heat, smoke, and falling rocks and trees and may require flying in small fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.

Field work usually requires protective equipment to be worn and a range of safety and other precautions to be observed.

This is a secondary/administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS).

While secondary positions are not subject to the maximum entry age policy, the selectee must have prior service in a primary position (3 years of service in primary/rigorous position(s)) and meet the transfer requirement for movement from a primary to secondary position to be eligible for special retirement coverage.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your SF-50).

YOU MUST LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A PRIMARY POSITION. FACT SHEET for Fire Positions: Information on Special Retirement. Major Duties:

• Advises leadership and staff on fire management policy and implementation strategies to ensure that intent is clearly articulated and subsequently met.
• Provides strategic long-range planning, leadership, guidance, coordination, and evaluation for regional/state wildland fire and aviation programs in the bureau and interagency community.
• Assists in the formulation of annual program budgets.
• Analyzes and assesses existing Departmental and Bureau policy and procedures to evaluate overall effectiveness in meeting Bureau objectives at the regional and/or state level.
• Serves as a wildland fire management program expert and technical advisor.
• Reviews, analyzes, interprets, and disseminates existing and new departmental and bureau policy.
• Interprets laws, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) and departmental directives for aviation and air operations and activities within the Bureau.
• Offers technical strategy recommendations for procuring, managing, operating, and maintaining fire assets which supports Bureau initiatives.
• Advises agency and interagency partners of emerging capabilities of aviation assets and associated applications/techniques.
• Supervises a state or regional wildland fire management program functional area(s).
• Coordinates strategic implementation of complex fire management activities in a rapidly changing environment for allocation of resources, equipment and/or aircraft.