Wildland Firefighter (Interagency Fire Dispatch)

Full Job Description

This position is located at a USDA Forest Service Unit. These positions serve as a Fire Dispatcher located in a dispatch center.

This may be a single agency dispatch office or interagency dispatch center located in a fire management organization. See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION for Regional contacts.

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: For the GW-04: Applicants must have six months of general experience (any type of work that demonstrated the ability to perform the work of the position, or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation) AND six months of specialized experience that is directly related to the work of the position; OR successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 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 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable); OR an appropriate combination of experience and education above high school as described above.

The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university and include courses that are related to the occupation of the position.

Examples of general experience may include: Performed farm/ranch labor, such as feeding/tending livestock or general maintenance of farm/ranch facilities and/or worked in a greenhouse, nursery or landscaping e.g., planting, moving, watering, and tending plants and/or animal caretaker in a laboratory, zoo or pet store and/or volunteer work at a park, hospital, community sports league, local fire department, etc.

AND Have at least 6 months of specialized experience.

Examples of specialized experience may include: Performing the full range of standardized support duties commonly found in the work area, such as receiving, filling, and tracking resource requests for fire and other emergency incidents.

Experience in wildland fire suppression and prescribed fire strategies, tactics, methods and procedures, fire behavior, and weather conditions to effectively dispatch fire management resources.

For the GW-05: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GW-04) in the Federal Service; OR a bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school (120 semester/180 quarter hours) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or 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, outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable); OR combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience.

The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Examples of specialized experience may include: Filing and retrieving documents in a dispatching office.

Assisting in preparing various maps, plans, guides, analyses, and special reports for dispatch use; receiving and processing requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies in conjunction with wildland fire and emergency incidents.

For the GW-06: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GW-05) in the Federal Service; OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as recreation or physical education); OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience.

The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience may include: Serving as a dispatcher, receiving, filling, and tracking resource requests for fire and other emergency incidents; arranging for ground and air transportation of personnel, supplies, and equipment in support of emergency and project activities; collecting, processing and disseminating weather and smoke management information into computer programs or databases.

For the GW-07: Applicants must must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the the next lower grade level (GW-06) in the Federal Service; OR one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture); OR combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience.

The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience may include: Determining the appropriate personnel and resource composition to respond to wildland fires or emergencies, as the situation demands and/or reassigning resources to address changing needs, such as in cases of multiple wildland or prescribed fires and/or coordinating aviation dispatch operations (e.g., aircraft capabilities and limitations, flight planning, aviation safety) and operating and/or directing the operation of various dispatch telecommunication systems and/or Manages and directs adherence of law enforcement dispatch protocols and procedures and/or Plans and carries out fire program management projects in accordance with fire management objectives and policies.

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.

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This is a secondary firefighter position under 5 USC 8336 (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Prior wildland firefighting experience is required.

There is no age limit for entry into secondary positions. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent depends upon his or her individual work history.

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

• Duties listed are at full performance grade GW-07.
• Operates and/or directs the operation of various dispatch telecommunication systems.
• Anticipates fire suppression needs and determines resource allocation. Coordinates aviation dispatch operations (e.g., aircraft capabilities and limitations, flight planning, aviation safety).
• Reviews internal operating procedures and systems, makes recommendations for improvement, and updates/develops operating plans and mobilization guides.
• Organizes and reviews completed records of all orders placed and actions taken to ensure adherence to established operating procedures. Develops and implements fire program management project work plans.
• Performs, and directs others, in inputting data into a number of fire-related computer applications (e.g., incident qualification records, fire reporting systems, and automated dispatch systems) and makes assessment of outputs.
• Plans and provides critical logistical support information to the supervisor for successful implementation of fire management program activities. Develops and implements fire program management project work plans.