Wildland Firefighter (Unmanned Aircraft Systems UAS Specialist)

Full Job Description

The position is located on a USDA Forest Service Unit within the Pacific Northwest Region, Region 6.

Serves as an assistant to the Forest Aviation Officer in directing the complex aviation management program of the Fire & Aviation Operations on Forest Service unit(s).

Incumbent provides leadership, coordination, and direction to aerial projects and fire management activities.

For additional information regarding this position please contact Jason Heinz at Jason.heinz@usda.gov.

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-09: You must have one-year specialized experience equivalent to the GW-07 in the Federal service OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B.

or J.D., if related; OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level).

Examples of Specialized Experience are: Administrative processing of flight clearances; limited advice to pilots on geographic locations of assignments and related weather conditions; and support duties such as posting and announcing plane arrivals and departures, tracking automated flight following system, maintaining passenger and cargo manifest records, and maintaining flight requests.

Applies technical knowledge to mobilize numerous personnel with supporting supplies, equipment, aircraft, and services on short notice in order to effectively and efficiently suppress wildfires.

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:

• Provides information and technical direction for all planned and continuing Forest aviation operations. Maintains close liaison with the Regional Fire UAS Specialist and the Regional Resource Management UAS Specialist.
• Develops Project Aviation Safety Plans (PASP/MASP) to support National, Regional, and local UAS projects and missions according to agency policy.
• Maintains close liaison with other aviation managers, Forest Fire Management Officer(s), Deputy Forest FMO(s), Interagency Dispatch Center Manager(s), and Dispatch Coordinators to exchange information on current aviation operations.
• Develops and evaluates sensors and data collection and processing of equipment and techniques for UAS activity.
• Provides input to the regional and forest Aviation Operations and Safety Plan. Assists with the preparation of the Forest level supplements to FSM 5700, the Regional Aviation Management Plan, and the Regional Aviation Mishap Prevention Plan.
• Coordinates with the Forest Aviation Officer and Regional aviation management on Forest aviation operations, technical guidance, special projects for aviation support personnel, and other aviation related aspects.