Forestry Technician
USDA
Positions offered in 118 locations
Full-Time
Salary: $26,150 to $32,844/year
Job Overview
Summary
A career with the Forest Service will challenge you to manage and care for more than 193 million acres of our nation's most magnificent lands, conduct research through a network of forest and range experiment stations and the Forest Products Laboratory, and provide assistance to State and private forestry agencies.
It's an awesome responsibility - but the rewards are as limitless as the views.
USDA is a great place to start or continue your career. USDA is ranked as one of the top 10 "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" by the Partnership for Public Service (http://bestplacestowork.org/BPTW/rankings/overall/large). Rankings are based on employee feedback regarding satisfaction with their work experience.
This position serves as a Wildland Firefighter Apprentice on various wildland fire crews with responsibility for the operation and maintenance of specialized tools or equipment. The incumbent will be assigned into one or more types of positions within the wildfire program where the individual’s specialized skills are required at one or more locations throughout the forest service.
As part of the Wildland Firefighter Apprentice Program, if selected, you may be subject to random mobilization that could last up to six months in order to develop the knowledge, skills and requirements of the position.
Information about the Wildland Fire Apprentice program can be found at: www.wfap.net/index.html
These are permanent positions with varying tours of duty and may include weekend work. Tours of duty are less than full-time seasonal (guaranteed minimum 6 months/13 pay periods of full-time employment).
The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.
This position is being concurrently announced under Merit Promotion Announcement Number 17-FIREFALL-WFAP-5G. Current or former Federal employees may apply to both announcements, but should be sure to apply to the Merit Promotion Announcement in order to avoid losing consideration since different referral criteria apply to each type of announcement. Disabled veterans, candidates with 3 or more years of active duty military service, and candidates eligible for special hiring authorities may apply to the Merit Promotion Announcement if they meet the criteria outlined in the announcement and submit supporting documentation.
Pay rates vary depending on location. See the OPM website at http://www.opm.gov/ for additional information on pay rates.
Duties
Serves as an apprentice fire fighter on a wildland fire crew performing fire suppression and/or fuels management duties under the most adverse conditions or climate, fuels and terrain.
Performs various aspects of wildland and prescribed fire operations including preparation, ignition, monitoring, holding and mop-up. Driving engines to fire locations, frequently over unimproved roads. Starting pump engine, priming pump, adjusting engine speed and pump valves, laying hose and using appropriate nozzles and nozzle adjustment in effective use of water and additives. Loading helicopter personnel and cargo considering methods, weight distribution, necessity for securing, total weight, etc. and completes manifests of personnel and equipment being transported to the fire or other work site.
Performs wildfire suppression support as directed within training and physical and other duties as assigned. Duties listed are at the full performance level.
Supervisory Status
No
Promotion Potential
05
Travel Required
- Occasional Travel
- Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignments.
Relocation Authorized
Job Requirements
Key Requirements
- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
- Males born after 12/31/59 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
- Must possess and maintain a Valid Driver's License.
- Subject to a negative drug test prior to entrance on duty.
- Must meet IFPM qualifications.
- Position requires a Work Capacity Test (WCT).
- May require a Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
- Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
- Must meet Maximum Entry Age (MEA) requirements.
- Primary firefighter retirement covered position.
Qualifications
You must possess the Basic Requirements identified below to be considered eligible for this position. Transcripts must be provided if qualifications are based on education above the high school level. Your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the appropriate experience requirements. Specialized experience is defined as experience that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
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.
GS-03: Six months of general experience that demonstrates the applicants ability to perform the work of the position that provided familiarity with subject matter or processes of the occupation; or successful completion of 1 year of study that included at least 6 semester hours/9 quarter hours in a combination of courses such as range management or conservation, agriculture, forestry, wildlife management, engineering, biology, mathematics, or other natural or physical sciences.
GS-04: Six months of general experience and six months of specialized experience; 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 combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Examples of qualifying general experience are: Performed farm/ranch labor, such as feeding/tending livestock or general maintenance of farm/ranch facilities; worked in a greenhouse, nursery or landscaping e.g., planting, moving, watering, and tending plants; animal caretaker in a laboratory, zoo or pet store; volunteer work at a park, hospital, community sports league, local fire department, etc. Examples of qualifying specialized experience are: Performed a limited variety of manual tasks to accomplish fuels reduction work and suppress wildland fires using a variety of hand and power tools; At the instruction of a crew leader, patrolled fire line to locate and extinguish sparks, flareups, and hot spot fires that might threaten developed fire lines; At the instruction of a crew leader, moved dirt, chopped brush, or felled small trees to build fire line using various hand tools and power saws to control spreading wildland fires and to prepare lines prior to prescribed burning.
GS-05: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level; or successful completion of a full 4-year course of study 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 combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Examples of qualifying specialized experience are: Observed, recorded, and preserved evidence of cause of fires; Patrolled areas of controlled fires to mop-up by searching out and extinguishing any remaining burning material. Served on a specialty crew (hotshot, helitack, engines, etc.) to suppress the full range of difficult and complex fires.
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS
Primary firefighter positions include the following age requirements: Under age 37 -OR- less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Federal Service worked in a primary or secondary firefighter/law enforcement position -OR- a veteran preference eligible, older than age 37 and is requesting a waiver to the maximum age requirement.
To qualify at the GS-05 journey worker level, the applicant must have successfully completed Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1). A copy of the Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) master record (or equivalent training document - Red Cards are not acceptable) which contains documented proof of certification or attainment of this requirement must be attached to application.
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.
To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all requirements as of the closing date of the announcement.
APPRENTICE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
There are conditions of employment for this position. The selected applicant must complete the provision of the National Apprenticeship Standards. These conditions of employment may change during the term of the apprenticeship as approved by the National Interagency Joint Apprentice Committee (NIJAC).
National Apprentice Standards can be found at http://www.wfap.net/forms/Final_Standards9_24_10.pdf
Conditions of employment include:
1. Formal Classroom training consisting of the Wildland Fire Academy (both Basic and Advance Academies) at the Wildland Fire Training Center.
2. 3,000 hours of on-the-job training as well as hours in the related instruction and supplemental technical training.
3. Formal class work at the identified passing level.
Selected applicants who do not meet these conditions of employment may be subject to removal from position.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Must be 18 years of age.
Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of training.
May be subject to satisfactory completion of one year probationary or trial period.
DRUG TESTING: This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
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." The Arduous fitness (Pack) test requires completing a three (3) mile hike within forty-five (45) minutes, while carrying a forty-five (45) pound pack. You are strongly encouraged to consult with your physician and begin training immediately if applying for this position.
Physical Fitness Statement: You are being deployed to a challenging physical environment. You may encounter extremely dusty conditions, significant air pollution, high elevations, lack of potable water, food and waterborne diseases, and communicable diseases. You will need to walk distances of a half-mile or more, run and step up to 2 feet while wearing a helmet and body armor that together weigh a minimum of 30 pounds. Medical care will be limited.
This position may require the selectee to possess a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and therefore, is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Department of Transportation (DOT)/Forest Service Alcohol and Controlled Substance Testing Program. Applicant tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use unless they currently occupy a TDP under the DOT/Forest Service Alcohol and Controlled Substances Testing Program. Final appointment is conditional on a negative drug test. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice for testing requirements.
How to Apply
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/476779100#btn-how-apply
Please view Tips for Applicants– a guide to the Forest Service application process.
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.
To begin, click "Apply Online" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.