KEY REQUIREMENTS



• US CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED
• BACKGROUND SECURITY INVESTIGATION REQUIRED FOR ALL HIRES
• APPOINTMENT MAY BE SUBJECT TO A ONE YEAR PROBATIONARY PERIOD
• APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ONLINE OR BY FAX
• PRIOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
• DRUG TESTING REQUIRED UNDER THE DOI DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE PROGRAM

NOTE: If the position is filled at a lower grade level, subsequent promotion to the next grade level will be processed without further competition under the Merit Promotion Program at such time as performance and qualification requirements are met and classification review discloses the duties being performed properly warrant classification to the next higher grade level.

NOTE: This is a supervisory position. Under provision of the Civil Service Reform Act, first-time supervisors are required to serve a trial period before their appointment becomes final.   Those who do not satisfactorily complete the trial period will be returned to positions of no lower grade and pay then those they occupied before assuming their supervisory assignment.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:

• Assists the Fire Management Officer in planning, developing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating an integrated fire management program to achieve resource management objectives.
• Program Management: Analyzes current fire management plans and makes recommendations to meet changing conditions within the limited of current or anticipated funds.
• Planning: Assists with fire and aviation management planning involving interacting with all disciplines as well as officials from other federal, state, tribal, and local agencies and the public.
• Operations: Coordinates and initiates fire management activities based on firefighter and public safety, cost effectiveness, and values to be protected consistent with resource objectives.
• Supervision and Safety: Provided technical and administrative supervision to the unit(s). Plans and directs overall work to be accomplished by subordinate supervisor(s), sets and adjust priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Professional and Scientific Positions and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0401: General Biological Science Series; and Interagency Fire Program Management Qualifications Standards and Guide for Unit Fire Program Manager - Moderate Complexity).

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR GS-0401:

A. Degree:  biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological sciences, agriculture or natural resources management, or at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, natural resources, wildland fire management, forestry, or agriculture equivalent to a major field of study, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, or natural resources.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: In addition to meeting the basic entry level qualification requirements, applicants must have the following:

GS-11: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

GS-9: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level OR 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master’s degree or master’s or equivalent graduate degree.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA’s) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience is that experience which has provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully function in the wildland fire management position applied for. Possession of the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities can be evidenced by:

• reviewing and evaluating fire management plans for ecological soundness and technical adequacy.
• conducting field inspections before and after prescribed or wildland fires to determine if objectives were achieved and/or evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken.
• developing analyses on the ecological role of fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management.

In addition to fire program management, appropriate experience must have included either prescribed fire/fuels management - OR - fire management operations as described below:

Prescribed fire/fuels management - experience in a broad range of activities such as:

• inventory methods and procedures
• fuel treatment methods and programming
• land use planning and environmental coordination
• evaluating prescribed burn plans or fire management plans to ensure containment is possible and identify contingencies if containment is not obtained.

Fire management operations - analyzing and applying fire management strategies, plus experience in at least five of the following activities:

• mobilization and dispatch coordination
• fire prevention and education
• training
• logistics
• equipment development and deployment
• fire communication systems
• suppression and preparedness
• aviation

SELECTIVE FACTORS: All candidates selected for this position must also meet or exceed a selective factor which requires a minimum of 90-days of wildland firefighting experience. The selective factor cannot be waived. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: 1) Wildfires, Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. 2) Prescribed Fires, Planned ignitions. This description includes only fireline experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience.

The applicant must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position:

• Primary Core Requirement: Task Force Leader (TFLD)
• Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3) or a Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Type 2 (RXB2)
• Additional Required Training as presented in the following courses, or agency equivalent: M-581 "Fire Program Management"

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This position is covered as a secondary firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c)(CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS) when it is filled by an incumbent who transfers directly from a primary or another secondary firefighting position with no break in service as a firefighter to this position. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent depends upon his or her individual work history.

SUITABILITY, CLEARANCE & REQUIREMENTS: 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. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

OTHER: Incumbent is required, as an incidental duty, to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle, in the performance of duties; therefore, a valid driver’s license is required. Incumbent must have a safe driving record within the three-year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607 and be able to meet the safe driving requirements of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Department of the Interior Drug-Free Workplace Program.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Normally the work is sedentary but often requires physical exertion while overseeing fire suppression activities including walking over rough, steep, uneven terrain in all types of weather. The incumbent is faced with emergency situations at all hours and must respond quickly. The position may require long shifts or multi-day assignments under primitive living conditions during emergencies. During the fire season, extended fire assignments away from the unit may be required under very stressful conditions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Most of the work is performed in an office setting. Field work is sometimes performed in steep terrain where surfaces may be uneven, rocky, or covered with thick vegetation. Temperatures are frequently extreme, both from weather and fire conditions where the presence of smoke and/or dust conditions are frequently severe. The hazardous nature of fire suppression work requires that protective clothing (boots, hard hats, etc.) be worn during emergencies. The incumbent must exercise a variety of safety practices and precautions for their own and others’ well being.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Applicants will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection procedures. Under category rating, applicants who meet basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position and whose job-related competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities have been assessed are ranked in two or more predefined quality categories. The final certificate will group applicants into the top category, applying veterans’ preference as appropriate, instead of ranking the applicants in numeric score order.

If basically qualified, you will be further evaluated to assess the quality, depth, and complexity of your accomplishments, experience, and education in relation to the job related competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position and placed in one of the following categories:

BEST QUALIFIED: Applicants that possess all of the job related competencies identified as important for successful job performance.

WELL QUALIFIED: Applicants that possess a majority, (i.e., more than half but not all) of the job related competencies needed for successful job performance.

QUALIFIED: Applicants meet the basic eligibility and minimum qualification requirements but do not meet the definition of Best Qualified or Well Qualified as described above.

Preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category.  Veterans’ preference is absolute within each quality category. Compensable veterans (CPS and CP) will "float" to the top of the highest category regardless of their final rating, except for Professional positions at GS-9 & above where they would be placed at the top of the category determined by their final rating. Non-compensable veterans (XP and TP) will go to the top of the category provided their final rating meets the cut-off rating for that category.

As part of the application process, you are required to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Experience that demonstrated understanding of fire effects on cultural and natural resources.
• Prescribed fire/fuels management experience in activities.
• Fire management operations analyzing and applying fire management strategies.

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your resume, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs offers a comprehensive benefits package. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered: http://www.usajobs.gov/ResourceCenter/Index/Interactive/Benefits#icc

OTHER INFORMATION:

CTAP & ICTAP APPLICANTS: Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) participants who are well qualified may apply for this position. To be eligible for consideration under CTAP, an applicant must provide written notification that they will be losing their current federal position. To be eligible for consideration under ICTAP, an applicant must provide proof that they have lost their federal position within the last year. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible. For more information regarding CTAP & ICTAP, please visit http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

NOTICE TO MALE APPLICANTS: Section 1622 of the Defense Authorization Act of 1986, prohibits any male born after December 31, 1959, from being appointed to a position in an executive agency if he has knowingly and willfully failed to register with the Selective Service System. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, will be required to complete a certification document to confirm their Selective Service registration status, if selected for appointment.

To Apply Online:

• Click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register
• Answer the Questionnaire and click on SUBMIT my answers
• UPLOAD all required documents and other supporting documents
• To return to a previously saved or incomplete application go to https://applicationmanager.gov/

We strongly encourage you to apply online. However, if you cannot apply online, you may FAX your assessment questionnaire, resume and supporting documents to (478) 757-3144 by following the steps below.

To apply by Fax:

• Print a copy of the OPM Form 1203-FX
• Answer the assessment questionnaire 603901
• When faxing a completed OPM Form 1203-FX, this will serve as your fax cover and must be placed on TOP of your application and other supporting documents. No other fax page is required. Simply make sure all six pages of the completed OPM Form 1203-FX are on top of all other documents being faxed

Combination Online/Fax:

• Log into or create your Application Manager account at https://applicationmanager.gov/
• ANSWER the Questionnaire and click on SUBMIT my answers
• Print the United States Government Application Cover Page
• Include the Vacancy Identification Number 603901, SSN, and full name to ensure that your documents are associated with the rest of your application
• Fax your United States Government Application Cover Page, application, and supporting documents to (478) 757-3144

Please note that it is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information entered, uploaded, or faxed (i.e., questionnaire responses, resume, and any supporting documents) are complete and accurate.

All electronic submissions and/or faxes must be completed by 11:59 PM EST ON Thursday, October 04, 2012.

NOTE: Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. This position requires the submission of additional forms as described under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section. Failure to provide the required information and/or documentation may result in your application not being considered for employment.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

• Resume showing months and years of relevant experience and education, hours worked per week, salary history, and supervisor contact information.
• References - List three people who are not related to you and are not current or previous supervisors
• Form BIA-4432, Verification of Indian Preference for Employment, if claiming Indian preference. No other form will be accepted.
• Form DD-214, if claiming veterans preference; and VA letter and Standard Form 15, if claiming 10 point preference.
• College Transcript from an accredited institution is required for verification of qualifying education. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, an official transcript may be requested at a later time.
• GSA Form 3607, Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record (optional during the application process; however, selectees will be required to submit as part of the pre-appointment process).
• Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other equivalent documentation which verifies you meet the required NWCG qualifications for this IFPM position. Failure to provide this documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in you being rated as not qualified.

NOTE: Persons submitting incomplete applications will be given credit only for the information they provide. The applicant is responsible for submitting all required documentation in support of their application in order to receive full credit for their Indian preference, veteran preference, experience, training, and/or education. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FROM THIS OFFICE.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of your rating and or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.