What are the responsibilities and job description for the Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch) position at Bureau of Land Management?

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.

These positions are located in Winnemucca, NV. Information about Winnemucca and the surrounding area can be found at Winnemucca Chamber of Commerce.

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at : Direct Hire Authority

This position is authorized a 25% incentive - see Additional Information

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous federal service is required. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area. This position is being advertised under an OPM government-wide Direct Hire authority.

Duties

Performs and directs others in receiving fire reports, determining location, land status, and current fire information.

Processes and interprets weather information (e.g., spot weather forecasts, weather station observations, current and forecasted weather, lightning detection, and fuel moisture levels).

Provides information and consults with supervisors, multiple agencies, cooperators, and other interested entities.

Coordinates fire training and orientation.

Makes initial and extended attack decisions in response to fire reports and orders for additional support from the field by arranging for and coordinating the transportation of personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship is required.

Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.

You cannot hold an active real estate license : nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.

Direct Deposit Required.

Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background / suitability investigation / determination.

Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.

This position requires regular and recurring overtime and shift work.

You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position.

An applicant appointed to this position must possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.

May require a one year probationary period.

Applicant(s) tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use and to pass the test prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

Qualifications

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

At the GS-06 level : One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05 in the Federal service. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to : performing wildland fire dispatch duties such as : receiving and reviewing fire incident reports; working with wildland fire dispatch computer programs; and determine fire resource needs; OR must have completed 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position; OR an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.

At the GS-07 Level : One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-06 in the Federal. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to : performing lead wildland fire dispatch duties such as : performing and directing others in wildland fire dispatch office functions; providing incident logistical support information, and making recommendations for efficient use of available resources; and determining appropriate resource responses to incidents; OR must have completed 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education which is DIRECTLY related to work of the position; OR an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.

This is a SECONDARY / Administrative fire 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 (MEA) policy, the selectee must have prior service in a primary position 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.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands : The work involves long hour of sitting, intense concentration, and working at peak proficiency / intensity levels with irregular breaks and mealtimes. Must be able to cope with the pressure of meeting timeframes and changing priorities. Mental concentration and accuracy are required.

Work Environment : Work is performed primarily in an office setting. During peak activity long hours, increased radio traffic, numerous ringing phones, and conversations result in high noise levels, which require as high level of concentration to perform duties. Duties of this position create a highly stressful work environment.

Education

This position falls under the Forestry Technician Series, 0462. There are Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for this job series.

This position allows for education to be substituted for specialized experience (see qualification section for education requirements). If using education to qualify - You MUST submit a copy of ALL your college transcripts or a list of ALL college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college / university. Upon selection, official transcripts must be received prior to appointment. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

All selections and tentative offers of selection are contingent upon submission and verification of 'official' transcripts.

Additional information

Relocation / Recruitment Incentive : This position is offering a Relocation / Recruitment Incentive, 25% of the annual salary. To be eligible for a Relocation Incentive, you must be a current Federal Employee and the selectee must be employed with the Federal Government and the selectees current duty location is more than 50 miles from the duty location of this position. To be eligible for a Recruitment Incentive, selectee must not be employed by the Federal Government.

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

How to apply for a Wildland Firefighter job with the BLM : Job Aid

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) / lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) : These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must : 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information : CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12 / 31 / 59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit : Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-07. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine your eligibility for Federal employment and your qualifications for this position specifically.

Because this vacancy will be filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this announcement. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the announcement. All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics). The technical questionnaire will not be rated, however, it will be used in conjunction with your resume to determine your level of experience. You do not have to respond to the competencies separately, but your resume should contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of the following competencies :

Fire Management

Oral Communication

Problem Solving

Benefits

Review our benefits

Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes :

Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month and year). USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. https : / / www.youtube.com / watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk.

Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.

Transcripts : If using education to qualify, see education section for document requirements.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles : Submit documentation verifying your CTAP / ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location.

Please note that documents selected for transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added to your application. You need to transfer your document(s) in the "Documents" step during the application process.

Hard copy paper supplemental documents, submitted without prior Human Resources approval, will be considered as an incomplete application. Required documentation must be submitted by 11 : 59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements :

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and / or degrees from

schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

THIS IS AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH USAJOBS. Your application package must be submitted by 11 : 59 PM Eastern Time by 01 / 22 / 2025. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the HR Office at jbronson@blm.gov OR (775) 861-6679. If applying on-line poses a hardship for you (i.e. you do not have access to the Internet) you must contact us prior to the closing date of the announcement for an alternative method of applying. PLEASE NOTE : If you have access to a public library, State Job Service Office, etc., you should use these resources to apply online. You must follow the steps described below to complete the application process :

YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBS. Your profile must contain a current resume for submission. See Required Documents section for what to include in your resume.

INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING.

The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is an available tool when you login to your USAJOBS account.

Review the Appointment Eligibility Criteria : You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you selected. You may choose more than one eligibility in this section. You must provide proof of your eligibility to be considered.

Y ou must submit a resume and also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and / or other supporting documents to be included with your application package.

To view the assessment questionnaire, click here : https : / / apply.usastaffing.gov / ViewQuestionnaire / 12656855

FOLLOW UP : Check your application status before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to ensure that a complete application (including a resume, on-line questionnaire, and applicable supplemental documentation) is received by 11 : 59 PM Eastern Time on 01 / 22 / 2025.

NOTE : Technical problems may take at least 1 business day to resolve; therefore, you are highly encouraged to complete the application process prior to the closing date.

Agency contact information

Joseph Bronson

Phone

775-861-6679

jbronson@blm.gov

Address

BLM Nevada State Office

NV-953

1340 Financial Blvd.

Reno, NV 89502

Next steps

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgement email from USAJobs that your submission was successful once we have received your online questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application and / or referral to the hiring official via your USAJobs account after the evaluation process is complete. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit : https : / / help.usajobs.gov / how-to.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus / Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro / commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

Fair and Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probationary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service

Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Required Documents