What are the responsibilities and job description for the Telecommunications Specialist position at Bureau of Land Management?

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource.

This position is located with the BLM Fire & Aviation Directorate, Division of Fire Operations, Preparedness / Suppression Support Branch located at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), in Boise, Idaho. Information about the area :

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

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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

Veterans

Individuals with disabilities

Military spouses

Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

Family of overseas employees

Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.

Land and base management

Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.

Clarification from the agency

All current career / career-conditional or former federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; Veterans' Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA); Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) and former Public Land Corps (PLC) eligibles. CTAP and ICTAP eligibles within the local commuting area.

The closing date of this job announcement has been extended to January 10, 2025.

Duties

The incumbent will be responsible for developing and performing detailed routine telecommunications plans, maintenance, and equipment troubleshooting aimed at fulfilling organizational objectives.

Analyze electronic systems for assigned offices to determine the most effective and economical equipment and services to meet established standards, identify and manage potential issues, and carry out any necessary troubleshooting.

Installs and performs corrective / preventive maintenance of land mobile radio systems, which may include Very High Frequency (VHF) / Ultra High Frequency (UHF), portable and mobile radios, antenna systems, base stations, repeaters, and satellite.

Programs authorized radio frequencies into radios, requests frequencies, collaborates with other entities to write channel plans, and provides interagency collaboration on frequencies.

Ensures that all systems operate in compliance with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's rules.

Responsible for overseeing and conducting studies aimed at evaluating the outcomes of radio and data communication systems, including system traffic loads.

Provide routine advice and clear guidance to customers seeking information on established protocols or procedures.

Reviews radio frequency authorizations in accordance with Department and Bureau requirements.

Effectively delivers structured and unstructured training sessions, insightful guidance, and corresponding support to both users and colleagues.

Writes instructions, manuals, and specifications for equipment and software pertinent to the telecommunications systems.

Prepares a variety of common telecommunications reports for submission to appropriate offices.

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.

May require completion of a one year probationary period.

Qualifications

The closing date of this announcement has been extended to January 10, 2025.

Specialized Experience :

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

To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, one year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 is required. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to performing 3 or more of the following : 1) Working with Communications duty officer to support incidents with frequency and equipment assignments in accordance with NTIA Compliance; 2) installing, repairing, integrating, and / or maintaining telecommunications systems and peripherals; 3) performing diagnostics or troubleshooting to resolve telecommunications; 4) Promoting a culture of knowledge sharing, the incumbent shall provide mentoring and training to less experienced telecommunication staff, elevating the skills of the entire team. They shall, therefore, require excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and leadership skills, essential in facilitating successful collaborations;

Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major field of study in the following electrical or electronic engineering, mathematics, physics, public utilities, statistics, computer science, telecommunications management, information systems management, business administration, industrial management, or other fields related to this position;

An equivalent combination of specialized experience and education.

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 within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level.

Physical Demands : The work is mostly sedentary, although there shall be a continual requirement to work in the field requiring the installation and maintenance of communication equipment. Other demands such as the frequent climbing, considerable walking, climbing, bending, pulling and heavy lifting of equipment weighing over 50 pounds is required for the installation, loading and transporting of communications equipment in the field.

Work Environment : The incumbent shall be frequently exposed to hazards such as radio frequency, high voltage, noise, as well as slippery and uneven surfaces. Work shall also include working with voice and data equipment rooms and computer rooms. To carry out their duties, the incumbent shall frequently travel to remote field communication sites located in harsh terrain including deserts, mountains, mud, and snow, utilizing 4x4 vehicles, snowmobiles, 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles or aircraft. Therefore, the incumbent shall diligently comply with all established safety equipment, policies, and procedures aimed at ensuring their safety and minimizing risks associated with their work.

Incentives :

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.

Education

Proof of Education :

All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

Pass / Fail Courses :

If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass / fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

Graduate Education :

One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

Foreign Education :

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit :

Additional information

Verify Employment Eligibility (E-Verify) :

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

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) / lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program(ICTAP) :

CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP / ICTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if : 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP / ICTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP / ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they receive a minimum score of 90 based on the rating criteria used for this position.

Permanent Change in Station (PCS) :

Travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulation, Chapter 302, and Departmental policy. Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. See "Other" section for additional information on 2017 Tax Cuts as related to Permanent Change in Station (PCS).

Tax Law Impact for PCS : On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. The law made taxable certain reimbursements and other payments, including driving mileage, airfare and lodging expenses, en-route travel to the new duty station, and temporary storage of those items. The Federal Travel Regulation Bulletin (FTR) 18-05 issued by General Services Administration (GSA) has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals. For additional information on WTA / RITA allowances and eligibilities, please visit :

Telework :

The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications. To determine if you are minimally qualified for this job, HR will complete a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire (self-rated). Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored, or your score may be lowered.

Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) in the following area(s) :

Technical Documentation - Knowledge of procedures for developing technical and operational support documentation.

Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on the job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

The critical competencies listed above are required to successfully perform the job. Therefore, an additional assessment will be conducted to ensure they are met; a resume review panel of subject matter experts will review your application package and determine if you are best qualified or not. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s).

You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.

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.

In addition to the online application (i.e. resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms :

Resume :

At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if Federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month and year MM / YYYY), hours worked per week, and salary for each position held (optional). USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. For more information, visit OPM Resume Writing Tips and / or visit the USAJOBs Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume?

SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action form :

If you are a current or former Federal employee. You must submit your most recent non-award SF-50 that shows tenure code 1 or 2 in block 24, and position occupied code 1 (competitive service) in block 34. The SF-50 must show the position title, series, grade, and step of your position. If you are claiming reinstatement eligibility, you must submit an SF-50 showing your separation. If you have previously held a higher grade than the grade / position you currently occupy, you must submit a copy of the more recent non-award SF-50 you received for that position.

Transcripts :

If using education to qualify, 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 your degree is from a Foreign Institution, See Foreign Education.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) :

You must submit ALL SF-50s and performance documentation for each period of temporary / term employment if you are requesting to be considered Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibility. Applicants eligible under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act must submit documentation verifying (a) initial selection under competitive examining procedures to a land management agency under a time-limited appointment in the competitive service, and (b) service under this initial appointment, or in conjunction with subsequent competitive service time-limited appointments, to a land management agency was for a period of 24 months without a break in service of two or more years.

Your performance must have been evaluated as being at an acceptable level for the entire applicable period(s). "Required documentation" includes :

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action : first, any extension of appointment, and the last SF-50 for each appointment verifying the Position Occupied code (Block 34) is-Competitive Service.

Documentation supporting satisfactory performance (i.e. Employee Performance and Appraisal Plan (EPAP)) for each appointment.

Applicants are encouraged to combine all required documents into one or more files and scan for uploading into the application. Each file must not exceed 3MB. Grouping documents into files will simplify the application process. Failure to submit required documentation will result in loss of consideration.

Public Land Corps (PLC) :

A copy of the Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Competitive Hiring Based for Public Land Corps Service.

Special Hiring Authorities :

If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under other noncompetitive special appointing authorities (i.e. Peace Corps, Schedule A, Military Spouse, etc.), you MUST submit proof of this eligibility.

Military Spouse Authority : If you are applying under the noncompetitive Military Spouse eligibility, you MUST provide proof of this eligibility. Required documentation include but not limited to :

A document verifying active-duty status of the service member's orders reflecting a permanent change of station (PCS) dated August 13, 2023, or later.

A document verifying marriage to the member of the armed forces.

A documentation showing the member of the armed forces retired, or was released or discharged from active duty, with a disability rating of 100 percent.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or lnteragency 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.

USAJOBs documents :

Please note that documents selected for transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added do 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 01 / 10 / 2025.

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 / 10 / 2025.

If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the NIFC-FA Branch of Human Resource office at blm_fa_nifc_vacancies@blm.gov or (208) 387-5523. 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 in order to complete the application process successfully :

1) YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBs ; your profile must contain a current resume for submission. In order to receive proper consideration, your resume should include the following information :

Current personal contact information.

Work experience (paid or unpaid) including - starting and ending dates (month and year, MM / YYYY - MM / YYYY), employer's name and address, job title (include job series and grade if Federal), duties and accomplishments, supervisor's name and telephone number, indicate if supervisor may be contacted, hours per week, and salary.

Education and job-related training including - school name, type and year of degrees / diploma received, credits earned and majors; title of training course and year of completion.

References - personal and professional- Additional information - skills (languages, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.), certificates or licenses (current only), and / or honors, awards, and special accomplishments (recognition, professional memberships, publications, leadership activities, etc.).

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.

2) Review the Appointment Eligibility Criteria ; the eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you selected. 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. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select your resume and / or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process .

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

The eligibility portion of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this announcement. You may choose more than one eligibility. You must provide proof of your eligibility and will only be considered for the questions that you answer "yes".

Please note, your eligibility will be based solely on the selections you have indicated in this section. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim to be considered. You may choose more than one eligibility in this section.

To view the assessment questionnaire, click here :

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account , 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 :

Agency contact information

FA-HR-Internal NIFC

Phone

208-387-5523

blm_fa_nifc_vacancies@blm.gov

Address

NIFC, Fire and Aviation

Human Resources (MS-1700)

3833 South Development Avenue

Boise, ID 83705

Next steps

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 / 10 / 2025 of the vacancy announcement.

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.

Once you submit all the required documents and the online application (i.e. online questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation, etc.) in USAJOBs, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is completed by the Branch of Human Resources, you will be notified via USAJOBs of a status change (i.e. referred, not eligible, not qualified, referred to the hiring official, etc.). Note, you must login to your USAJOBs profile to view details of the status change.

If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official.

You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.

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