Lead Wildland Firefighter (Engine) - DHA

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Duties

• Mentor and instruct lower graded employees on crewmember duties.
• Plan action and direct utilization of fireline resources on less complex fires.
• For more complex fires, direct assigned suppression operations and recommend and implement tactical strategy on attacking, controlling, or mopping up fires, building or patrolling firelines, cleaning up burned areas within firelines, suppressing spot fires, felling snags or trees, and cutting brush. Adjusts actions based on changing information and evolving situational awareness.
• Uses firing devices on a firing operation according to the ignition/firing plan (verbal or written). Coordinates with aircraft for aviation support missions. Coordinates module or crew logistics and places caches of equipment and supplies at strategic points.
• Operates, moves, inspects, and performs preventative maintenance on vehicles and equipment to include crew carriers, fire engines, command vehicles, pickups, and other specialized equipment. Uses judgment to safely operate, maneuver, and set up vehicles and equipment in a variety of environments including urban, grassland, and mountainous terrain. Ensures adherence to vehicle safety procedures when transporting personnel, fuel, and equipment, considering bridge and road limits, equipment weight and length, and weather effects.
  
  

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
• This is a Test Designated Position. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• A selectee receiving a first appointment is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected.
• Must pass the Work Capacity Test for certain Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) or Fire Program Management (FPM) positions.
• Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and pass a medical examination given by an authorized government physician.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Must be 18 years of age at time of close date of announcement.
• Under age 37; less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Permanent Federal Service 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 requirement.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
• You will be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service fire uniform standards.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• Subject to frequent extended travel up to 14 nights a month particularly during fire season, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel.
• Incumbent will be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
  
  

Qualifications

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.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year - month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40 hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience. If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted.

This position has been identified as one of the key fire management positions under the Interagency Fire Program management (IFPM) Standard. This position requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. For more information on IFPM, click here.

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SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience includes: Implemented safety/training programs in compliance with Incident Command System, fire suppression, fire line construction, hose lays and maintenance of protective equipment, assisting with prescribed fire management; developed burn plans and/or fuels inventory/preparation and disposal; evaluated initial fire situations; determined suppression method and probable causes of fire; assisted with property and procurement of equipment ensuring the engine and fire equipment have been kept in full state of readiness for emergency dispatch.

Selective Placement Factors

• Successful completion and have currency in the Primary NWCG Core Requirements of:
• Incident Commander Type 4 (ICT4) AND
• Engine Boss (ENGB) AND
• NWCG Courses:
• S-211 Portable Pumps and Water AND
• Primary firefighter positions include the following age requirements:
• Under age 37 -OR-
• Less than age 37 after subtracting the months of Permanent 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.
  

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.

This position is covered by the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d) as a Primary/Rigorous Firefighter. Applicants must be 18 years of age, but not have reached their 37th birthday by the closing date of this announcement. These positions are covered by the special enhanced annuity retirement provisions for Federal Firefighters and Law Enforcement officers and have a mandatory retirement age of 57. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has prior Federal service in documented special retirement covered position(s) sufficient to count toward 20 years of covered service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. Applicants must submit proof of their previous and/or current status in the Fire Fighter or Law Enforcement special enhanced annuity retirement system.

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. This announcement constitutes the required 30 days advanced notice for testing requirements. To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no qualifying education for this grade/series combination.

Position Information

There are a total of three positions being filled in the following areas:

• One position located in Lake Mead National Recreation Area; duty location Boulder City, NV. This position is covered under the Las Vegas locality pay table: Pay & Leave : Salaries & Wages - OPM.gov
• One position located in Lava Beds National Monument; duty location Tulelake, CA. This position is covered under the RUS pay table: Pay & Leave : Salaries & Wages - OPM.gov
• One position located in Redwood National and State Parks; duty location Orick, CA. This position is covered under the RUS pay table: Pay & Leave : Salaries & Wages - OPM.gov
  
  

Additional information

This notice is being issued to recruit personnel to occupations for which a critical hiring need has been identified. To assist in filling these positions, OPM has granted the Department of the Interior "Direct Hire Authority".

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR

• 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
  
  

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.

Physical Demands: Arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping and twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity.

Working Conditions: Forest, range, and desert environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with thick tangled vegetation, smoky conditions, etc. Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and may fall below freezing. Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material. Employee must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements,, dust and smoke, poor bivouac and eating situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. Firefighters may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the work requires that personal protective equipment (PPE) be worn (e.g.: boots, hard hat, gloves, flame resistant clothing). Work may require travel by fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft.

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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.

Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualification requirements.

Upon receipt of the completed application package, a review of the application will be made to ensure basic qualification requirements are met.

This vacancy will be filled through DOI's Direct Hire Authority. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this Authority. All qualified applicants, as determined by the SHRO, will be referred for consideration. While managers and supervisors are not required to conduct interviews, it is highly recommended that they do so in order to assess the competencies of each applicant.

If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted.

If a determination is made that an applicant has inflated qualifications or experience on the resume, the employee will receive no consideration for the position, as per OPM regulations.