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 Aviation at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), in Boise, ID. Information about the area can be found at https://www.boisechamber.org/
Location negotiable: You must be physically located within 50 miles of a DOI facility.
We expect to fill 2 positions; however, add'l positions may be filled if they become available.
This job is open to
Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Clarification from the agency
All current career/career-conditional BLM employees and CTAP eligibles within the local commuting area.
Duties
- Serve as an Instructor Pilot and Pilot-In-Command (PIC) conducting general and special use operations.
- Operations are conducted under visual and instrument flight rules, including tactical missions over wildland fires, smokejumper operations, reconnaissance, and transportation of personnel and cargo.
- During the fire season the individual functions as an Air Tactical Pilot and team member of an Aerial Supervision Module, providing airspace coordination and direct supervision of aircraft assigned to wildland fire incidents.
- Serves as a national level technical advisor, course coordinator, and instructor for aviation and fire suppression operations.
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.
- This is a Drug Testing Designated Position. You will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use and pass prior to appointment. This position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
Qualifications
Selective Placement Factors (SPFs):
This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element.
- SPF #1: 100 hours turbine-powered (turbo prop) airplane. This will be verified with a logbook that will be requested at a later date.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements:
CERTIFICATES AND RATINGS: Must possess a current Commercial Pilot Certificate OR an FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with a rating of: Multi-engine land; and instrument rating AND must have an FAA Flight Instructor Certificate OR the military equivalent rating.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: Pilot positions must possess a current first or second-class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations.
GS-13 FLIGHT HOURS: Some flight hours may be waived provided the candidate demonstrates the skills, knowledge and abilities to perform the duties of the position safely. See the OPM website for more information -
Aircraft Operation Series 2181
- Total Flight Time:1500 hours
- Pilot-In-Command: 250 hours
- Night Flying: 75 hours
- Flying Time, Last 12 Months: 100 hours
- Multi-engine Airplane: 500 hours.
- Instrument: 75 hours
- Instructor Time: 500 hours
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. Failure to provide required information on resume could result in ineligibility for consideration.
To qualify for the GS-13 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 is required. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to: experience in wildland fire principles, risk management techniques, and standard operating procedures while conducting Leadplane missions during fire operations; experience in the areas of aircraft control, tactics, aerial supervision, and retardant/suppressant applications; experience in training plan development and instructional techniques used in formal aviation training and one-on-one training conducted during on-going fire operations.
You must meet all qualification requirements by 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.
Education
There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 and above grade levels.
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 www.dhs.gov/e-verify.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well qualified for this vacancy. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Information about CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP.
CTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they receive a minimum score of 85 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
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.
The duty location advertised is negotiable; however, you must be physically located within 50 miles of a DOI facility.
This is a career seasonal position. You will be in pay status for at least 6 months, but less than 12 months per calendar year. When work and/or funds are unavailable, you will be placed into non-pay status. Pay status may be less than 6 months during initial appointment.
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.
Firefighter Special Retirement (Secondary Coverage): 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 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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
RESUMES MUST NOT EXCEED TWO SINGLE SIDED PAGES AND RESUMES LONGER THAN THE TWO PAGES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position. Once the application process is complete, HR will review your application to ensure you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications. To determine if you are minimally qualified for this position, HR will complete a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire.
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications requirement(s), The best qualified candidates will be identified through a structured panel review that will result in a ranking referral to the hiring manager. The assessment will measure the specialized experience and critical competencies and/or job elements listed below that are required to successfully perform in the position.
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.
You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.
In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.
Required Documents
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. 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: 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 AND that you are a current BLM Federal employee. If you have previously held a higher grade than the grade/position you currently occupy, you must submit a copy of the non-award SF-50 you received for that position/higher grade level.
FAA Certificates and Ratings: Candidates must possess a current Commercial Pilot Certificate OR an FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate OR appropriate military rating of: Multi-engine land; and instrument rating. Certificates must be submitted with the application.
Medical Requirements: Candidates for pilot positions must possess a current Class I or Class II Medical Certificate in accordance with FAA regulations. Certificates must be submitted with the application.
Performance Appraisal: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) eligibles: Submit documentation verifying your CTAP 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 12/12/2025.
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 12/12/2025.
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.
You 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: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12836944.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, 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://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
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 12/12/2025 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 you were not referred and/or have questions or concerns regarding your rating determination or referral status, in the interest of time, please submit your inquiry in writing within seven (7) calendar days of receiving a Notice of Results and Referral notification email. Inquiries may be submitted to blm_fa_nifc_vacancies@blm.gov. Be sure to include the announcement number to assist our team in reviewing your inquiry.
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.