Branch Chief - Post Fire Mitigation

Clarification from the agency

This is a Merit Promotion announcement for career and career conditional Federal employees, I/CTAP eligibles and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.

• Directing national-level coordination and oversight of post-fire operations, logistics integration, and team readiness to support safe, timely, and effective incident recovery and stabilization activities.
• Ensuring post-fire operations concepts, roles, deployment requirements, and readiness standards are defined, current, and aligned with Incident Command System and interagency operating requirements.
• Overseeing post-fire stabilization and rehabilitation program implementation by integrating ecological science, fire effects, and land management objectives into planning and execution.
• Directing acquisition planning and oversight of post-fire procurement and contract support, including requirements definition, coordination with contracting officials, and ensuring compliance with acquisition regulations and internal controls.
• Coordinating with interagency partners, geographic areas, field units, and incident management organizations to synchronize capabilities, resolve cross-boundary issues, and improve operational support integration.
• Developing, implementing, and refining program governance, plans of work, budgets, performance measures, internal controls, and reporting systems for post-fire mitigation functions.
• Analyzing post-fire performance data, after-action reviews, and lessons learned to identify systemic issues and develop new policies, frameworks, procedures, and training improvements.
• Providing combined technical and administrative supervision by planning, assigning, prioritizing, and evaluating subordinate work; setting schedules; and managing performance standards and employee development.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
• 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.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• You will be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.
• Incumbent will be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

If new to the federal government, and this is your first appointment, as a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary periodduring which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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 qualification requirements 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 2 page resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time or part-time, hours must be included). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. 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.

Basic Qualification Requirements:
Degree:
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, fire science, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, fire science, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.

In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required:

For the GS-14 level:

At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/GW-13 level, or higher in the Federal service, or equivalent. Examples of specialized experience include: Provided first-line supervision by planning, assigning, prioritizing, and evaluating subordinate work; establishing performance standards; counseling employees; identifying training needs; resolving workplace issues; recommending personnel actions; ensuring workplace safety, resource accountability, and an inclusive work environment. Directed complex post-fire operations, logistics, and team support across multiple organizations by establishing operational requirements, resolving cross-boundary issues, and ensuring compliance with interagency policy and Incident Command System requirements. Led program oversight for post-fire stabilization, rehabilitation, procurement, contracts, budgets, and plans of work by developing governance and internal controls, monitoring performance, and aligning resources with mission priorities, fiscal requirements, and ecological objectives. Analyzed after-action reviews, operational data, and program performance by identifying systemic issues, developing new frameworks, policies, procedures, and decision models for unprecedented situations, and improving readiness, accountability, and mission execution. Provided senior technical guidance to agency leaders, contracting officials, incident management organizations, and interagency partners to support complex operational, fiscal, acquisition, and natural resource management decisions.

Volunteer Experience: 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 and Time-In-Grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Accountability
• Customer Service
• Decisiveness
• Flexibility
• Interpersonal Skills
• Problem Solving
• Resilience

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the USA Hire Assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including a panel resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

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.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement:

• Resume: Must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. MUST clearly indicate duties and responsibilities for each position, employment dates (month/year), and total hours worked (e.g., 40+ hours/week, full-time, part-time). Part-time hours must be listed to prorate qualified specialized experience. If a resume is incomplete or does not support the minimum qualifications or specialized experience, a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be assigned and no further consideration given. If military or civilian, include your rank and/or grade.
  • Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions is prohibited and will not be reviewed.
• Complete All Required Assessments.
• Merit Promotion Eligibility Documentation, such as:
  • Federal employees must submit their latest SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," reflecting career or career-conditional tenure (initial hire, promotion, or reassignment), showing position title, series, grade, and tenure (do not submit an Award SF-50). If different, also submit the SF-50 showing the highest permanent grade held. Time in grade will be determined from your resume and SF-50s.
  • If your most recent SF-50 is effective within the past year and does not clearly show one year of time-in-grade, submit an additional SF-50 (such as a Within Grade Increase) that does.
• Veterans Preference Documentation, as appropriate.
• Public Land Corps: Submit a signed Certificate of Non-Competitive Eligibility and clearly state in your resume your time served and duties performed on an appropriate conservation project.
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): Submit ALL Appointment and Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment, ALL performance evaluations for each qualifying period of temporary employment claimed, or a statement explaining any missing appraisal.
• Special Appointing Authorities: If applying under a special appointing authority (e.g., Schedule A, Peace Corps, Military Spouses), submit documentation verifying eligibility. Failure to do so will result in no consideration. If using another authority, submit the appropriate documentation.
• Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (I/CTAP): Submit proof of eligibility, including the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and SF-50 showing position, grade, and duty location. For more information, visit USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).
• Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
• Veterans Preference Documentation
  • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, submit a DD-214 (Member 4 copy) showing character of discharge or other acceptable documentation listed on the SF-15. If unavailable, request it from the National Archives.
  • If within 120 days of discharge, submit signed Armed Forces documentation certifying: (1) expected release/retirement date, (2) honorable conditions, (3) pay grade/rank/rate, (4) active duty dates, (5) campaign or expeditionary medals received, and (6) documentation dated within 120 days of separation.
  • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, submit all documentation required by the SF-15 and, if applicable, a completed SF-15. A VA disability letter may be requested through eBenefits or by calling 1-800-827-1000.
• Performance Appraisals and Awards:
  • Submit your most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and supervisor's signature. If it is older than 18 months, submit a statement explaining why it is the most recent. OR
  • If no appraisal is available, submit a statement explaining why (including whether prior evaluations were at an acceptable level).
• College transcripts showing the basic education requirement is met.

Failure to submit any required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents are submitted.

Do not submit photographs or Adobe portfolio documents with your application package.

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