Fire Management Specialist (Planning) Job

Vacancy No. R4-25-12667683-WA-FDHA Department U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Salary $93,716.00 to $144,876.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/23/2025 Close Date 2/5/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Athens, GAAtlanta, GA


Summary

This position with the National Wildlife Refuge System Fire Management Division will be filled under the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority and is open to all United States citizens and U.S. nationals. Veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. All qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration for this position. More about Direct-Hire authority, go to: OPM.GOV Hiring Information: Direct Hire Fact Sheet

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This position will be filled under the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority and is open to all United States citizens and U.S. nationals. Veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. All qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration for this position.

Duties

  • Provides program leadership and consultation for strategic fire management planning with an emphasis on fuels management. Coordinates region fuel management strategy and reviews FMPs developed in the region(s) and ensures that they reflect national, regional, and local management goals, objectives, and requirements.
  • Provides technical support to fire management officers, land or resource management staffs and planners throughout the region(s). Provides technical advice in the development of policy, direction, guidance, goals, objectives, and appropriate management response to wildland fire activities.
  • Works closely with Service administrators, fire staff at all levels of the organization, and other regional staff to provide seamless coordination with both fire and non-fire budget and workforce management processes.
  • Provides technical support to ensure the integrity planning efforts and data collection. Works closely with administrators and staff to ensure information is formatted, retained and accessible to the appropriate end users.
  • Coordinates with Service peers and the interagency fire management community to assure continuity and efficient efforts between the fire programs (e.g., prescribed fire, or prevention) and applications (e.g., decision support tools, wildland fire reporting, budget allocation models).

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
  • Drug testing position
  • Medical Requirements
  • Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform authorized, but not required
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • You must meet specialized experience to qualify
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Driver’s License: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver’s license throughout their employment in this position.

Qualifications

Prior experience in wild land firefighting is required in order to carry out the duties of this position. You will not be considered for this position if you do not have prior wild land firefighting experience.

This is a secondary-administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system.

Only experience and education obtained by 02/05/2025 will be considered.

GS-401 Series Educational Requirements:
Degree: major in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. A photocopy of official or unofficial transcripts MUST be (uploaded) submitted, by the closing date, to document educational accomplishments to receive consideration for this position. OR

You must have an appropriate combination of education and experience that included course work equivalent to a major (i.e. 24 semester hours) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or a discipline related to this position; PLUS, appropriate experience or additional course work. The quality of the combination must demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of the position and is comparable to that normally acquired through the completion of a full four-year course of study with a major as described above. A photocopy of official or unofficial transcripts MUST be (uploaded) submitted, by the closing date, to document educational accomplishments to receive consideration for this position.
You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: 1) Oversight of wildland fire fuels program; 2) Experience with policies and procedures for hazard fuels reduction programs; 3) Working with National Interagency working teams and task groups focused on Fire Planning and Fuels; 4) Long-range fire management planning.

You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: 1) Fire Budget Management; 2) Management of complex Fire Management Programs; 3) Creating policies and procedures for the wildland fire organizations ; 4) Overseeing and managing the updating of Fire Management Plans including Spatial Fire Management Plans

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.

Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-12/13. At lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-12/13. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. 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 for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application.
For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

Telework:
This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

PCS INFORMATION:
Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable.

  • In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements May be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • TESTING DESIGNATED POSITION: All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
  • MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: You must pass a pre-employment medical examination. Also, you may be subject to post-employment medical examinations to determine if you are maintaining the fitness standards for this position.
  • DRIVER'S LICENSE: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position.

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.

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

This vacancy will be filled through a 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 applicant will receive no consideration for the position, as per OPM regulations.
All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

Required Documents

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

  1. Resume: Your resume must describe your job-related qualifications (paid and non-paid work experience) that includes job title, beginning and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and description of job duties. You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form, you must ensure this information is provided. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. Note: Current and former Federal employees should include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience.
  • Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
    • Classified or government sensitive information
    • Social Security Number (SSN)
    • Photos of yourself
    • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
    • Encrypted and digitally signed documents.

2. Driver's License

3. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Incident Qualification and Certification System Responder Master Record/Incident Qualification Card
  • Official or unofficial College Transcript(s), if the position has education requirements, or if you are using your education to qualify. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required if you are selected. 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 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. For further information, visit: http://http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
  • If applicable, documentation/proof that you are eligible Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
  • Current and former federal employees - It is recommended that you submit a copy of your SF-50(s) (Notification of Personnel Action) to support your experience. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointments/separations, promotions, within-grade increases.

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

  1. Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the following criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement.
  2. 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/day/year), hours worked per week. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume.
  3. You must also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
DEADLINE DATE: A complete application package must be received by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/05/2025 to receive consideration.
  • 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 received. 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.
  • You will be considered for all eligibilities for which you select "yes" and submit the required documents and supporting documentation (e.g. DD 214, Schedule A letter, etc.). The supporting documentation you submit will be used to determine your eligibility. Please review the list of documentation provided in the eligibilities language to ensure you provide the appropriate information.
  • Please note, your eligibility will be based solely on the selections you have indicated "yes" in this section. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim to be considered. You may choose more than one eligibilities in this section.
  • To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12667683
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/.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Human Resources Office via email at fwshiring@fws.gov.

Agency contact information

Human Resources Staffing Division
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the customer office.
You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJobs Account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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