Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch) - Direct Hire Authority Job in Phoenix, AZ

Vacancy No. DHA-24-12535001-CBXH-CB Department Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Salary $46,081.00 to $66,570.00 Grade 6 to 7
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/3/2024 Close Date 9/24/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Phoenix, AZ


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

This position will serve as a Senior Fire Dispatcher in support of the fire suppression activities with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Western Regional Office, Division of Forestry & Wildland Fire Management in Phoenix, Arizona; and will be filled from Standard PD No: FDI212A/B

This announcement will be used to fill vacancies utilizing the Direct-Hire Authority (5CFR 337.201). Category rating, veteran's preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do NOT apply for this vacancy.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

ALL U.S. CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: These positions will be filled using Direct Hire Authority for this occupation. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

  • Serves as fire dispatcher in support of fire suppression activities. Perform and direct others in receiving fire reports, determining location, land status and current fire information.
  • Coordinate aviation dispatch operations (e.g., aircraft capabilities and limitations, flight planning, aviation safety.
  • Determine appropriate resource response to incidents and requests from the field and dispatches personnel, equipment, aircraft, and/or supplies.
  • Process and interpret weather information (e.g. spot weather forecast, weather station observations, current and forecasted weather, lightning detection and fuel moisture.
  • Organizes and review completed records of all orders placed and actions taken to ensure adherence to established operation procedures.
  • Provide information and consults with supervisors, multiple agencies, cooperators and other interested entities.
  • Make initial and extended attack decisions in response to fire reports and orders for additional support from the field by arranging for and coordinating the transportation of personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit
  • You may be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  • This position has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program, therefore, the incumbent will be required annually to acknowledge and certify possession of a valid state driver's license.
  • This is a Testing Designated Position and is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0462: Forestry Technician Series)

GS-6: 1 year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include serving as a dispatcher receiving, filling, and tracking resource requests and other emergency incidents; sending requests to higher organizational levels for additional resources as needed. Dispatching personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies for fire and non-fire activity; arranging for ground and air transportation of personnel, supplies, and equipment in support of emergency and project activities; and collect, process, and disseminate weather and smoke management information into computer programs or databases. Public safety dispatching (e.g., fire or law enforcement, emergency medical, search and rescue, etc.), operations in the communications center; preparing written records to capture all significant events for later analysis. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, serving as a office or center dispatcher receiving, filling, and tracking resource requests and other emergency incidents; sending requests to higher organizational levels for additional resources as needed;
OR
1 full year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent) in forestry, fire or range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position;
OR
a combination of specialized experience and related graduate education when combined meets the total requirements for the position. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.

GS-7: 1 year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include performing as a dispatcher and directing others in receiving fire reports, determining location, land status, and fire information; determines appropriate resource response to incidents and requests from the field and dispatches personnel, equipment, aircraft and/or supplies; anticipates fire suppression needs and determines resource allocation; operates and/or directs the operation of various dispatch telecommunication systems; organizes and reviews completed records of all orders placed and actions taken to ensure adherence to established operating procedures and providing orientation and training to other dispatchers and assisting in implementation of a successful fire management program. Providing public safety dispatching (e.g., fire, law enforcement, emergency medical, search and rescue, etc.) operations in the communications office/center; utilizing emergency reporting systems to coordinate emergency response;
OR
1 full year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent) in forestry, fire or range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position;
OR
a combination of specialized experience and related graduate education when combined meets the total requirements for the position. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: This is a MANDATORY qualification prerequisite to qualify for this position. Applicant must have possessed the following qualifications to be considered eligible for this position:
  • Prior Wildland Firefighting Experience: This position requires a minimum of 90 days previous wildland firefighting experience which provided knowledge of the techniques, policies, and practices of wildland fire management. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: 1) Wildfires - unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires; 2) Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions. This description includes only fireline experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages.
NOTE: Selective factors are knowledges, skills, abilities, or special qualifications that are in addition to the minimum requirements in a qualification standard, but are determined to be essential to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. Applicants who do not meet the selective factors are ineligible for further consideration.

FIREFIGHTER RETIREMENT COVERAGE: This position is covered under the secondary/administrative firefighter special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c)(CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d)(FERS) when it is filled by an incumbent who transfers directly from a primary or another secondary law enforcement or firefighting position with no break in service to this position. Firefighter retirement coverage of the incumbent will depend upon his or her individual work history. You may meet the qualification requirements, but not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If you are not eligible for special retirement coverage, you will be placed in the regular retirement system.

FERS TRANSITION REQUIREMENT: To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause).

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions).

You must let this office know if you are in a Primary coverage position.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the closing date.


Physical Demands: The work involves long hours of sitting, intense concentration, and working at peak proficiency/intensity levels with irregular breaks and mealtimes. The duties of this position create a highly stressful environment during peak activity, requiring the ability to keep calm in emergency situations. Must be able to cope with the pressure of meeting timeframes and changing priorities. Mental concentration and accuracy are required.

Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily in an office setting. During peak activity, increased radio traffic, numerous ringing phones, and conversations result in high noise levels, which require a high level of concentration to perform duties. This creates a high stress work environment.

Education


If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

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.

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.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows 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: FOREIGN EDUCATION

Additional information

Indian Preference Policy: Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC Section 472). Verification form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. No other documents will be accepted as proof of Indian Preference.

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2023 Salary Tables here and select the duty station from Phoenix, Arizona to choose the appropriate pay chart. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

A supplemental pay increase of $20,000 or 50% of base pay per year, is currently authorized under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will apply as long as funding is available.

TRAVEL AND RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL BE AUTHORIZED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS.

The pay flexibilities of the recruitment bonus MAY BE authorized by the manager (pending availability of funds and higher management approval).

TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has determined that the duties of the position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

This position has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program and requires the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle in order to properly carry out his/her assigned duties but whose principal duties are not operating a motor vehicle and his/her position is not classified as a motor vehicle operator. The incumbent will be required initially and annually to acknowledge and certify possession of a valid state driver's license.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

This is a Bargaining Unit position, for more information see What are bargaining units?

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.

Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position described above.

Under this Direct-Hire announcement, all applicants who meet the minimum requirements at the grade level for which they apply will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference and category rating DO NOT APPLY for this announcement under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.

All qualified candidates will be referred for consideration; the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion.

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.

You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12535001.

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.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for this position:

  • Resume which details work experience including dates worked (mm/yy-mm/yy); position title; position series and grade (if federal service); work schedule; hours worked per week; relevant duties performed; supervisor with contact information, and 3 professional references and contact information (Do not include current/former supervisors), etc. Important! If your resume does not show complete information for each job entry, your application will be considered incomplete. Specifically:
  • On-line Assessment Questionnaire
  • Transcripts (if using education to qualify) - Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, an official transcript may be requested at a later time.
  • BIA Form 4432 The Form BIA-4432 must be completed as stated in the Instructions on the Form and this form with must be submitted with your application for Federal employment (if claiming Indian preference).
  • If you are applying under CTAP and ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
  • Copy of current Incident Qualifications and Certification System (IQCS) Individual Master Report or agency equivalent documentation, if applicable.
If you are unable to apply online, require reasonable accommodation in the application process if you are an applicant with a disability, or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 PM Eastern Time ON THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. If your application package is incomplete in any way, you will not be considered for this position, and requests for extensions will not be granted. Please double check your application package before you submit it.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT BE SOLICITED OR ACCEPTED BY THIS OFFICE.

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

ONLINE APPLICATION SUBMISSION:

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

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 résumé 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.
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/.

PLEASE NOTE - NO APPLICATION MATERIAL WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA E-MAIL.

Former Federal Employees are required to indicate whether they received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) buyout in their previous employment with the Federal government, and are required to submit a copy of the applicable Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) regarding the VSIP. Most individuals who accept reemployment with the Federal government within 5 years of receiving the VSIP amount, must repay the gross amount of the separation pay prior to reemployment.

Agency contact information

Strategic Recruitment-Trust
Address
BIA Strategic Recruitment - Trust
301 NW 6th
Room 311
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
US
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.

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. This office will not respond to requests for status updates.


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