Summary
U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS)
This position is a Self Determination Officer, GS-1101-13 working for the US Wildland Fire Service.
There is one position located in the 15 duty station choices listed. Please select locations desired. Applicants will not be considered for locations not selected.
This job is open to
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Land and base management
Current or former employees of a base management agency.
Veterans
Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference
Military spouses
Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.
Individuals with disabilities
Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.
Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA.
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.
Clarification from the agency
Government Wide: Current Career or Career Conditional Federal Employees, Land Management eligibles, 30% disabled veterans, Military Spouse, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Vista, VEOA, ICTAP/CTAP, Schedule A, Reinstatement eligibles, Public Land Corp (PLC).
Duties
As a Self Determination Officer, your duties will include but are not limited to the following:
The primary purpose of the position is to serve as the lead contracting authority for the award, administration, and oversight of Indian Self-Determination (P.L. 93-638) contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements, ensuring statutory, regulatory, financial, and audit compliance while providing technical guidance to support effective tribal self-governance program operations.
Serves as the Lead Awarding Official for contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements awarded under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (P.L. 93-638). Executes preaward and post-award functions. Administers regulatory payment provisions for P.L. 93-638 contracts and financial assistance awards.
Establishes, maintains, and safeguards official contract, grant, and cooperative agreement files documenting all actions from proposal receipt through closeout.
Ensures contractor compliance with the Single Audit Act of 1984, applicable OMB circulars, audit resolution requirements, and all departmental and USWFS regulations.
Provides authoritative technical advice and assistance to Self-Determination Specialists regarding the development, award, and administration of P.L. 93-638 programs.
Coordinates with USWFS staff to ensure accurate and timely communication of requirements and guidance to tribes and tribal organizations. Reviews and analyzes contract, grant, and cooperative agreement proposals submitted by tribes and tribal organizations.
Monitors post-award performance and financial execution of P.L. 93-638 agreements.
Participates in and supports field office reviews of tribal self-determination programs to assess compliance with established procedures and service delivery standards.
Plans, coordinates, and delivers in-house seminars and workshops for USWFS and tribal personnel covering all phases of P.L. 93-638 program administration.
Administers P.L. 93-638 training, technical assistance, and contract support funding.
Tracks obligation status, resolves discrepancies, and keeps the immediate supervisor informed of issues that may affect the award or execution of P.L. 93-638 agreements.
Salary Information:
Salary range for Aberdeen SD, Anadarko OK, Billings MT, Boise ID, Browning MT, Muskogee OK, and Nashville TN is: $106,437-$138,370
Salary range for Albuquerque NM and Gallup NM is: $107,592-$139,871
Salary range for Anchorage AK is: $120,348-$156,455
Salary range for Bloomington MN is: $116,038-$150,852
Salary range for Portland OR and Vancouver WA is: $114,684-$149,091
Salary Range for Sacramento CA is: $117,984-$153,382
Salary Range for Phoenix AZ is: $111,338-$144,741
Requirements
Conditions of employment
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
Direct Deposit Required.
A condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a (1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period) during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: This position is subject to a financial disclosure requirement, and you will be required to complete either OGE Form 278e or OGE Form 450 as applicable within 30 days of your appointment
Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration, visit SSS.gov.
You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 4 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
Either Level 1 or Level 2 Awarding Certification is required to be considered for this position. Under the Bureau's Awarding Official Certification System (AOCS), any incumbent designated or delegated to function as an Awarding Official for contracts and grants under the Indian Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 93-638) must obtain and maintain continual certification through the Bureau's certification system.
Incumbent will be required to obtain and maintain continual certification as an Awarding Official under the Bureau's Awarding Official Certification System Handbook.
Qualifications
In order to qualify for this position, you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below.
Selective Placement Factor: 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. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor will be rated not qualified.
Either Level 1 or Level 2 Awarding Certification is required to be considered for this position. Under the Bureau's Awarding Official Certification System (AOCS), any incumbent designated or delegated to function as an Awarding Official for contracts and grants under the Indian Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 93-638) must obtain and maintain continual certification through the Bureau's certification system.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.
To qualify for the GS-13 level:
At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level, or higher, in the Federal service, or equivalent, which includes all of the following: Examples of specialized experience (obtained in either the public or private sector) include:
1. Providing leadership and/or management of the Indian Self-Determination and the Education Assistance Act of 1975 (ISDEAA) as Amended and Public Law (P.L. 93-638) program activities.
2 Serving as an Awarding Official providing advisory services to develop, coordinate, negotiate and award on a variety of contracts and grants.
3. Handling contract management, policy development reviews, negotiating and resolving administrative or management issues.
4. Determining organizational training needs regarding self-determination and determining activities associated with the development of training and curriculum development to support the implementation of P.L. 93-638.
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.
Physical Demands: Work is primarily sedentary, involving reviewing documents, using a computer, and attending meetings, with occasional travel and no special physical demands. Incumbent may be required to travel in vehicles or commercial air carriers.
Working Conditions: Work is performed in a typical office or administrative setting with minimal risks or discomforts.
Eligibility and Qualification Requirements: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement. Specifically,
i. Area of Consideration.
ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502.
iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPM's Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions.
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.
Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on an RPL, you may be given priority consideration.
Education
Additional Information
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)
Additional information
PCS INFORMATION:
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.
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.
Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area. Reasonable Accommodation: The USWFS 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.
Cost of Living Allowance (Anchorage, Alaska only): In addition to the yearly salary, the Anchorage Alaska location is entitled to a 1.49% COLA rate cost-of-living allowance (COLA) as determined by https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/nonforeign-areas/#url=COLA-Rates .This allowance is subject to annual review, adjustment, and rate decrease.
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 or trail period (if required) your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
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 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. Dates worked and number of hours worked per week is required on the resume to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience
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. 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.
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. Either a performance appraisal or documentation as to why one is not available required to be considered for all applicants.
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 on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
USA Hire Competencies Bullets:
Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Attention to Detail, Integrity/Honesty and Flexibility/Adaptability.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Required Documents
You must submit a complete application package. The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/29/2026.
Resumes must show relevant experience and other information. Your resume MUST list your education and work experience including (1) the dates (mm/yy) of each employment, along with (2) the number of hours worked per week, and (3) work experience duties listed under each job entry. In addition, Civil Service employees must provide their current OPM title, series, and grade. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly show how long you were working in each grade level. Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. No assumptions will be made about your experience and/or education. You are welcome to submit a cover letter.
Either Level 1 or Level 2 Awarding Certification documentation is required.
Resumes must also include name and how to best contact you, including email address and phone number.
Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
-
Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
In describing your experience, be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume.
In addition to the online application, you are required to submit the following supplemental documentation as applicable:
Note: Federal employees who have reinstatement eligibility please review the How to Apply for Reinstatement page for all required documents.
If you have any questions regarding which SF-50's to submit, it is highly recommended that you contact the person listed on this vacancy announcement before the closing date.
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. This is required for all applicants.
Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 Member Copy 2 or 4 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. (i.e. VA letter). You may not be awarded preference if you do not attach the correct Veteran Documentation as specified above. NOTE: To be eligible for a Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, you must be a preference eligible, or a Veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.
CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location. Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Former Public Land Corps Member: Submit your Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Competitive Hiring Based for Public Land Corps Service along with a copy of your "PLC Participant Verification Work Hours Sheet."
Applicants applying under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act must submit documentation verifying eligibility. Required documentation includes: First and last SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) for each appointment verifying the Position Occupied code (block 34, code 1-Competitive Service), AND Documentation of satisfactory performance for each appointment, such as, performance evaluations, memorandum of record, whereas the supervisor(s) documented an acceptable performance level for a specified rating/employment period. Failure to submit required documentation may result in loss of consideration.
If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under other noncompetitive special appointing authorities, you MUST submit proof of this eligibility.
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
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 eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
- Click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
- Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
- Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
- Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
- Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
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.
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 via USAJOBS of a status change (i.e., referred, not referred, not eligible, not qualified, etc.). Note, you must login to your USAJOBS profile to view details of the status change. Information regarding how to see your application status can be found in the USAJOBS Help Center.
If referred and further evaluation or interviews are required, you may be contacted by the hiring officials for the location in which you are referred.
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.
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 contact listed on this announcement. Be sure to include the announcement number to assist our team in reviewing your inquiry.
You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.