Telecommunications Specialist Job in Miles City, MT

Vacancy No. MTDE-25-12612415-JBC Department Bureau of Land Management
Salary $59,966.00 to $94,317.00 Grade 9 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/27/2024 Close Date 12/11/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Miles City, MT


Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.

This position is located in Miles City, Montana. Information about Miles City and the surrounding area can be found at Miles City Field Office | Bureau of Land Management

We expect to fill 1 vacancy/vacancies at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous Federal Service is required. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

  • The incumbent is responsible for performing a variety of duties including, but not limited to, the following:
  • Coordinating and providing support to State and Field Offices for voice and data equipment installation and maintenance.
  • Working closely with other telecommunications personnel in the design, installation, and repair of radio equipment.
  • Interfacing dispatch consoles, base, repeater, and mobile radios and tone remotes.
  • Developing and conducting in-house training sessions for users in the proper use and capability of the equipment.
  • Reviewing radio frequency authorizations in accordance with Department and Bureau requirements, prepares requests for new authorizations as needed, and coordinates updates with assigned offices.
  • Scaling radio tower heights up to 100 feet in the air to provide installation and maintenance of antennas and Coax/Heliax/Waveguide runs to radio system equipment.
  • Successfully completing approved climbing performance course and obtaining/maintaining climbing certification.

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.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • You must pass a pre-employment physical.
  • An applicant appointed to this position must possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
  • May require a one-year probationary trial period.

Qualifications

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires special qualifications that have been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as screen out elements. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factors will be rated not qualified.

- A valid state driver's license
- Ability to work outdoors in inclement weather and in mountains at high altitudes up to 8,000 feet in elevation

In addition to the selective placement factors, your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement or vacancy questions. In addition, your responses to the questions must be adequately reflected in your resume.

For GS-9: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service which includes providing administration, delivery, and support of information technology (IT) networks and radio communications; troubleshooting occurrences that disrupt the flow of communications (requiring complete software reloads and system back-ups); and operating satellite and fiber optic computer stations

OR

Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or in a field with a major study in electrical or electronic engineering, mathematics, physics, public utilities, statistics, computer science, telecommunications management, information systems management, business administration, industrial management, or other fields related to the position to be filled. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.).

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

For GS-11: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience for the GS-11 level include the use of schematic diagrams, a variety of test equipment, and the application of appropriate electronic formulas involved in testing, troubleshooting, modifying, designing, calibrating, installing, maintaining, repairing, constructing, developing on electronic equipment or similar functions.

OR

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related. Education must be in the major study of electrical or electronic engineering, mathematics, physics, public utilities, statistics, computer science, telecommunications management, information systems management, business administration, industrial management, or other fields directly related to the position.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualification requirements for this position by combining specialized experience and appropriate related graduate education

Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level of the position to be filled.

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.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, in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: Work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking over rough or uneven surfaces, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, and recurring lifting of moderately heavy items. The work is performed around moving parts, carts, or machines; at construction or other work sites where equipment is being installed and/or removed requiring the wearing of hardhats, safety shoes, or similar situations involving moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions such as wearing protective clothing or gear such as masks, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields.

Work Environment: Work performed under variable and unpredictable working conditions in many locations, sometimes in inclement weather and at high altitudes. Exposure to radio frequency hazards, high voltages, noise, and slippery and uneven surfaces. Also includes working in voice and data equipment rooms and computer rooms. Travel to field/remote communications sites in the desert, mountains, mud, and snow using 4x4 vehicles, snowmobiles, 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles or aircraft is required. The incumbent will comply in utilizing all appropriate safety equipment, policies, and procedures.

Education

Please see qualifications section for education requirements.

Additional information

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 E-Verify

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): 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, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

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.

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under number MTMP-25-12612417-JBC, for status candidates and special hiring authority eligible. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

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.

This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-11. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

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.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. Qualified applicants will be placed in one of three predefined categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Candidates placed in the Best Qualified category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Network Management
  • Problem Solving
  • Technical Competence
  • Telecommunications


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 the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Resume Panel Review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Required Documents

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

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 and year), hours worked per week, and salary. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk

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. You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.

Transcripts: You MUST submit a copy of ALL your college transcripts or a list of ALL college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. Upon selection, official transcripts must be received prior to appointment. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your 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.

Veterans: If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit a copy of your DD-214, 'Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,' (Member 4 copy is preferred), showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service (must be honorable) OR written documentation from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.

If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must submit documentation that supports your claim as shown on the back of the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. SF-15.

If you are claiming Sole Survivorship Veterans' Preference (SSP), please provide the documentation you received granting this preference.

Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/special-hiring-authorities/.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles: Submit 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.

Please note that documents selected for transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added to 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 the closing date of this announcement.

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 12/11/2024. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the HR Office at 406-896-5002 or blm_mt_apply@blm.gov. 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 to complete the application process:

YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBS. Your profile must contain a current resume for submission. See Required Documents section for what to include in your resume.

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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/12612415
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

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 12/11/2024. 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.

Agency contact information

Jacqueline Cochrane
Address
BLM Montana State Office
BLM Montana State Office, MT-933
Branch of Human Resources
5001 Southgate Drive
Billings, MT 59101
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgement email from USAJobs that your submission was successful once we have received your online questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application and/or referral to the hiring official via your USAJobs account after the evaluation process is complete. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement, at the discretion of Federal hiring officials. Department of the Interior may share the list of eligible candidates with other Federal agencies/departments, authorized to appoint new employees under the same hiring procedures if the position is in the same: job series, grade level, promotion potential, and in the same geographic locations (including the same metro/commuting area) provided herein. You will have the opportunity to "opt-in" to appear on a shared list. "Opt-in" does not guarantee your application will be shared, but you will be contacted in the event your application is shared.


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


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