"Alerted.org

Summary This Supervisory Wildland Firefighter position serves as the Fire Management Officer with the BIA Western Region, Southern Paiute Agency, Branch of Fire Management in St. George, UT and the Truxton Canon Agency in Valentine, AZ; Duty Station in St. George, Utah. 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. Responsibilities Coordinates strategic implementation of complex fire management activities in a rapidly changing environment for allocation of resources, equipment, and aircraft. Provides oversight during initial and extended attack fires and directs fireline activities and tactics of dispersed firefighters, resources, equipment, and aircraft. Provides for follow-up actions to safely and effectively manage wildland fires. Develops and maintains overall fire management plans for complex fire programs covering a variety of activities. Responsible for long-range fire management planning activities. Makes or ensures inspections of the fire management organization and operations for compliance with approved plans, rules, regulations, and standards to ensure that an adequate and effective fire management force is being maintained. Ensures the fuels management program is consistent with ecosystem management principles, land management plans, and evaluates the impacts to air quality standards. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: This position has been identified as one of the key fire management positions under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard. This position has been categorized as a Unit Fire Program Manager (UFPM) - Moderate Complexity and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found at http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/ GW-12: 1 year of specialized wildland fire management work experience equivalent to the GW-11 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service that includes directing and supervising a fire management program that is responsible for wildland fire use, prescribed fire, fire suppression, aviation, fuels, and smoke management including planning, program direction, coordination, and evaluation; Developing, reviewing, and analyzing fire management plans for ecological soundness and technical adequacy. Examples of specialized experience include providing leadership and supervision for fire management staff during preparedness and incident response assignments; assigning crews and wildland firefighters; supervising administrative program functions such as planning, budget formulation/execution. Working closely with multiple units and interagency partners, jurisdiction boundaries, multi-land base areas, and tribes to develop inter- and intra-agency agreements. Developing, reviewing and evaluating complex fire management plans for ecological soundness or consistency with land management goals and/or potentially adverse impacts to cultural and natural resources; conducting field inspections before and after prescribed or wildland fires to determine if resource objectives were achieved and/or evaluating the effectiveness of actions taken; analyzing the ecological role of fire and its use and/or exclusion, and smoke management; analyzing and/or applying fire management strategies in mobilization and/or dispatch coordination, fire prevention and education, training, logistics, equipment development and deployment, fire communication systems, suppression and preparedness or aviation; analyzing fuel conditions and determining appropriate fuel treatment methods (i.e. prescribed fire, mechanical, chemical, or biological treatments); performing land use planning and environmental compliance; evaluating prescribed burn plans or fire management plans to ensure fire containment is possible and identifying appropriate suppression contingencies if fire containment is not obtained. Implementing fire management planning, including evaluation of objective in resource management plans to develop strategies to accomplish these objectives; and developing evaluation measures to determine if fire management activities have accomplished objectives and adapted future activities based on findings. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTORS: These are MANDATORY qualification prerequisites to qualify for this position. The applicant must have possessed the following qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position: Primary Core Requirement: Task Force Leader (TFLD), or higher. Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander Type 3 (ITC3) OR Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2), or higher. OR Primary Core Requirement: Helibase Manager (HEBM), or higher. Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander Type 3 (ITC3), or higher. Required Training: *Fire Program Management (M-581)*This training requirement will be a condition of employment that must be completed within one year of entry on duty date. 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. You MUST provide a current copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other agency equivalent documentation which verifies you meet this required qualification for this position when submitting your application. Prior Wildland Firefighting Experience: This is a secondary-administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission, and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE. 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. Physical Demands: Normally the work is sedentary but often requires physical exertion while overseeing fire suppression activities including walking over rough, steep, uneven terrain in all types of weather. During the fire season, extended fire assignments away from the unit may be required under very stressful conditions. Work Environment: Work is generally performed in an office setting, however, fire suppression work requires that protective clothing be worn during fire assignments. The incumbent must exercise a variety of safety practices and precautions. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the closing date. 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. NOTE: The probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary 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 period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. The salaries listed reflect the permanent pay increases for federal and tribal wildland firefighters, effective March 23, 2025. In addition to the listed base salary, firefighters are eligible for Incident Response Premium Pay when deployed to a qualifying incident, which may significantly increase overall compensation. All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See Wildland Firefighter here and select the duty station from Saint George, Utah to choose the appropriate pay chart. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." GW chart. This is a supervisory position. Under provision of the Civil Service Reform Act, first-time supervisors are required to serve a one year supervisory probationary period before their appointment becomes final. Those who do not satisfactorily complete this probationary period will be returned to positions of no lower grade and pay than those they occupied before assuming their supervisory assignment. TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster. TRAVEL AND RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL BE AUTHORIZED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS. The pay flexibilities of the recruitment bonus, relocation bonus, and student loan repayment may be authorized pending availability of funds and 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 the 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.