Smoke Management Specialist (Technical Field/Unit Support) (Direct Hire Authority)

Posted 2 weeks ago
US National Park Service, Boise, ID 83705, Openings : 1,
Apply Here Job Description :

Duties

  • Interagency senior staff expert for Wildland Fire Smoke Management issues providing technical advice and support to local, regional, and national units in policy interpretation and guidance as well as technical implementation and evaluation.
  • Coordinates and drafts new guidelines and policy materials and develops project ideas and leads research to analyze and resolve unique, uncertain, and controversial issues that affect the smoke management program.
  • Develops and implements solutions to minimize the negative impacts of smoke on air quality, and public health.
  • Formulates and recommends innovative and significant service-wide policy, fire management plans, land management plans, smoke management plans, NEPA documents and procedures related to smoke management.
  • Represents DOI on interagency committees, multi-stakeholder groups, task forces, and other special interest groups concerning the development and implementation of air quality-related regulations and policies.
  • Coordinates smoke management efforts with other DOI bureaus, the USDA Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, state, Tribal and local cooperators.
  • Coordinates interagency-level reviews, analyzes and prepares reports on legislative and regulatory testimony and documents, and prepares inter- and intra-agency comments on air quality related topics and EPA rule proposals.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.
  • 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.
  • Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.

Qualifications

Basic Qualification Requirements:
A. Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, or related discipline appropriate to the position being filled.
-OR
B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, or at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, natural resources, wildland fire management, forestry, or agriculture equivalent to a major field of study, plus appropriate experience 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.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related education of the position to be found qualified. In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement.

Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the basic entry requirement, applicants must have specialized experience to be found qualified. In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement – please be sure to include this information in your resume. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade.

To qualify for the GS-13 grade level , one year of creditable specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 is required. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Experience providing assistance to develop, implement, and/or interpret policies, programs, or procedures to guide wildland fire smoke-related management issues.
  • Experience analyzing and interpreting wildland fire smoke-related data in order to provide advice.
  • Experience planning and coordinating smoke-related projects or developing new or significantly modified techniques, methods, or criteria to evaluate wildland fire smoke impacts, and summarizing and explaining research and analysis findings to various audiences (e.g., general public, scientists, interagency partners, etc.).

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.

There is no substitution of education for specialize experience at the GS-12 and above grade levels.

Physical Demands:
The work is mostly sedentary, involving limited physical activity in an office environment, However, periodic field assistance and assessment of smoke management, fire effects, burned area rehabilitation and other field activities may require considerable walking and climbing (not to exceed 15%). The incumbent must be in moderate physical condition to reach to field sites, which frequently involves walking, climbing bending and backpacking with a load over steep and rough terrain possibly under inclement conditions (cold, hot, snowy, windy, smoky).

Work Environment:
The incumbent must be able to work in an office setting where temperatures may fluctuate and where noise and other distractions exist. Field trips (not to exceed 15%) may result in exposure to extreme temperatures, dust, smoke, and other discomforts. Work in support of fireline operations requires the use of personal protective equipment such as flame-resistant clothing, gloves, and possibly eye and ear protection as appropriate.

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 institutions 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 schools 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Verify Employment Eligibility (E-Verify) :
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 www.dhs.gov/e-verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program(ICTAP) : CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is available from OPMs Career Transition Resources website at CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement and 3) You are found well qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they receive a minimum score of 90 based on the rating criteria used for this position.

Travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulation, Chapter 302, and Departmental policy. Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses – 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. See Other section for additional information on 2017 Tax Cuts as related to Permanent Change in Station (PCS).

  • Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 – the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. The law made taxable certain reimbursements and other payments, including driving mileage, airfare and lodging expenses, en-route travel to the new duty station, and temporary storage of those items. The Federal Travel Regulation Bulletin (FTR) 18-05 issued by General Services Administration (GSA) has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) to pay for substantially all of the increased tax liability resulting from the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for certain eligible individuals. For additional information on WTA/RITA allowances and eligibilities, please visit: https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-travel-regulation-ftr/i1182168#i1180710

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 position IS NOT Remote. If selected and choose not to move to Boise, duty station will be a Federal facility in the area.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document, you do not have in electronic form view the following link for information regarding an Alternative Application

NPS may use certain incentives, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract high quality applicants.

  • 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 must show relevant experience and education (if applicable) including the dates (MM/YYYY) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week and optional salary information. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume?

Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information in your resume will result in loss of eligibility.

You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are best 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. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) in the following area(s):

  • Technical Competence – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on the job experience to perform ones job works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job advises others on technical issues.
  • Partnering – Develops networks and builds alliances collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
  • Stakeholder Management – Knowledge of the concepts, practices, and techniques used to identify, engage, influence, and monitor relationships with individuals and groups connected to a work effort including those actively involved, those who exert influence over the process and its results, and those who have a vested interest in the outcome (positive or negative).

  • 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.

  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether youre a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure youre eligible under their policies.

    In addition to the online application (i.e. resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms:

    – Resume:
    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. For more information, visit OPM Resume Writing Tips

    – SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action form: if you are a current or former Federal employee. You must submit your most recent non-award SF-50 that shows tenure code 1 or 2 in block 24, and position occupied code 1 (competitive service) in block 34. The SF-50 must show the position title, series, grade, and step of your position. If you are claiming reinstatement eligibility, you must submit an SF-50 showing your separation. If you have previously held a higher grade than the grade/position you currently occupy, you must submit a copy of the more recent non-award SF-50 you received for that position.

    – Transcripts:
    You MUST submit a copy of ALL your unofficial 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 your degree is from a Foreign Institution, See Foreign Education.- Former Public Lands Corps (PLC) Member: Submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring along with a copy of your PLC Participant Verification Work Hours Sheet.

    Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or lnteragency 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.

    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 05/27/2024.

    If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the NIFC-FA Branch of Human Resource office at blm_fa_nifc_vacancies@blm.gov or (208) 387-5523. 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 in order to complete the application process successfully:
    1) YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBs your profile must contain a current resume for submission. In order to receive proper consideration, your resume should include the following information:

    • Current personal contact information.
    • Work experience (paid or unpaid) including – starting and ending dates (month and year, MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY), employers name and address, job title (include job series and grade if Federal), duties and accomplishments, supervisors name and telephone number, indicate if supervisor may be contacted, hours per week, and salary.
    • Education and job-related training including – school name, type and year of degrees/diploma received, credits earned and majors title of training course and year of completion.
    • References – personal and professional- Additional information – skills (languages, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.), certificates or licenses (current only), and/or honors, awards, and special accomplishments (recognition, professional memberships, publications, leadership activities, etc.).
    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.

    2) 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.

    Y ou 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/12413761

    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/.

    Agency contact information

    FA-HR-Internal NIFC

    Phone

    208-387-5523

    Email

    blm_fa_nifc_vacancies@blm.gov

    Address
    NIFC, NPS Fire and Aviation
    Human Resources (MS-1700)
    3833 South Development Avenue
    Boise, ID 83705
    US

    Next steps

    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 05/27/2024 of the vacancy announcement. 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.

    Once you submit all the required documents and the online application (i.e. online questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation, etc.) in USAJOBs, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is completed by the Branch of Human Resources, you will be notified via USAJOBs of a status change (i.e. referred, not eligible, not qualified, referred to the hiring official, etc.). Note, you must login to your USAJOBs profile to view details of the status change.

    If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official.

    You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.

    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.

  • Fair and Transparent

    The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Criminal history inquiries
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request

Required Documents

In addition to the online application (i.e. resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following forms:

– Resume:
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. For more information, visit OPM Resume Writing Tips

– SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action form: if you are a current or former Federal employee. You must submit your most recent non-award SF-50 that shows tenure code 1 or 2 in block 24, and position occupied code 1 (competitive service) in block 34. The SF-50 must show the position title, series, grade, and step of your position. If you are claiming reinstatement eligibility, you must submit an SF-50 showing your separation. If you have previously held a higher grade than the grade/position you currently occupy, you must submit a copy of the more recent non-award SF-50 you received for that position.

– Transcripts:
You MUST submit a copy of ALL your unofficial 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 your degree is from a Foreign Institution, See Foreign Education.- Former Public Lands Corps (PLC) Member: Submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring along with a copy of your PLC Participant Verification Work Hours Sheet.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or lnteragency 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.

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.


Help

This job is open to

  • Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

    Federal employees who meet the definition of a surplus or displaced employee.

  • The public

    U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens – No previous federal service is required. This position is being advertised under an OPM government-wide Direct Hire authority. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Last Date For Apply: 2024-08-14 00:00:00 Job Type : FULL_TIME, Employment Type : FULL_TIMEApply Here