Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (State Fire Management Officer) - Direct Hire Authority

Summary This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority This position may be located in Fairbanks or Anchorage, AK. Click on locations for more Information about the surrounding areas. We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available. Duties Serves as the Manager of the BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS). Will become the Alaska Geographical Area Fire Manager for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), once established (please see Additional Information section). Provides supervision and oversight of state fire programs to carry out the mission of the organization. Plans, organizes and oversees efforts and projects that improve the quality, effectiveness, and timeliness of the fire program. Serves as a senior advisor to management and executive leadership on developing and implementing strategic plans in support of the fire program objectives. Develops and implements fire plans and initiatives. Develops priorities for effective use of resources. Implements performance metrics to manage and monitor the operational efficiencies of the organization. Interprets national program guidance and leads the development of specific policies, plans, and programs necessary to carry out all aspects of the fire and aviation program. 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 Land. Direct Deposit Required. Background Investigation Required. Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination. Failure to possess or obtain a favorable determination will result in the cancellation of the offer or will be grounds for termination. Supervisory Probationary Period: If you are selected for this position, you will be required to serve a one year supervisory probationary period if one has not previously been completed. If selected for this position, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 within 30 days of reporting to duty. You will be required to provide this information annually. You must meet specified levels on annual physical fitness tests, and pass periodic medical exams for wildland fire personnel, commensurate with current incident management qualification. You must pass a pre-employment physical. You must also pass the work capacity test for arduous positions. Applicant(s) tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use and to pass the test prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. This position may require regular and recurring overtime and shift work during peak fire season. May require completion of a one year probationary period. Applicants appointed to this position must POSSESS and maintain a valid state driver's license. 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. Qualifications Specialized Experience Requirements: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement(s); please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled. To qualify for the GW-15 grade level, 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GW/GS-14 is required. Examples of work experience include, but are not limited to: advising high level management officials on fire management planning at the district or state level (or equivalent); reviewing wildland fire preparedness actions and operating plans; evaluating, coordinating, directing and implementing policy to support wildland fire management programs and operations; familiarity with budget formulation and expenditure of funds; supervising and/or leading a staff of fire and aviation professionals responsible for fire and aviation programs. 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. Substitution of Education for Experience: There is no substitution of education for experience at the GW-15 grade level. Selective Placement Factor(s): 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(s) will be rated not qualified. 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 Geographic Area Fire Program Manager, and requires selectee to meet the minimum qualification standards for IFPM prior to being placed into the position. To meet IFPM requirements, you must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management qualifications and training requirements to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required at time of referral, but may be required to obtain and maintain currency if selected): A) Task Force Leader (TFLD); AND B) Incident Commander Type 3 (ICT3), OR Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Type 2 (RXB2), OR Complex Incident Management Team Command and General Staff position (CIMT C&G). AND C) M-581 "Fire Program Management," FML "Fire Management Leadership," OR M-582 Fire Program Management, LFML "Local Fire Management Leadership". You must meet all qualification and selective placement factor requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Physical Demands: Normally the work is sedentary but often requires physical exertion while overseeing fire suppression activities including walking over rough, mountainous, steep, uneven terrain in all types of weather. The incumbent is faced with emergency situations at all hours and must respond quickly. Work Environment: The work is usually performed in an office setting. Occasionally, some exposure to discomfort or risk is encountered on field trips such as extreme heat or cold, or exposure to fire situations. Flight to remote field stations or Incident Bases will be done using small, fixed wing or rotor wing aircraft. This is a secondary/administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). While secondary positions are not subject to the maximum entry age policy, the selectee must have prior service in a primary position (3 years of service in primary/rigorous position(s)) and meet the transfer requirement for movement from a primary to secondary position to be eligible for special retirement coverage. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your SF-50). YOU MUST LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A PRIMARY POSITION. FACT SHEET for Fire Positions: Information on Special Retirement. Education See Qualifications Section. Additional information The BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS) Manager will become the Alaska Geographical Area Fire Manager for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), once established. When established, the USWFS will manage and provide the wildland fire protection within the Department of the Interior. The USWFS has full program authority and coordinates the Department's wildland fire management program in its entirety and ensures coordination within the Department, the Bureaus it serves, and with other federal and non-federal agencies, particularly the USDA Forest Service, state foresters, tribes, the National Association of Counties, and a variety of stakeholder groups representing volunteer fire fighters, environmental interests, industry and others. Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service. The new Special Base Rate (SBR) Salary Table for Federal wildland firefighters, General Wildland Firefighter (GW) pay plan effective March 23, 2025 was used to indicate the salary in this announcement. Salaries may vary dependent upon location selected. You can access the new pay schedule here. Tax Law Impact for PCS: Moving expenses reimbursement is a taxable benefit. However, the Federal Travel Regulation18-05 issued by the General Services Administration has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance and Relocation Income Tax Allowance to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individual Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency 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 OPM's 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 meet minimum qualifications for this position. 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 a RPL, you may be given priority consideration. 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 Incentives (OPM.gov), or Relocation Incentives (OPM.gov), or Student Loan Repayment (OPM.gov). 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. Benefits Review our benefits