Forestry Technician

Summary Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource. We expect to fill few vacancies. Note: These are not firefighter positions. This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year. Duties Conducts timber cruises and stand surveys within varying stand conditions to locate and estimate the character and quantity of timber on a given area, according to species type and tree quality. Assist professional foresters in the layout out of timber treatment areas including blazing/posting/painting unit boundaries, assist in identifying special treatment areas, and assist in identifying yarding methods within project units. Measure and identify defects of timber on the ground using maps and follow written cruise plans provided by an advanced cruiser that explains sampling intensity, plot locations, type of cruise and any special instructions. Under supervision of a professional forester, and using pre-established marking guide/rules, Forestry Technicians select and mark trees to be harvested or left uncut. Marks trees using an approved marking guide/rules in areas complicated by variations in type, species composition, defect, site, age, class, etc. Prepares area maps, marks unit boundaries and uses GPS to record boundary locations. Conduct stand examinations gathering stand metrics including tree species, diameter at breast height, tree height, crown height, age estimations, and an inventory of snags over a given area. May lead small crews in routine tree marking and stand exams activities with oversight from higher grade Foresters or Forest Technicians. Summarizes cruising, marking, and stand exam data and prepares reports and topographic maps indicating quantity of timber, condition of area, difficulties to be encountered, etc. Cone collection, site preparation and planting, performing reforestation stocking surveys, determining the heath of planted trees, pre-commercial thinning. Timber sale preparation tasks as needed including stream inception surveys, native and non-native botanical surveys, and other duties as assigned. 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 be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position. Some locations may require that you possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position. Qualifications 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. GS-06: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level. Examples of specialized experience may include collecting and compiling forest and woodland management data regarding location, character, extent, volume, rate of growth and quality of timber; designating timber to be removed in timber sales or for use disposal; and preparing reports on forest and woodland trespass cases; OR one year of graduate level education directly related to the work of a Forestry Technician such as forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject matter field directed related to the position; OR a combination of experience and education to meet the total experience. GS-07: One (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS-6 level. Examples of specialized experience may include assisting professional foresters by gathering a variety of resource information for the forestry portion of resource analysis and management planning documents; researching and drafting assigned segments of documents; administering limited timber sales contracts; and preparing forest road layouts; OR one year of graduate level education directly related to the work of a Forestry Technician such as forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject matter field directed related to the position; OR A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience. 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 Environments: Work requires some physical exertion such as bending and walking/hiking in terrain that is rough, rocky, mountainous and densely vegetated that may also be steep, wet and muddy. Required to lift and carry equipment necessary to perform the work of the position, this includes tools, personal protective equipment, food and water for extended periods away from a vehicle. Work while in the office is performed in adequately lighted, ventilated, cooled and heated area. Fieldwork is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme and adverse weather conditions and injuries and discomforts from pests and animals. Education Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information. 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 85 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. This position is not eligible for Telework. All positions may not be filled or they may be filled at different times depending on budget, hiring needs, and requirements. These positions are temporary and are expected to last for up to 6 months. These positions have no promotion potential, if you want to be considered for a higher grade you must apply for the higher grade. If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment. If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)?. The Act allows certain individuals, who have or had time-limited appointments at land management agencies, to compete for any permanent position in the competitive service under "internal" merit promotion procedures. For more information, see the section under Eligibility, which starts with Question #15 (Q15. Who is eligible for appointment under these provisions?). 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 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.