Forestry Technician (Motor Vehicle Operator)

Summary About the Position: Serve as Forestry Technician (Motor Vehicle Operator) assisting professional forestry personnel in the management of woodlands using practical knowledge of scientific methods and special equipment to accomplish the various activities of forest management and fire control. This position may be filled at the GS-06, GS-07, or at the full performance level, GS-08; see "Additional Information" below. Duties Locate and record endangered species, critical wildlife habitat, wetlands, archaeological, and other environmentally sensitive sites. Participate in fire management including controlled burning and fire suppression activities. Prepare operating plans for technical projects such as timber cruising, vegetation management, reforestation, and firebreak maintenance. Operate crawlers, wheeled tractors, and hand tools in performing forest management work. Select and mark timber for commercial harvesting. Requirements Conditions of employment Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation. This position is subject to on-call 24 hours a day seven days a week in case of emergency to suppress forest fires. Subject to weekend shift assignments. The duties of this position require the incumbent to possess or obtain and maintain a valid Class B Commercial Driver's License within eight months of hire date. This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position. This position requires heavy lifting up to 50 pounds. Qualifications Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. GS-06 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) Assisting with timber cruises to support forest management; and 2) assisting with wildland fire activities, such as prescribed burning, suppression, and fire tower operations or standby. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05). -OR- Education: A half year (i.e., 9 semester hours) of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources, etc. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.). -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 9. Add the two percentages. GS-07 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) Participating in forest management tasks such as timber cruising, marking, sales, and habitat preservation; 2) assisting with wildland fire activities, such as prescribed burns and suppression; and 3) using computer systems to record data and/or generate summaries for forest management plans. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-06). -OR- Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources, etc. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.). -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages. GS-08 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) Executing forest management tasks such as timber cruising, marking, sales, and herbicide application; 2) performing wildland fire activities such as prescribed burns, suppression, and fire tower operations; 3) evaluating forest conditions such as health, volume growth, and wildlife activity; and 4) assisting with developing forest management plans to meet program objectives. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the Federal service (GS-07). -OR- Education: One and a half years (i.e., 27 semester hours) of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources, etc. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond one year (total semester hours minus 18) by 9. Add the two percentages. Education 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 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ Additional information Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. One year trial/probationary period may be required. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. This is a(n) Construction, Engineering, Infrastructure Career Field position. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest. Recruitment and relocation expenses may be authorized. Student loan repayment may be authorized. Salary negotiations for those candidates who are new to Federal service may be authorized. This position may be filled at the GS-05, GS-06, or at the full performance level, GS-07. If filled below the full performance level, incumbent may be noncompetitively promoted to the next higher grade level after meeting all regulatory requirements, and upon the recommendation of management. Promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information 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.