Senior Firefighter

OUTREACH

Senior Firefighter

GS-0462-05

NORTHERN REGION

LOLO NATIONAL FOREST

Missoula/Ninemile/Seeley Lake Ranger District’s

fs.usda.gov/lolo

1 position to be filled at Ninemile RD (Huson, MT)

1 position to be filled at Seeley Lake RD (Seeley Lake, MT)

1 to 2 positions to be filled at Missoula RD (Missoula, MT)

Submit application by: Wednesday April 17, 2013

Job Title: Forestry Technician (Engine/Hand crew)

Duty Locations: Missoula, MT, Huson, MT, and Seeley Lake, MT

Position Information: Full time – Permanent Seasonal 13/13

Series and Grade: GS-0462-05

Minimum NWCG Qualifications: Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1)

S-290 Intermediate Fire Behavior

Announcement Numbers: OCRP-462-ENGSRFF-4/5G (Merit)

OCRP-462-ENGSRFF-4/5DP (Demo)

OCRP-462-IHC/HCREW-4/5G (Merit)

OCRP-462-IHC/HCREW-4/5DP (Demo)

Introduction

The Lolo National Forest is advertising to fill 3-4 Senior Firefighter positions to be stationed at the Missoula, Ninemile, and Seeley Lake Ranger Districts.

Duties

The Senior Firefighter position serves as an experienced firefighter on an engine or hand crew performing fire suppression and/or fuels management duties under the most adverse conditions of climate, fuels, and terrain. Position performs the duties of a fully qualified chain saw operator. Performs all aspects of wildland and prescribed fire operations including preparation, ignition, monitoring, holding, and mop up.

This position gathers and considers information on weather data, topography, fuel types, and fire behavior in responding to wildland fire incidents and when positioning and deploying personnel and equipment, recommends best approaches and practices to use in protection of the values at risk.

The Senior Firefighter participates in wildland fire and safety training and in crew proficiency checks and drills, safety sessions, and fire critiques.

Position may inventory fuel beds, prepare associated reports, perform hazard fuel reduction projects, monitor burning conditions, pile vegetation debris and act in assigned positions such as ignition or holding specialist or other designated positions during actual fuel reduction efforts by prescribed fire.

Position may perform project work such as road and trail maintenance, habitat manipulation, and miscellaneous equipment and facilities maintenance.

Minimum Federal Qualification Requirements:

To qualify for a GS-5, applicants must have had one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-04 performing the following duties: patrolled areas of controlled fires to mop-up by searching out and extinguishing any remaining burning material. Applicants must have served on a specialty crew (hotshot, helitack, engines, etc.) to suppress the full range of difficult and complex fires. Operated specialized fire suppression equipment such as portable pumps or drip torches.

Substitution of Education for Experience:

The experience requirements for the GS-05 level may be met by successful completion of a four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelors' degree or the equivalent. Education must include at least 24 semester/36 quarter hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management with natural resources emphasis, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 6 semester/9 quarter hours in mathematics is creditable.

Combination of Education and Experience:

GS-05 equivalent combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet the experience requirements.

To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all qualification requirements on the date a certificate of candidates is generated from this Open Continuous announcement.

Additional Qualification Requirements:

Applicants must have 90 days on-the-line wildland firefighting experience gained through containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. This experience must be documented with specific dates in the Work Experience, Additional Information portion of the application or Resume.

This position is subject to the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard and Guide selective placement factors for a Senior Firefighter.

The selective placement factors for a Senior Firefighter are: Primary NWCG Core Requirements: Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) and S-290 Intermediate Fire Behavior.

How to Apply (Hiring for GS-5 ONLY)

Apply online at www.USAJOBS.com no later than Wednesday April 17, 2013.

Selections will be made for duty locations; Missoula, Huson, and Seeley Lake, MT and from any of the following vacancy announcements:

OCRP-462-ENGSRFF-4/5G (Merit - status eligibles) OCRP-462-ENGSRFF-4/5DP (Demo - US citizens)

OCRP-462-IHC/HCREW-4/5G (Merit - status eligibles) OCRP-462-IHC/HCREW-4/5DP (Demo - US citizens)

Applicants must build a USAJOBS resume to apply. You will have the option to attach a personal resume however, a USAJOBS resume is required.

Applicants are also required to submit a copy of their Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record (or equivalent training record) which contains documented proof of the certification or attainment of the above IFPM Selective Placement Factors in order to be considered eligible. If applying to the Merit Vacancy Announcement, you MUST attach your most recent SF-50.

Please direct questions to:

(Missoula) Mike Wood @ 406-329-3851 or Karl Nikoleyczik @ 406-329-3942

(Ninemile) Kevin Elmstrom @ 406-626-5431

(Seeley Lake) Holly Maloney @ 406-677-3929

Community Information

Missoula Ranger District, MISSOULA, MT:

Missoula, Montana has a population of 64,000 serving a trade area of over 300,000. Consequently, the city has more amenities and services than most cities of its size. Missoula is home to the University of Montana, College of Technology, three public and two private high schools, and several public and private elementary schools. Missoula's economic base is tourism, Federal Government, motor carriers, and the University of Montana. Neighborhoods and residential settings are diverse ranging from urban to very rural. Missoula has two large hospitals, which provide a full array of inpatient and outpatient services. Missoula has many other health care practitioners to offer also.

Missoula residents enjoy all four seasons of the year. The elevation of Missoula is 3,205, with an average annual temperature of 44.6 F., with a January daily minimum of 15.4 F. and July daily maximum of 83.4 F. The growing season is 137 days with an average mean rainfall of 13.5 inches, and an average mean snowfall of 42.5 inches. Recreation facilities and opportunities are abundant, including public golf courses, parks, tennis courts, swimming pools, health clubs, softball diamonds, ice rinks, and hiking trails. Many rivers provide for rafting, fishing and swimming opportunities. There is one downhill ski area is less than an hour from town, and three within two hours. Numerous cross country ski trails and snowmobile trails exist.

Montana has personal income tax and property tax, but no sales tax. Home prices vary widely; homes prices begin at approximately $175,000, and an average 3 bedroom, 2 bath home will cost from $250,000 to $350,000. Average rent is approximately $750/month and up.

Ninemile Ranger District, HUSON, MT:

The Ninemile Ranger District has a diverse landscape that creates a need for a variety of programs. The district includes 360,000 acres of the National Forest System Lands that supports a vegetation management program involving timber management, wildlife habitat improvement as well as hazardous fuels reduction objectives. Within the District boundaries are an additional 75,000 acres of privately owned timber production ground and an additional 25,000 acres of private residential property, these acres are within the Districts wildfire suppression protection jurisdiction.

The Ninemile Ranger District is located in Huson, Montana, at the National Historic Remount Station. The administrative site is home to a large majority of the Region 1 pack stock in the winter and is a working ranch.

The district is known for providing dispersed recreation opportunities that include, hiking, hunting, fishing, trail riders (motorized and non-motorized) for the greater Missoula area and local folks.

Located in Western Montana just 25 miles west of Missoula (population 75,000) a full service community, the duty station offers both a rural and urban setting to choose from with a large housing market. Limited rental opportunities exist within the Huson and Frenchtown communities.

Huson is service by the Frenchtown School District with K-12. The commuting area is service by the Alberton School District, Missoula School District and the Hellgate School District.

Government housing may be available at the time this position is filled. The District office is also a reasonable commute from the Missoula area which offers a full array of housing opportunities.

Housing costs range from 180,000 to 300,000 within all commuting areas.

Seeley Lake Ranger District, SEELEY LAKE, MT

The Seeley Lake Ranger District covers about 400,000 acres, including 74,000 acres of the Scapegoat Wilderness. The District features the full range of resource management activities and is rich in scenic beauty and history. The District attracts people throughout Montana and nearby states and Canadian provinces. Numerous recreation residences and resorts are located on National Forest Lands surrounding the Seeley Lake area.

Seeley Lake lies in a heavily forested valley 4,000 feet in elevation, bordered by the Swan Mountain range to the east and the Mission Mountains to the west. The area provides ample opportunity for diverse 4-season recreation such as boating, swimming, camping, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Average snow “on the ground” measures about two feet plus at Seeley Lake during the peak of winter season. Total precipitation for the annual year is approximately 20 inches.

Seeley Lake is located approximately 60 miles northeast of Missoula. Seeley Lake is a community of 2500 in population. The community is home to a high school and elementary school. There is a family medical center that handles minor emergencies and has a heli-pad (Life Flight) to serve people who need more immediate extensive care at one of the Missoula hospitals. There is a grocery store, hardware store, two service stations, a bank, a Laundromat, restaurants, bars retail stores, and churches. The foundations of Seeley Lake’s economic base are wood products and recreational opportunities. There is diversity of residential settings within the community and surrounding area.

Additional community information can be found at http://www.seeleylakechamber.com or http://www.co.missoula.mt.us/.