U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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Job details

Job type

Part-time
Full-time

Encouraged to apply

Military encouraged

Full job description

Summary

This position will be filled under the Office of Personnel Management’s Direct Hire Authority and is open to all United States citizens and U.S. nationals. Veteran’s preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. All qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration for this position. To learn more about Direct-Hire authority, go to: OPM.GOV Hiring Information: Direct Hire Fact Sheet

This job is open to

The public

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

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

Duties

This position functions within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a Supervisory Wildland Firefighter (Fire Management Officer) of a complex fire management program for the U.S. Air Force (USAF).

The FMO is responsible for directing most phases of fire management programs for designated Federally managed lands within a geographic zone to include fire management planning, aviation management, training and workforce planning, fire preparedness, fuels management and fire prevention, dispatching, suppression, post-suppression, as well as all hazard and emergency response activities.
Serves as the technical authority in fire management and air operations with a diverse multi-dimensional fire management program, with full program and operational integration with other agency fire management at the highest level and throughout the fire organization. Facilitates collaboration for the development of local/annual operating plans and provides staff technical direction in the execution of master plans throughout the organization.
Develops and negotiates complex local interagency agreements. Coordinates strategic implementation of complex fire management activities in a rapidly changing environment for allocation of resources, equipment, and aircraft.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
Drug testing position
Medical Requirements
A condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Driver’s License: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver’s license throughout their employment in this position.
Supervisory Probationary Period: Selectees who have not previously completed a supervisory probationary period will be required to serve a one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period for this position.

Qualifications

This key fire management position is a categorized under the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard as a Unit Fire Program Manager, High Complexity. Minimum IFPM qualification standards must be met prior to being placed into the position. Detailed information regarding IFPM positions can be found at https://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/.

Prior experience in wild land firefighting is required in order to carry out the duties of this position. You will not be considered for this position if you do not have prior wild land firefighting experience.

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). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system.

Only experience and education obtained by 01/05/2026 will be considered.

***Your resume MUST include BEGINNING and END DATES specified in MONTH/YEAR to MONTH/YEAR format. In addition, your resume MUST reflect FULL-TIME/PART-TIME or total number of HOURS worked per week***

You may qualify at the GW-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

I have one year of specialized wildland fire management experience equivalent to at least the GW-11 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates your ability to: maintain oversight of a Firefighter Safety Program; provide supervision of Fire staff; apply policies and procedures for fire suppression and preparedness; coordinate with aircraft operations and acquisitions; monitor Fire training programs; review and evaluate fuels management and prescribed fire burn plans.

In addition to the specialized experience above, you must have the qualifications described below:

This position is subject to the qualifications and additional required training specified in the Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Qualifications Standards and Guide:

IFPM Qualifications for Unit Fire Program Manager – (High Complexity) (Selective Factor):
Pathway #1:
Primary Core Requirement: Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS)
AND
Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3) or Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Type 2 (RXB2)

Pathway #2 :
Primary Core Requirement: Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS)
AND
Secondary Core Requirement: Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3)

M-581 is a condition of employment and not a selective factor.

(You must provide a copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other equivalent documentation which verifies you meet the required minimum qualifications for this IFPM position. Failure to provide this documentation by the closing dated of the announcement will result in you being rated as not qualified).

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.

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 institution’s 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 school’s 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

This position is with the East Region, Branch of Fire Management, USAF Wildland Fire Program located in Avon Park, Florida.

Telework:
This position is suitable for telework only in an emergency or natural disaster.

PCS INFORMATION:

Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable.
In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements May be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale. Supervisory Probationary Period: If you have not previously completed a supervisory probationary period, you will be required to serve a one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period for this position.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
TESTING DESIGNATED POSITION: All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: You must pass a pre-employment medical examination. Also, you may be subject to post-employment medical examinations to determine if you are maintaining the fitness standards for this position.
DRIVER’S LICENSE: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver’s license throughout their employment in this position.

Probation/Trial Period Con’t:

The probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

your performance and conduct;
the needs and interests of the agency;
whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual’s employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

All applicants who submit a complete and legible application by the closing date of this vacancy announcement will have their qualifications reviewed to determine if they possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the work of this position.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Ability to serve as a fire management and air operations technical authority.
Knowledge of natural resources management, fire ecology, fire behavior, and fire management theories, concepts, principles, and standards in a wildland fire environment.
Knowledge of accepted wildland fire safety practices and procedures.
Skill in planning, distributing, coordinating, and monitoring work assignments of staff.
Skill in preparing and communicating information and decisions in written reports and work plans.

All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

Resume: You may only submit one resume. Only the resume submitted under the “Resume” “Document Type” will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes. Your resume must describe your job-related qualifications (paid and non-paid work experience) that includes job title, beginning and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and description of job duties. You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form, you must ensure this information is provided. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. Note: Current and former Federal employees should include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience.

Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
- Classified or government sensitive information
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Photos of yourself
- Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
- Encrypted and digitally signed documents.

2. Other supporting documents:

Cover Letter, optional
Incident Qualification and Certification System Responder Master Record/Incident Qualification Card (REQUIRED)
Official or unofficial College Transcript(s), if the position has education requirements, or if you are using your education to qualify. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required if you are selected. 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: http://http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
If applicable, documentation/proof that you are eligible Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
Current and former federal employees – It is highly recommended that you submit a copy of your SF-50(s) (Notification of Personnel Action) to support your experience. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointments/separations, promotions, within-grade increases.

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.

United States Air Force (USAF) Assistant Fire Management Officer