Fire Ecologist

Department of Interior; United States; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of the Interior seeks a Fire Ecologist to join the U.S. Wildland Fire Service in the Rocky Mountain Geographic Area.

Duty location negotiable within any DOI facility in the region; pay localities are included in the stated range. Minimum qualifications include a degree in biological sciences or related fields and specialized experience in fire ecology and wildland fire management, with demonstrated experience in monitoring, analysis, and restoration planning.

Qualifications

• Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related discipline.
• Specialized experience in fire ecology, wildland fire management, and natural resource management.
• Experience providing technical guidance on fire ecology and monitoring programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical and programmatic guidance on fire ecology, fire effects, and ecological science application to management objectives.
• Plan, implement, or evaluate fire and fuels monitoring programs with data management and analysis.
• Coordinate with interdisciplinary teams to integrate fire ecology information into management decisions.
• Support post-wildfire assessments and ecological restoration efforts.

Skills

Fire ecology

Wildland firefighting

Data collection

Education

Biological sciences

Tools

IQCS Master Record

Job description

This is a Direct-Hire advertisement. Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority.

This GW-0401-12 Fire Ecologist position is with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, and the duty location is negotiable at any Department of the Interior (DOI) facility within the Rocky Mountain Geographic Area. The pay range listed includes all pay localities within the Rocky Mountain Geographic Area.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

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.

Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE.

Candidates must possess Primary/Rigorous wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days, and hours per week at which the work was performed to be considered.

Applicants must have documented prior primary firefighting experience, with substantial service defined as either:

• At least one full fire season working in a primary wildland firefighting role (e.g., Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumper, Wildland Fire Modules or Fire Suppression Crews, etc.) with a federal, state, tribal, local, or private-sector organization;

- OR -

• At least 14 days of on-the-ground fireline experience (cumulative or consecutive).

Prior primary wildland fire experience must be clearly documented in your resume. Note: an IQCS Master Record or equivalent document will not be used to determine or calculate prior primary wildland fire experience eligibility for this requirement.

-AND-

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

Basic Education Requirement

1. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

-OR-

2. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

-AND-

For the GW-12 level: At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience in fire ecology, wildland fire management, and natural resource management, including: providing technical and programmatic guidance on fire ecology, fire effects, and the application of ecological science to wildland fire and natural resource management objectives; planning, implementing, or evaluating fire and fuels monitoring programs, including monitoring protocols, data collection, data management, quality assurance, analysis, and interpretation of ecological monitoring results; evaluating the ecological effects of prescribed fire and wildfire on vegetation, fuels, ecosystem conditions, and post-fire recovery to inform land management decisions; providing technical support for post-wildfire assessments, Emergency Stabilization (ES), Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR), or other ecological recovery and restoration activities; and coordinating with interdisciplinary teams, agencies, Tribes, and other partners to integrate fire ecology information into wildland fire management, resource stewardship, and collaborative planning efforts.

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.

*Applicants must meet all minimum qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement.

Secondary Firefighter Retirement Coverage - Applicants for this secondary administrative firefighter position under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d) must possess knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of wildland firefighting as demonstrated by direct wildland firefighting experience. In order to receive credit, you must provide a written description of your experience in wildland firefighting. Education without hands-on wildland firefighting experience does not meet this requirement. Periods of wildland firefighting experience, gained through militia and rural fire departments, can also be credited. Wildland fire is defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Two distinct types of wildland fire have been defined and include wildfire and prescribed fires as follows: Wildfire: Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. Prescribed Fires: Planned ignitions. This description includes only fire line experience on a Prescribed Fire; it does not include experience in the planning stages. Prescribed fire experience must be supplemented by fire suppression experience in order to be creditable as previous wildland firefighting experience.

Physical Demands:

Office work is normally sedentary. However, field work (up to 20% of the time) may require moderate physical activity including periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, climbing, and lifting and carrying heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings over extended periods of time.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Flying in fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters is possible. Office conditions require long periods of sitting, working with computers and general lifting, bending, and reaching. Field conditions involve the employee being exposed to noise, dust, heat, weather, aircraft turbulence and the hazards of on the line wildland fire activity such as heat, smoke, and fire behavior, e exposure to moderate risks and discomforts, such as those due to adverse weather conditions, such as high winds and low or high temperatures; travel in safety approved small air and watercraft and off-road vehicles; irritating chemicals; noxious fumes; flammable liquids; falling trees; hostile wildlife; poisonous insects, plants, or snakes; and/or carcinogenic materials. Work requires special safety precautions and/or protective clothing and equipment.

Work may additionally involve high risk of exposure or damage due to extreme weather conditions; working at great heights in remote locations; hazardous chemicals; wildland fires; or serious confrontations with private citizens. The employee applies a wide range of safety precautions when controlled conditions deteriorate due to unforeseen conditions or previously unknown risks.