Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch)

United-States-Forest-Service; Grand Junction (CO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Forest Service is seeking a fire dispatcher to support suppression activities as part of a fire management crew in Colorado. The role emphasizes processing requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies and coordinating dispatch operations during incidents.

The position requires meeting specialized experience or education requirements, including a bachelor's degree or equivalent education with forestry-related coursework, and emphasizes compliance with drug testing and

Qualifications

• Experience in filing and retrieving dispatch documents.
• Experience preparing maps, plans, guides, analyses, and dispatch reports.
• Experience handling requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies for wildland fire incidents.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a fire dispatcher to support suppression activities.
• Process requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies.
• Prepare dispatch reports, maps, and plans for incident management.

Skills

Dispatch coordination

Map preparation

Education

Bachelor's degree in forestry or related field

24 semester hours in forestry/agriculture/natural resources

Tools

Maps and reports tools

Job description

This position is located within a National Forest. The position is located on a fire crew as a crewmember within the fire management organization. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a fire dispatcher in support of fire suppression activities.

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

GW-05: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 grade level; OR a bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school (120 semester/180 quarter hours) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject‑matter field directly related to the position, or that included at least 24 semester 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, outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable); OR combinations of successfully completed post‑high‑school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience include: Filed and retrieved documents in a dispatching office; assisted in preparing various maps, plans, guides, analyses, and special reports for dispatch use and /or; received and processed requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies in conjunction with wildland fire and emergency incidents.

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.

In accordance with USDA Department Regulation 4430-792-2, this position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the USDA Drug Free Workplace Program and subject to pre‑employment drug testing. All applicants selected for this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Incumbents of this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis on an ongoing random basis, after appointment as directed.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.