Summary These are Temporary Wildland Firefighter Hotshot positions located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Western Region, Fort Apache Agency, Branch of Wildland Fire Management, Duty Station in Whiteriver, Arizona and will be filled from Standard PD Number: DX00200. This announcement will be used to fill vacancies utilizing the Direct-Hire Authority (5CFR 337.201). Category rating, veteran's preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do NOT apply for this vacancy. Responsibilities Serves as a trained wildland firefighter on a hotshot crew executing fuels management, fire suppression, monitoring, and post-fire activities. Work may also include all hazard and emergency response activities. May be assigned to carry out specialized assignments such as tree falling, backfire and burnout operations; utilizes a variety of specialized tools, equipment and techniques while actively managing wildfires. May be required to operate light vehicles and 4X4s. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: GS-4: Six (6) months of general work experience and six (6) months of specialized work experience equivalent to at least the GS-3 grade level in the Federal Service; OR two (2) years of education above the high school level with related course work; OR a combination of education and work experience - for example, three months of general experience and three months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 30 semester hours of the required college coursework (50% of the education requirement) when combined meets the total requirements for the position. See below for qualifying experience and education: GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Work experience or military service that demonstrated the ability to follow directions and to read, understand, and retain a variety of instructions, regulations, and procedures and that otherwise demonstrates the ability to perform or learn to perform the duties of the position. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples of specialized work experience may include the following: Wildland Fire Suppression such as digging hand line, building or patrolling fireline, suppressing spot fires, mopping up fires, hose lays, connecting buckets to drop water or retardant during firefighting operations, etc. Wildland Fuels Management such as prescribed burning, clearing up burned areas within fireline, felling snags or trees and/or cutting brush around fireline, collecting fuel loads, etc. Monitoring Wildland Fire such as weather, topography, smoke, fire effects, fire behavior, fire location, collect and record fire related data, etc. Wildland Fire Preparedness such as maintains fire tools and equipment - Pulaski's, shovels, McLeods, chainsaws, fire hose, pumps, drip torches, power equipment, vehicles, radios, etc. EDUCATION: Successfully completed a 2-year course of study in an accredited college or university (60 semester hour or 90 quarter hours) in Wildland Fire Training, Wildland Fire Science, Wildland Fire Technology or other directly related fields of study, such as forestry, range management or conservation, or natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography). SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: This is a MANDATORY qualification prerequisites to qualify for this position. The applicant must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) qualifications under the Standards for Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations to be considered eligible for this hotshot position identified as a IHC Firefighter: Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) or higher NOTE: Selective factors are knowledges, skills, abilities, or special qualifications that are in addition to the minimum requirements in a qualification standard but are determined to be essential to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. Applicants who do not meet the selective factors are ineligible for further consideration. You MUST provide a current copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other agency equivalent documentation which verifies you meet this required qualification for this position when submitting your application. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the closing date. The duties of this position are so rigorous that employment is limited to physically vigorous individuals who must meet established maximum age and physical qualification requirements. Physical Demands: Arduous exertion for protracted periods of time such as, but not limited to, extensive running, walking, climbing, kneeling, stooping, pulling hoses, jumping and twisting, prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar activities requiring at least average agility and dexterity. Work Environment: Forest, range, and desert environments in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, covered with thick tangled vegetation, smoky conditions, etc. Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and may fall below freezing. Risks include smoke inhalation, fire entrapment, snake or insect bites and stings, exposure to excessive machinery noise, and falling and rolling material. Employee must adjust and cope with exposure to weather elements, dust and smoke, poor bivouac and eating situations under an unpredictable set of circumstances. Firefighters may be required to live in backcountry camps for extended periods of time. The hazardous nature of the work requires that personal protective equipment be worn (e.g., boots, hard hat, gloves, flame resistant clothing) Education If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. 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. 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. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows 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: FOREIGN EDUCATION Additional Information Indian Preference Policy: Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC Section 472). Verification form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. No other documents will be accepted as proof of Indian Preference. All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2024 Salary Tables here and select the duty station from Whiteriver, Arizona to choose the appropriate pay chart. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart. NOTE: This vacancy is utilizing the Nationwide Special Salary Table Number 001M along with applicable chart for designated geographic location. A supplemental pay increase of $20,000 or 50% of base pay per year, is currently authorized under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will apply as long as funding is available. THIS IS a Temporary NTE 1039 Hour Appointment Position. This position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a current service year. Hours may be extended up to 1730 hours dependent on the agency's authority per Office of Personnel Management approved exception. TRAVEL AND RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE AUTHORIZED. ANY RELOCATION EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH REPORTING FOR DUTY WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELECTED EMPLOYEE. TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework under any circumstances. This position has been designated as an Incidental Operator under the Indian Affairs Motor Vehicle Safety Program and requires the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle in order to properly carry out his/her assigned duties but whose principal duties are not operating a motor vehicle and his/her position is not classified as a motor vehicle operator. The incumbent will be required initially and annually to acknowledge and certify possession of a valid state driver's license. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp