Forestry Technician (Lookout) (Fire).

Duties

• Uses standard fire finders to locate observed smoke. Estimates distance to smokes and probable size and characteristics of fires. Determines map location of fires with reference to known landmarks.
• Reports azimuth, distance, location, volume, color, behavior of smoke, and other pertinent information by radio or telephone.
• Continues to observe the area and reports significant changes such as increased smoke, wind conditions, changes in color or volume of smoke, etc.
• Observes ground lightning strikes, thunderstorms, and build-up cloud formations and reports significant observations.
• Records and reports daily weather observations. Maintains records and log books.
• Makes minor adjustments and maintains lookout equipment. Maintains lookout station and grounds in a neat and orderly condition.
• Operates a radio communications center which connects other lookout stations and radio sets.
• Receives and relays messages and information received relating to weather forecasts, fire hazard conditions, fire emergencies, accidents, and location of work crews and personnel.
• Serves as key contact at a lookout station visited by large numbers of people during the fire season.
• Promotes the fire prevention program by explaining State and Federal laws, policies, and regulations, as well as fire prevention methods and procedures and fire hazard conditions.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
• Must be 18 years of age.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

GS-04: Applicants must have six months of general experience (any type of work that demonstrated the ability to perform the work of the position) AND six months of specialized experience that is directly related to the work of the position; OR successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 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 (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science; OR an appropriate combination of experience and education above high school as described above.

Examples of General Experience includes: Performed farm/ranch labor, such as feeding and tending livestock or general maintenance of farm/ranch facilities; Cleaned tools and equipment; Worked in a greenhouse or nursery moving, watering, and tending plants and performing other general labor; Worked on a landscape or construction crew; Other work experience, paid or unpaid, that demonstrates an ability to learn and perform the work of this position.

Examples of specialized experience include: Forestry aid or technician work. Or forest or range fire lookout, dispatch, prevention or suppression work.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is being used to fill positions for FY2025 Temporary Employment Hiring season. The expected start date for this position will be between June 29, 2025 to October 5, 2025.

By selecting the "Location Negotiable" option during the application process, implies your willingness to be considered for any official duty location listed on this announcement and/or those duty locations not listed for this Regional announcement. Pay rates vary depending on location. The salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S.

This position is temporary, has a Not-to-Exceed date and will be filled for up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year, however an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or lack of funds.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other groups within the Region who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in any of the geographic location(s) listed on the announcement.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location.

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay.

This position is not eligible for telework.

Availability of government housing and federal day care facilities will vary by location.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

• 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.

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.