Range Technicians

Range Technician

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GS-0455

Position Overview

There are over 700 million acres of rangelands in the U.S., including desert shrub ecosystems of Wyoming, high mountain meadows of Utah and the desert floor of California. The Department of the Interior manages public rangelands for many uses including livestock grazing, recreational opportunities, healthy watersheds, and wildlife habitat. DOI is also responsible for on-the-ground fire management and aviation activities, often partnering with other agencies to conduct efficient wildland firefighting and prevention operations. Range Aids and Technicians support of these activities and more.

This position is represented at the following bureaus

Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Land Management
National Park Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Candidate Description

The ideal candidate has a passion for the outdoors and an interest in the scientific management, protection, and development of grasslands and other range resources. Teamwork is extremely important. Many activities, including front line fire-fighting, require being adaptable to all varieties of weather, dust and smoke, uncomfortable living conditions, and unpredictable situations, so endurance and superior physical conditioning are absolutely necessary.

Work Environment

You could spend a great deal of time in outdoor environments where temperatures can vary from above 100 degrees F to below freezing.

Minimum Education Requirements

Please see the Individual Occupation Requirements and the Technical and Medical Support Positions Group Qualification Standard on the OPM websites.

Career Level Requirements

Responsibilities by Level

  • Entry:

    • Making vegetation counts
    • Loading helicopters
    • Staffing fire vehicles, hand crews, or aircraft

  • Mid:

    • Loading fire retardant chemicals
    • Maintaining facilities and equipment at airtanker bases
    • Compiling data; monitoring and supporting prescribed burn or fire prevention activities
    • Mapping invasive species
    • Identifying potential rangeland rehabilitation projects
    • Training staff

  • Journey:

    • Supervising fire management staff
    • Developing action items and recommendations on fire management issues
    • Assessing and coordinating onsite activities and reacting to changing conditions
    • Training staff

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Strengths by Level

Entry 3-5
Mid 6-7
Journey 8-10
  • Accountability
    Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Decision Making
    Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Oral Communication
    Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Physical Strength and Agility
    Ability to bend, lift, climb, stand, and walk for long periods of time; ability to perform moderately heavy laboring work.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Problem Solving
    Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Resilience
    Deals effectively with pressure; remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Stamina
    Exerts oneself physically over long periods of time without tiring (which may include performing repetitive tasks such as data entry or coding).
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Teamwork
    Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Technical Competence
    Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10
  • Writing
    Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
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    Entry 3-5
    Mid 6-7
    Journey 8-10

Common Pathways

Candidates who made this career change most commonly held these occupations...

67.5%

Forestry Technician

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6.5%

Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistant

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3.9%

Biological Science Technician

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2151 - Dispatching 2.6%
0401 - Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences 2.6%
4749 - Maintenance Mechanic 2.6%
5001 - Misc Plant And Animal Work 2.6%
Less Common Pathways (<2%)

Where We Are

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