Firefighters putting on their gear

Wildfire Operations Technician

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This position is available in the following series:

GS-0462 - Forestry Technician

Position Overview

Want an exciting career that is as much rewarding as it is challenging? The WildFire Operations Technician has the ability to protect thousands of acres of this gorgeous country and every person, animal and thing and thing that resides inside it. By recognizing hazardous situations and providing oversight during initial and extended attack fires or directing fireline activities and tactics, you will be keeping this country safe and continuously beautiful.  

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 prior firefighting experience, with in depth knowledge of the policies, techniques, and practices of wildland firefighting. Extensive practical knowledge of fire behavior to ensure safe wildland fire suppression operations, in addition knowledge of safety policies, guidelines, and procedures specific to wildland fire suppression and prescribed fire activities. 

Work Environment

Work is performed in both an office and field setting. The work performed in an office setting is primarily sedentary. The work performed outdoors is in forest and desert environments or in steep terrain where surfaces may be extremely uneven, rocky, or covered by vegetation. Temperatures commonly exceed 100 degrees F and 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. 

Minimum Education Requirements

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

Primary Core Education Requirement depending on complexity: ENGB, CRWB, HMGB, HEBM, TFLD, ASGS, DIVS from National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Secondary Core Education Requirement depending on complexity: ICT4, ICT3, RXB2 from National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Career Level Requirements

Responsibilities by Level

  • Journey:

    • Coordinates with dispatch office regarding current fire behavior and fire conditions, release of resources, and other logistical considerations.  
    • Provides oversight and management for fire facilities within the zone/area. 
    • Coordinates within the unit to ensure timeliness, form, procedure, accuracy, quality and quantity standards are met.  
    • Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion or work, and approves leave 

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Strengths by Level

Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • Resilience
    Deals effectively with pressure; remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks.
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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9
  • 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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    Journey 8-9