Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch)

Forest Service•La Grande, OR

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This temporary position is located within a National Forest fire management organization, serving as a crewmember and fire dispatcher in support of fire suppression activities. The dispatcher receives, fills, and tracks resource requests for fire and other emergency incidents, following established procedures and predefined plans to dispatch personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies. The position may request additional resources from higher organizational levels as needed. The role maintains resource status and tracking systems, operates telecommunications systems, records communication logs, and collects, processes, collates, and submits incident information. This can include fire reports, smoke permits, spot weather forecasts, and prescribed-fire burn requests. The dispatcher reviews completed records of orders and actions for compliance with procedures, processes and interprets weather and fuel-moisture information, and enters information into fire-related computer applications while making initial assessments of their outputs. The position provides logistical information and recommendations to a supervisor about efficient resource use. It coordinates and may assist with fire and aviation operational training, simulations, orientation, initial-attack dispatch training, and aviation dispatch training. It also gathers information for dispatch mobilization and internal operating guides and shares information with cooperators and other interested entities. The position is temporary for up to six months or, as a not-to-exceed appointment, up to one year; an extension may be possible, and the appointment may end early because of lack of work or funds. The expected start date is between April 18, 2027, and June 13, 2027. The position is not eligible for telework. Duty locations are those listed in the announcement, and pay varies by location. Remote or volatile/unpredictable work locations and occasional overnight travel for fire-related assignments may be involved.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service or exempt.
Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
Must pass a background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
Must pass pre-employment drug testing and may be subject to random drug testing; appointment requires a negative result.
Prior wildland firefighting experience is required.
For the GW-05 level, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4; or qualifying bachelor's degree or four years of post-high-school education in a related field; or an eligible combination of education and specialized experience.
Specialized experience may include filing and retrieving dispatch-office documents, helping prepare dispatch maps, plans, guides, analyses, or reports, or processing requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies for wildland fire and emergency incidents.
Application and resume must document the required experience; transcripts are required when qualifying based on education.
Must be willing to live and work in remote, volatile or unpredictable locations.
Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire-related assignments.
Must meet all qualification and documentation requirements by the announcement closing date.

Responsibilities

Receive, fill, and track resource requests for fire and other emergency incidents.
Dispatch personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies according to established procedures, predefined plans, or field resource orders.
Request additional resources from higher organizational levels when needed.
Maintain resource status and tracking systems and operate telecommunications systems.
Collect, process, collate, and submit incident information, including fire reports, smoke permits, spot weather forecasts, and prescribed-fire burn requests.
Organize and review records of orders and actions to ensure compliance with operating procedures.
Process and interpret weather information, weather-station observations, lightning detection, and fuel-moisture levels to support burning-index, preparedness-level, and staffing determinations.
Enter data into fire-related computer applications and make initial assessments of application outputs.
Provide logistical support information to a supervisor and recommend efficient use of available resources.
Record and maintain communication logs.
Coordinate and, as needed, assist with fire and aviation operational training, simulations, orientation, and dispatch training.
Gather information for dispatch mobilization and internal dispatch operating guides.
Share information with cooperators and other interested entities.