Forestry Technician (Lookout)

Forest Service•Spearfish, SD

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This temporary position is located within a National Forest and provides fire detection services to district fire suppression personnel. The technician monitors for smoke and fires from a lookout station, reports observations and changing conditions to dispatch and fire personnel, maintains weather and fire records, and operates radio communications. The role also includes maintaining lookout equipment, the station and grounds, supporting fire prevention, patrolling the district, issuing campfire permits, and processing related documents and database information. The position is part of the FY2027 temporary hiring season. The expected start date is between April 18, 2027, and June 13, 2027. It may last up to six months or up to a not-to-exceed period of one year; an extension may be possible, and the appointment may end early due to lack of work or funds. The position is not eligible for telework. Duty location is one of the locations listed in the announcement, with pay varying by location.

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 pass the required background investigation and/or fingerprint check and successfully pass E-Verify employment verification.
Must use direct deposit for federal payments.
For GS-05, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-04; or qualifying education; or a combination of qualifying education and specialized experience.
Qualifying specialized experience may include maintaining records, log books, lookout equipment, stations, or grounds; relaying fire and administrative information and keeping dispatch or fire officials informed; or explaining fire prevention laws, policies, and regulations to visitors.
Education used to qualify must be from an accredited college or university. Transcripts must be provided, and course descriptions may be required.

Responsibilities

Use fire finders, a compass, binoculars, protractors, and geographic maps to locate smoke and estimate its distance, probable size, and characteristics.
Plot fire locations using specialized equipment and report fire and smoke information by radio, including azimuth, distance, location, volume, color, and behavior.
Continue observing fires and report significant changes in smoke or wind conditions to dispatch.
Use weather instruments to interpret fire weather data and advise fire suppression personnel about changing conditions.
Warn personnel responding to fires by radio about changes that may affect them.
Observe ground lightning strikes, report resulting fires, and record storm paths to help identify holdover fires.
Record and report daily weather observations; maintain photo records and log books identifying smoke plume sources and duration.
Make minor adjustments to and maintain lookout equipment, and keep the station and grounds neat and orderly.
Operate a radio communications center connecting lookout stations, agencies, and interagency dispatch centers; receive and relay weather, fire, accident, and personnel-location information.
Communicate known lightning strikes and fires to aircraft during reconnaissance activities.
Serve as a key contact for visitors to the lookout station during fire season and promote fire prevention by explaining laws, policies, regulations, prevention methods, procedures, and fire hazards.
Patrol the district one day per week, maintain and replace prevention signs as needed, and issue campfire permits.
Explain state and federal laws to visitors during patrol; review documents and reports for completeness and enter relevant information into an automated tracking system.
Conduct database searches and review and process documents and reports in accordance with established procedures.