Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch)

Office of the Secretary of the Interior • Fairbanks, AK

1d

About The Position

This is a direct-hire Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch) position with the US Wildland Fire Service, at the GW-0462-04/05 grade levels. The position supports wildland fire operations by receiving fire reports, determining location and land status, and dispatching personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies. Duties described are at the GW-05 full-performance level. This is a career-ladder opportunity with a full-performance level of GW-05; promotion from a lower grade is discretionary and not guaranteed.

The work is primarily performed in an office. During peak activity, radio traffic, ringing phones, and conversations can create high noise levels. The position requires sustained concentration, accuracy, composure in emergencies, and the ability to cope with time pressures and changing priorities. Depending on the duty location, the position may be career-seasonal, with a tour of duty of at least six months and no more than eleven and a half months each year, followed by non-pay status for the remainder of the year.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Must meet suitability requirements for federal employment as determined by a background investigation.
• Must submit to and receive a negative drug test before appointment; the position is subject to random drug testing.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
• Must meet the selective placement factor: documented prior primary/rigorous wildland firefighting experience gained through fire-line work in containment, control, suppression, or use of wildland fire. Qualifying experience is at least one full fire season in a primary wildland firefighting role or at least 14 days of on-the-ground fire-line experience, cumulative or consecutive.
• For the GW-04 level, must have six months of general experience and six months of specialized experience equivalent to GW-03, or qualifying education, or a combination of education and experience. Specialized experience includes dispatch work or equivalent familiarity with dispatch operations and procedures, such as wildland fire suppression duties or work with fire/dispatch computer programs.
• For the GW-05 level, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GW-04 performing dispatch or dispatch-office functions related to wildland fire suppression, including determining priorities and selecting alternative resources while independently performing dispatch duties; or qualifying education; or a combination of education and experience.
• Education substitutions include qualifying coursework in specified natural-resource and related fields. GW-04 education qualification requires two years of study including at least 12 semester hours in qualifying subjects; GW-05 requires a bachelor's degree in a related major or at least 24 semester hours in qualifying subjects. Transcripts must be provided when qualifying through education or a combination of education and experience.
• Must clearly document qualifying experience in the resume, including dates and hours worked per week. Experience and education obtained by November 10, 2026, will be considered.
• For secondary firefighter retirement coverage, applicants must provide a written description of direct wildland firefighting experience; education alone does not qualify.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period and receive written certification for continued employment at its completion.
• Must maintain a valid state driver's license if required to operate a government or private motor vehicle for official duties.

Responsibilities

• Receive fire reports and determine the location, land status, and current fire information.
• Dispatch personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies.
• Maintain resource status and tracking systems.
• Enter information into fire-related computer applications.
• Monitor fire radio communications and maintain telephone and radio conversation logs.
• Gather data for briefings and provide information to supervisors and fire management personnel.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits are available to employees and their families; the specific benefits depend on position type.
• Eligible applicants changing duty station may be authorized payment of basic moving expenses, depending on location and applicable rules.
• Eligible and qualified applicants may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive; such incentives are case-by-case and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level