Forestry Technician (Fire Dispatch)

Forest Service•Shoshone, ID

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located within a National Forest fire management organization and serves as a fire dispatcher supporting fire suppression and other emergency incidents. The dispatcher receives, fills, and tracks resource requests; follows established procedures to dispatch personnel, equipment, aircraft, and supplies; and requests additional resources from higher organizational levels as needed. The position maintains resource status and tracking systems, operates telecommunications systems, and records communications and dispatch actions. The technician collects, processes, and submits incident information, including fire reports, smoke permits, spot weather forecasts, and prescribed-fire requests. The position reviews records for compliance with operating procedures and processes weather information used to assess burning indices, preparedness, and staffing levels. It also enters information into fire-related computer applications, assesses outputs, and provides logistical information and recommendations to a supervisor. Additional duties include coordinating or assisting with fire and aviation operational training and simulations, supporting initial-attack and aviation-dispatch training, maintaining dispatch mobilization and operating guides, and sharing information with cooperators and other interested entities. The position is temporary for the FY2027 hiring season, with an appointment of up to six months or, in some cases, a not-to-exceed one year. It is not eligible for telework and may involve remote locations and occasional overnight travel for fire-related assignments.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Must meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements if male and born after December 31, 1959.
Must successfully pass E-Verify and a background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
Must pass pre-employment drug testing and may be subject to random drug testing; appointment depends on a negative pre-employment result.
Prior wildland firefighting experience is required.
For the GW-05 qualification, one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4, or qualifying education, or a combination of education and experience is required.
Qualifying education may include a bachelor's degree or four years of education above high school in a relevant field, or at least 24 semester hours in specified natural-resource-related subjects, subject to the stated limits and accreditation requirements.
Specialized experience may include filing and retrieving dispatch-office documents, assisting with dispatch maps, plans, guides, analyses, or reports, or processing requests for equipment, personnel, and supplies for wildland fire and emergency incidents.
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.
Some positions may require a valid state driver's license, a commercial driver's license, or a physical or medical examination.
Must submit required application documents and meet qualification 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 and 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 requests.
Organize and review records of orders and actions to ensure compliance with operating procedures.
Process and interpret weather information to support assessments of burning indices, preparedness levels, and staffing for suppression and aviation resources.
Enter data into fire-related computer applications and make initial assessments of application outputs.
Provide logistical support information and recommendations to a supervisor concerning efficient use of available resources.
Record and maintain communication logs.
Coordinate and assist with fire and aviation operational training, simulations, and orientation, including initial-attack and aviation-dispatch training.
Gather information for dispatch mobilization and internal operating guides.
Share information with cooperators and other interested entities.