Supervisory Aviation Management Specialist (Branch Chief, Pilot Operations)

Summary

You will serve as a Supervisory Aviation Management Specialist (Branch Chief, Pilot Operations) within the Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Wildland Fire Service, in the Headquarters Aviation, Flight Operations Division.

Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Duties

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Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide technical and administrative supervision to subordinates. Plan and assign work based on program priorities, complexity of assignments, and employee development needs. Give advice, counsel, or instruction to individual employees, providing coaching, technical direction and mentoring where needed.
• Manage and resolve conflicts, confrontations, and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner to minimize negative personal impact. Manage human resources matters such as recruitment, promotions, and disciplinary actions, ensuring compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies.
• Manage the national pilot operations program. Oversee policy development and operational guidance related to crewed flight missions. Encourage and facilitate cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; foster commitment and team spirit; and work with others to achieve goals.
• Serve as the principal point of contact for interagency collaboration on pilot operations. Represent the Department of the Interior (DOI) in national aviation forums and contribute to national aviation doctrine. Develop networks and builds alliances; and collaborate across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• Pre-employment and random drug testing is required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home several nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.
• This is a supervisory position that may require completion of a supervisory probationary period.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 11/23/2026 -unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Selective Factors:

This is an administrative position in an organization having a firefighting mission and is clearly in an established career path. Prior firefighting experience, as gained by substantial service in a primary firefighter position or equivalent experience outside the Federal government is a MANDATORY PREREQUISITE.

Candidates must possess Primary/Rigorous wildland firefighting experience, gained through fire line work in containment, control, suppression or use of wildland fire. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume, including the months, days, and hours per week at which the work was performed to be considered.

Applicants must have documented prior primary firefighting experience, with substantial service defined as either:

• At least one full fire season working in a primary wildland firefighting role (e.g., Engine Crew, Fire Effects Crew, Prescribed Fire/Fuels Crew, Hand Crew, Helitack Crew, Hotshot Crew, Smokejumper, Wildland Fire Modules or Fire Suppression Crews, etc.) with a federal, state, tribal, local, or private-sector organization; - OR -

• At least 14 days of on-the-ground fireline experience (cumulative or consecutive).

Prior primary wildland fire experience must be clearly documented in your resume. Note: an IQCS Master Record or equivalent document will not be used to determine or calculate prior primary wildland fire experience eligibility for this requirement."

-AND-

Specialized Experience:

To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GW-13 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Qualifying specialized experience is demonstrated experience in at least one or more of the following areas:

1) Experience in aerial supervision over wildland fire incidents within the fire traffic area. Directing and/or sequencing aircraft to drop aerial suppressants on a wildfire. Providing guidance to fire personnel on the ground regarding tactics and aviation needs.

2) Experience as a qualified airplane pilot and/or instructor pilot conducting missions on wildland fire. This would include (but is not limited to) missions to deliver smokejumpers or lead plane operations.

3) Aviation Management experience as displayed by the following; ordering aviation resources, evaluating aviation risk, reviewing and approving aviation safety plans, advising fire managers on utilization of aviation resources.

You must include hours per week worked.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This position does not allow substituting education for experience.

Additional information

One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area.

**PLEASE NOTE - these positions are covered under the new GW pay table specific to Wildland Firefighters. The salary listed in the announcement is for the the RUS pay table: OPM.gov

PCS Information: Entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable.

Incentives May be Authorized: If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.

All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.

Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping stretching, reaching or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items, such as cargo. When performing pilot duties, the incumbent is subject to the physical demands of flight, including long periods of cockpit settings, travel to remote areas, and irregular schedules.

Work Environment: This position normally works in an office or airfield environment. When performing pilot duties the work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions. Protective equipment required includes the use of fire protective clothing, gloves, and boots. The incumbent is expected to comply with DOI safety protocols and medical standards for flight operations.

One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

This is a secondary-administrative firefighter position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system.

To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary coverage position.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.