GS-0401 Series Jobs in Fire Management

Fuels field technician positions require technically capable personnel who may work independently, once given clear direction. They effectively complete much of our fuels reduction work. Most fuels technician positions top out at GS-09, truncating their career path. Increasing fire complexities and fuel loading problems require more nuanced knowledge and education.  

Today’s complex fuels programs are faced with increasing fuel accumulations, drought, climate change, insect/disease outbreaks, invasive species impacts, increasing urban interface, and vegetation and fire behavior dynamics unlike any we have experienced before. We are in an age when technological and scientific advances are developing faster and are more complex than ever before. Satellites, Unstaffed Aerial Systems, and aircraft collect data remotely, advanced mathematical and statistical models ingest that data and produce predictions.  

The GS-0401 Biological Sciences series is appropriate for many Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialists positions, because this segment of our workforce needs a professional education and background in science, data analysis and statistics, human interactions, and finance to be able to accurately collect data, apply science and analytics to complex problems, and adapt technology to solve problems for which there are not already well-known solutions. These positions all require professional communication skills gained through a higher education, university degree programs in natural resources.  

We need professional fuels managers and specialists now. This is the career path (see link.)
 

Basic Qualification Requirements:  

The OPM 0401 Job Series Qualification Standard has a positive education requirement, which means applicants must either have a bachelor’s degree in an applicable natural resource / science field or equivalent.  USDA Departmental Regulations used by the USDA Forest Service state that no applicant may be placed in a position covered by the GS-0401 Qualification Standard for Fire Program Management without meeting either A or B below.  

A. Degree:  Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to the position.  

-OR-

B.  Combination of Education and Experience:  Courses equivalent to a major course of study in biological sciences, agriculture or natural resources management, chemistry or at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, natural resources, wildland fire management, forestry, or agriculture equivalent to a major field of study, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, or natural resources.  

In the past, the “or” statement in paragraph B above has been interpreted to mean that a person could qualify with only 24 credit hours in those applicable fields of study.  This is not the case as OPM’s intent is for a person to  achieve a bachelor’s degree or equivalent (~120 credits) in order to qualify, while the USDA Forest Service’s intent is that at least 24 of those 120 credits are in related fields of study in order to be considered applicable to the work we do.  Where specific course requirements are not indicated in paragraph A, the number of semester hours required to constitute a major field of study is the amount specified by the college or university attended.  If this number cannot be obtained, 24 semester hours will be considered as equivalent to a major field of study.  A combination of lower division and upper division coursework leading toward the completion of a major for a bachelor’s degree is required to meet these criteria.

The nature and quality of this required course work must have been such that it would serve as a prerequisite for more advanced study (i.e., for advancement to graduate level or professional education) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources chemistry or related discipline appropriate to the position being filled.  Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.  Educational course work may be at either the undergraduate or graduate level. Successful completion of graduate level courses will be accepted as evidence that an applicant also possesses the knowledge taught in courses at lower levels in the same field.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide documentation or proof that they have met the applicable educational provisions described in this supplemental standard.  The degree or credits submitted as evidence of qualification must be submitted on an official transcript from an accredited university or institution.  Training certificates, course completion letters, or other evidence of training from non-accredited institutions are not accepted.  Such courses including those taken as part of Technical Fire Management, Continuing Education in Ecosystem Management, NWCG courses, NAFRI courses, or similar agency-sponsored continuing education opportunities may only be accepted if they appear on an official transcript from an accredited university.  

There is a difference between training and education.  While some schools that offer training may be accredited, there is a difference between what is considered the development of a skill (training) and a system of knowledge (education). This distinction is what usually separates a certificate from a diploma.  For accredited programs, there are credit hours that contribute to the completion of a particular curriculum. Training certificates normally do not have academic credit hours attached to them which is why they will not qualify.  Since most vocational schools and community colleges operate on different academic terms i.e. quarter versus semester, a credit hour does not directly translate as a one to one for hours. The standard is 24 semester hours. 

You can accrue specialized experience that can count towards the GS-0401 while in a technical position. You will need to be able to document that equivalent experience at the next lower grade level (and in a technical series, this is likely GS-08 to qualify for a GS-0401-09 position) for a total of a year’s time. Typically, this would be done as developmental opportunities that amount to 20% or less of your time in that technical position. This means that to document a year’s equivalent time it may take more than a year.   

Program Managers (0301) can detail their experience that they believe they are performing in the GS-0401 series in their resume. Use caution when citing percentages of time. 

A good reference for the general difference between technical and professional experience is the OPM Guidebook for the 0400 Group, (Page 7). 

You will see that the guide acknowledges that “It is not always easy to differentiate between [professional and technical work] because some tasks are common to both.  The developmental work of professional positions and the demanding work of high level technical positions are sometimes similar (page 7).”  

As a job applicant, it will be incumbent upon you to show clearly how you have gained that specialized professional experience totaling a year while not in a professional series.  Tools like this guide, and speaking to the specialized experience as defined in the job announcement will be your anchors in reflecting your qualifying time towards the next level GS-0401 position. 

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled (OPM Website).  The easiest way to gain and present specialized experience towards a GS-0401 position is to have performed professional work in the GS-0401 series through a job, detail or temporary promotion.  Other professional series might also be qualifying, especially if it is in the GS-0400 family, i.e., GS-0460, GS-0455, GS-0408, etc. 

Read specialized experience described in the vacancy announcement and then address it in your appropriate work experience block that shows title, series, grade, time period, and work hours.  Human Resources can only properly credit specialized experience when it is properly described under title, series and grade. 

You can accrue specialized experience that can count towards the GS-0401 while in a technical position.  You will need to be able to document that equivalent experience at the next lower grade level (and in a technical series, this is likely GS-0462-08 to qualify for a GS-0401-09 position) for a total of a year’s time.  Typically this would be done as developmental opportunities that amount to 20% or less of your time in that technical position.  This means that to document a year’s equivalent time it may take more than a year.

Program Managers (GS-0301) can detail their experience that they believe they are performing in the 0401 series in their resume. Use caution when citing percentages of time.  

A good reference for the general difference between technical and professional experience is the OPM guidebook for the 0400 group, page 7.  You will see that the guide acknowledges that “It is not always easy to differentiate between [professional and technical work] because some tasks are common to both. The developmental work of professional positions and the demanding work of high level technical positions are sometimes similar (page 7).”  As a job applicant, it will be incumbent upon you to show clearly how you have gained that specialized professional experience totaling a year while not in a professional series.  Tools like this guide, and speaking to the specialized experience as defined in the job announcement will be your anchors in reflecting your qualifying time towards the next level GS-0401 position. 

Yes, they can, if they are in a professional job series (examples in FAQ 3) and the duties meet the description of specialized experience in the job announcement you are applying for.  Helpful reminder:  A detail is at the same grade, a temporary promotion is a higher grade.  Either can be in a different job series.

Temporary Promotion:  Must meet all qualifications; including a degree (if required for series), and specialized experience and IQCS requirements.

Detail:  Must meet education and IQCS requirements. 

Yes, the Forest Service can pay for an employee’s education through the Government Employee Training Act.  

You will need approval and support from your supervisor.  Some fees, including application costs, cannot be covered.  Tuition and related expenses, as well as time on the clock can be covered under federal law.

There are a variety of paths.  For the agency to pay for your schooling, there are negotiated commitments for completing your academic program and continued service to the government.  This is  documented through a Continuing Service Agreement in an SF-182.  You’ll also benefit from having a written proposal to revisit with your supervisor regularly as you move through the program you have agreed to.  Putting this all into your AgLearn Individual Development Plan will help as well.

The WO-FAM and HRM are developing tools to help employees and supervisors navigate this process. Please check back here for updates.  This doesn’t preclude use of the above direction now. 

Yes, the employee must have their supervisor’s written approval if courses are taken during work hours ( FSH 6109.11, Chapter 20). 

For fire management, the GS-0401 positions are professional counterparts to other biological science positions, such as foresters, wildlife biologists, hydrologists, botanists, archeologists or fisheries biologists, in terms of their training and background in natural resources science.  According to OPM, professional scientific work involves exercising discretion, analytical skill, judgment, and personal accountability and responsibility for creating, developing, integrating, applying, and sharing an organized body of knowledge that characteristically is:

• Uniquely acquired through extensive education or training at a recognized college or university;

• Equivalent to the curriculum requirements for a bachelor's or higher degree with major study in or pertinent to the specialized field; and

• Continuously studied to explore, extend, and use additional discoveries, interpretations, and applications to improve data quality, materials, equipment, applications, and methods. 

NWCG course can count if on an accredited college/university transcript.  Training certificates, course completion letters, or other evidence are not accepted.  

There are many colleges and universities that offer courses and degrees that will meet the GS-0401 series requirements.  The USDA GS-0401 Supplemental Qualifications Standards is a good reference for degrees that qualify.

https://www.wildfirex.com/four-year-colleges-with-fire-programs/