National Avalanche Center Forecast Platform Manager.

Duties

• The duties listed below are at the full performance level.
• Directs, conducts, and oversees avalanche training, education, and certification of permittees, the public and Forest Service personnel.
• Provides training, leadership and guidance to other avalanche professionals and avalanche centers in the region.
• Maintains close liaison with other Forest Service Avalanche Centers, and other government agencies, such as the National Weather Service.
• Responsible for evaluating National Weather Service products and observations to create a daily mountain weather forecast, which is included in the avalanche advisories.
• Oversees and prepares overall program budgets for the continuance and maintenance of the Avalanche Center.
• Prepares short- and long-range plans and tracks expenditures.
• Works closely with various funding partners in planning current and future budgets, grant writing, and representing the Center in various educational and fundraising events conducted by funding partners.
• Pursues and develops long term partnerships with private businesses and public agencies to acquire funding and increase the cooperation with the various groups.
• Fosters ongoing relationships with partners in the community to maintain support for the Center.
• Directs and conducts field work and oversees the development of avalanche program, to include advisories and avalanche warnings.
• Performs supervisory duties 20% or less of the time.
  

Requirements
Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  

Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series listed below.
Basic Requirement
GS-1301 - Physical Science:Degree:
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.
OR
Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
GS-0401- Biological Science
Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.
OR Combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field needed to perform the work of the occupation.
GS-0101- Social Science
Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position
OR Combination of education and experience -- that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
OR Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below and selective placement factors.
Specialized Experience Requirement
For the GS-09: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as three or more of the following:

• Collected and analyzed data describing snow, weather, and avalanche conditions in order to publish operational or public forecasts of avalanche hazards (e.g. video, social media, and web applications);
• Worked with partnering agencies, organizations, and non-profits to develop or support avalanche safety programs, messaging, education, outreach, volunteering, funding, etc.
• Instructed snow science and avalanche education and awareness to professionals, partners, and/or general public;
• Conducted avalanche mitigation using slope cuts or explosives to reduce avalanche hazards within an operational area (ski area or highway corridor), or worked in a public avalanche forecasting capacity; and/or
• Operated snowmobiles and used backcountry skis or snowboards to conduct daily safety and risk assessments of mountainous backcountry and avalanche terrain in harsh winter environments.
  

OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related;
OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
For the GS-11 level: Applicants must have one-year specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09). Specialized experience is defined as three or more of the following:

• Observed, collected and analyzed scientific snow properties in order to forecast avalanche conditions and mountain weather;
• Developed long term partnerships with private businesses and public agencies to acquire funding and support for the program;
• Prepared operational budgets and participating in grants and agreements management;
• Served as a local point of contact for all media communications regarding avalanches;
• Conducted and coordinated avalanche education and awareness to partners and/or the general public;
• Advanced back-country mountaineering skills, and the ability to operate snowmobiles and ski safely in mountainous avalanche terrain; AND/OR
• Operated snowmobiles and used backcountry skis or snowboards to conduct daily safety and risk assessments of mountainous backcountry and avalanche terrain in harsh winter environments.
  

OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D.
OR equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to the position being filled).
OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.)
Selective Factors (Screen out Elements): Demonstrate avalanche field experience that has equipped you with the knowledge to thoroughly comprehend, analyze, and apply factors affecting snow stability and avalanche potential to reduce public risk and increase employee safety. AND Expert level experience to safely and efficiently navigate mountainous, backcountry, avalanche terrain in a harsh winter environment using backcountry skis and snowmobiles.
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.
TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.
Additional information
This position has a work schedule that typically starts very early in the morning. The forecasts are typically available by 6:00 A.M. which may require working at 4:00 A.M. in the morning.
Position(s) will be located at a Forest Service office. Final determination of the duty station will be made by the selecting official at the time of the job offer. To see where these Forest Service Offices are located click here. Click each region to see the different locations. Pay rates vary depending on location, the salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S. See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates.
If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed.
The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional Information is available on the
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
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.
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.
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.
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