Aviation Manager (Program Manager) -Direct Hire Authority

Summary

These positions will serve within the Alaska Geographic Area of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Four positions being announced are the UAS Program Manager, Fixed Wing Operations Program Manager, Helicopter Program Manager, and an Aviation Safety Program Manager. The aviation program supports fire suppression through aviation management expertise and coordination on safety, operations, investigations, training, and compliance. Contact Victoria Leshuk @ victoria_leshuk@nps.gov for any questions.

Duties

Duties will be developmental if selected below the full performance level. As a Aviation Manager (Program Manager) -Direct Hire Authority your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Provides senior-level aviation management guidance and coordinates aviation safety, operations, investigations, training, and compliance across U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) units and assigned Department of Interioragencies. Ensures aviation programs operate safely, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable Department of Interior, Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and U.S. Forest Service policies and regulations. Develops and oversees aviation safety training programs and evaluates performance to identify deficiencies, recommend corrective actions, and improve safety practices. Supports accident prevention, safety reviews, investigations, and high-risk aviation operations by identifying hazards and recommending risk mitigation measures. Develops, reviews, and updates aviation policies, procedures, safety bulletins, manuals, and training materials. Evaluates new aviation technologies and coordinates their procurement, implementation, training, and use. Conducts aviation needs assessments, develops cost estimates, supports budget planning, and monitors aviation funding and resource allocation. Reviews Project Aviation Safety Plans and assesses aviation mission risks to ensure appropriate mitigation measures and compliance with established standards. Specialized Functional Duties for position. UAS Program Manager Applies knowledge of UAS operations, aircraft systems, regulatory requirements, and risk management to support the safe integration and use of UAS in wildland fire and all-hazard missions .Ensures operations comply with applicable policies, FAA requirements, and interagency standards Helicopter Program Manager Applies knowledge of helicopter operations, aircraft capabilities, and mission requirements to support rotor-wing activities such as helitack, aerial ignition, short-haul, hoist, cargo transport, and other special-use missions. Evaluates operational effectiveness and provides technical guidance on safe and compliant operations Aviation Safety and Training Program Manager Supports aviation safety programs through safety reviews, hazard identification, risk assessments, and development of mitigation strategies. Develop, manage, and evaluate aviation training, qualification, and standardization programs for pilots, aircrews, managers, and aviation personnel. Fixed Wing Program Manager Evaluates aircraft utilization, supports mission planning, and ensures operations are conducted in accordance with established aviation policies, standards, and safety requirements. Applies knowledge of fixed-wing aircraft operations and mission applications to support aerial supervision, reconnaissance, transport, and other aviation missions

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Direct Deposit Required. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) fire uniform standards. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 14 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Qualifications and evaluation

These positions can fill different functional roles which include: UAS Program Manager Helicopter Program Manager Aviation Safety and Training Program Manager Fixed Wing Program Manager These functional roles will be discussed and filled upon selection by the hiring manager. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the minimum qualification requirements of this position. Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine if you are minimally qualified for the position. If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted. Due to this vacancy being filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to positions filled under this announcement. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the announcement. All minimally qualified candidates will be referred for consideration. Please note that the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. Interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis.

Education

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: There is no qualifying education for the 2101 series at the GW-13 grade level.

How to apply

Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13056761. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 11/16/2026, 11:59pm ET to receive consideration. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please refer to the contact information listed at the bottom of the announcement.

Required documents

You must submit a complete application package. The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/16/2026. Resumes must show relevant experience and other information. Your resume MUST list your education and/or work experience including (1) the dates that include month/year (mm/yy) of each employment, along with (2) the number of hours worked per week, and (3) work experience duties listed under each job entry. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly show how long you were working in each grade level. Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. No assumptions will be made about your experience and/or education. You are welcome to submit a cover letter. Resumes must also include name and how to best contact you, including email address and phone number. Do not include the following types of information in your resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume and/or OPM Resume Writing Tips. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following supplemental documentation as applicable: CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location. Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated minimally qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. Failure to submit required documentation may result in loss of consideration.

Additional information

This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GW-13. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied. This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. Additional Vacancies: 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. Reasonable Accommodation: The USWFS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process. Alaska currently does not have a state income tax. Salary and COLA subject to annual review and adjustment. A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on an RPL, you may be given priority consideration. Probation/Trial Period: The 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 -OR- trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.