Supervisory Forester GS-460-11 Boise National Forest Mountain Home Ranger District

The USDA Forest Service will be filling a Supervisory Forester position on the Boise National Forest in Mountain Home, Idaho. The purpose of this notice is to inform employees prior to advertising the position; to determine the level of interest of qualified individuals. We anticipate requesting a referral list for this position in November-December, 2010. About the Position Series/Grade: GS-460-11 Title: Supervisory Forester Location:

Mountain Home, ID

Tour of Duty: PFT Housing:

Government Housing is not available.

Position Description: This position serves as the Group Leader for the District’s Vegetation Resource Program and is a member of the District Ranger’s primary staff. The position provides leadership and expertise in Vegetation Management and is responsible for program planning and development, budgeting, and unit supervision. This includes all phases of Vegetation Management from project inception through implementation. The position assists in development of project proposals, environmental analysis, and all aspects of timber sale contract preparation, service contracting and other implementation tools. The position serves as a member of the Timber Sale Contract Administration Team as delegated. The position prepares or approves silvicultural prescriptions for all forested vegetation applications. Project activities are integrated in nature having a restoration emphasis.

Forest/District Information: There are 6 administrative units on the Forest: Mountain Home, Idaho City, Lowman, Cascade, and Emmett Ranger Districts and the Lucky Peak Nursery. As one of the five Ranger Districts on the Boise National Forest, the Mountain Home Ranger District is the southern most district at about 650,000 acres in size. Comprising the seventh largest National Forest in the United States, the Boise National Forest’s 2.6 million acres provide diverse opportunities in resource management. The Mountain Home Ranger District is located in close proximity to Boise, Idaho and includes administration of Capitol City Front Range lands. The District has a robust program of work that covers vegetation management, recreation, range, wildlife, fisheries, watershed, fire and fuels, noxious weeds, minerals, and special uses. The District has about 30 permanent employees and typically hires 20 to 30 seasonal employees annually. The District is very diverse and mountainous and transitions from desert at the lower elevations, through ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests, to high alpine (9700 feet). The highest drivable point in Idaho is located on the district at Trinity Lookout. The district and nearby areas provide a diversity of recreational opportunities including 20 plus lakes, 4 major reservoirs, Bogus Basin Ski Area, Boise River, Rocky Bar Historic Mining District, Danskin Motorized trail system, and the Trinity Mountain Recreation Area. The District experienced expansive wildfires during 1992, 1994, and 1996 and continues to monitor reforestation and stand improvement needs. Mountain Home, Idaho: Mountain Home is located between the Danskin and Owyhee Mountains in southwest Idaho with a population of over 15,000 and is the Elmore County Seat. The Mountain Home Air Force Base located 10 miles west of town contributes considerably to the diversity of the community and its economy. Mountain Home has a strong sense of family values and community, as evidenced in our local events, including Air Force Appreciation Day, one of the Idaho's largest parades. Mountain Home is a rapidly growing community that maintains a small town feel. The Snake River as well as the remote and secluded Bruneau Canyon area is located south of Mountain Home. Visitors and residents alike enjoy our abundant local recreational activities including hiking, camping, fishing, backpacking, motorcycle and snowmobile trails and hunting to name a few. The Mountain Home School District is located in Mountain Home, ID and includes 9 schools that serve 4,127 students in grades PK through 12.

Boise, Idaho (Capital City) is 45 miles from Mountain Home and offers the services and amenities of the largest city in the State of Idaho. Many district employees commute from Boise daily. The population of Boise is approximately 214,490, with an additional 280,000 in the surrounding metropolitan area. An international airport, shopping, colleges, and universities, and a variety of cultural and sporting events are readily accessible and available. Boise has 34 grade schools, 9 junior high schools, and 5 high schools. Several large regional, national, and international companies are headquartered in the “Treasure Valley”, including Simplot, Micron Technologies, and Hewlett-Packard. Two large medical regional centers (St. Luke’s and St. Alphonsus) are also located here. Housing prices begin in the $125,000’s. Rental prices begin at $500 (1 bedroom apt) and at $900 (house). Boise the capital and largest city of the State of Idaho, is the hub of commerce, banking and government for the state. Located along the Boise River and nestled against foothills of the Rocky Mountains, our city offers many outdoor activities to local residents, from skiing at Bogus Basin Ski Resort to biking on the Boise River Greenbelt to boating at nearby reservoirs. The Boise area has it all - desert, rivers, mountains and lakes for hiking, camping, kayaking, river rafting, hunting and fishing. Climate: Annual precipitation in Mountain Home averages about 10 inches/year with most occurring from late fall to spring. Total annual snowfall averages about 11 inches with most occurring in December and January. Elmore County averages 80 to 85 percent sunny days during the months of July and August. On the average there are 55 days a year that are 90 degrees (F) or above. Schools: Mountain Home has one public high school. Elementary and middle schools are abundant. Medical Facilities: The Elmore Medical Center is a 28 – bed facility with an emergency room and Life Flight capabilities. Shopping: Shopping is limited in Mountain Home, but all basics are available. There is a Wal-mart, several grocery stores, a couple of building supply stores and numerous small businesses. It is a 40minute drive to an abundance of shopping opportunities in Boise. Major Employers: Local, county, and federal governments and school districts are the major employers. Construction, farming/ranching, service industries, and tourism are the primary private-sector employment sources. Housing: No government housing is available. The median home price (2007) is about $120,770 and the median rent is $622 per month.

Other Information: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/boise/ http://www.mountainhomechamber.com/ http://www.americantowns.com/id/mountainhome For information on Boise go to: http://www.boise.org/

Response: If you are interested in being considered for this challenging opportunity, complete the outreach response form on the following page and send to [email protected] or [email protected] by close of business Monday November 15, 2010. Applications must be received prior to the deadline of November 15 at the Mountain Home Ranger District Office. Applicants should use the following announcement numbers: PERM-OCR-0460-11-SUPFOR-DP PERM-OCR-0460-11-SUPFOR-G

OUTREACH RESPONSE Supervisory Forester, GS-460-11 R4, Boise National Forest, Mountian Home, Idaho NAME: ____________________________________________ INTRA/INTERNET ADDRESS: ____________________________ MAILING ADDRESS:___________________________________ TELEPHONE NUMBER:__________________________________ GOVERNMENT AGENCY EMPLOYED WITH: USFS_ __ BLM____ OTHER____ TYPE OF CURRENT APPOINTMENT: PERMANENT__ __ TEMPORARY_____ OTHER_____

TERM______

CURRENT AGENCY/REGION/FOREST/DISTRICT:_________________ CURRENT SERIES / GRADE:______________________________ CURRENT POSITION TITLE:_________________________________ If not a current permanent (career or career conditional) employee, are you eligible to be hired under any of the following special authorities? ___PERSON WITH DISABILITIES ___VETERANS READJUSTMENT ___DISABLED VETERAN W/ 30% COMPENSABLE DISABILITY ___VETERANS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACT OF 1998 ___FORMER PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER ___STUDENT CAREER EXPERIENCE PROGRAM ___OTHER_________________________________

Please send this completed form to [email protected] or [email protected] or fax to (208) 587-9217 attention Tamie Ridenour or Stephaney Church. Thank you for your interest in our vacancy.

USDA Boise National Forest is an equal opportunity employer