The Tongass National Forest Is Outreaching to Fill a Forest Fisheries

OUTREACH & VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Forestry Technician (Recreation/OHV Trail Ranger) GS-462-05 Mystic or Northern Hills Ranger Districts, Black Hills National Forest, Region 2

Tour of Duty: Temporary/Seasonal Duty Station: Rapid City or Spearfish, South Dakota

The Black Hills National Forest is currently seeking candidates for up to four (4) Forestry Technicians (Recreation/OHV Trail Ranger), GS-0462-05. This notification is being circulated to inform prospective candidates of this upcoming career development opportunity. This opportunity is open to candidates meeting qualification requirements (below). This notice informs prospective applicants of the opportunity, and will help determine interest in the positions.

Position Overview These positions will be located on either the Mystic Ranger District (Rapid City, SD) or Northern Hills Ranger District (Spearfish, SD) with the primary responsibility of making public contacts with motorized trail users. The contacts will provide education on ethical trail use, information on trail conditions, and teach responsible recreation to avoid and minimize resource damage. Other duties include monitoring trail conditions and completing some basic trail maintenance (signage, clear blocked trails or culverts, etc.). The Black Hills National Forest has over 600 miles of motorized trails available for public use. Incumbents should expect to work weekends and holidays to coincide with peak trail usage. Incumbents will hold and maintain a state driver license, hold or earn a certification to operate off-highway vehicles and chainsaws, and may be asked to also hold or earn Forest Protection Officer certification.

Qualification Requirements Refer to the Basic Requirements for the 0462 Series per the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification- standards/0400/forestry-technician-series-0462/

Black Hills National Forest The Black Hills National Forest has about 250 employees whom manage 1.2 million acres of forested hills and mountains. The Forest’s three mountain ranges are the Elk Mountains, the Bear Lodge Mountains, and the Black Hills. About 85 percent of the Forest is in South Dakota with the remainder in Wyoming. The Forest is about 110 miles long and 70 miles wide. Ponderosa pine is the dominant tree species with lesser numbers of Black Hills spruce, aspen, birch, and oak. Recreation and timber products are the dominant uses of the Black Hills, although wildlife viewing and hunting, mining, and grazing are also important. The Black Hills are a historic, special place for physical and spiritual renewal. The name “Black Hills” comes from the Lakota Sioux words Paha Sapa – “hills that are black”. Unique features in the area include Devils Tower National Monument, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Mountain, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, the Mammoth Site, Bear Butte and Custer State Parks. The nearest airports are in Rapid City and Spearfish. Commercial airline service is available at Rapid City, SD and Gillette, WY Regional Airports. The Forest is about 400 miles northeast of Denver, Colorado and 600 miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/blackhills/home

Bearlodge and Northern Hills Ranger Districts (North Zone) and the Spearfish Community (Northern Hills Ranger District). Bearlodge and Northern Hills Ranger Districts covers the North Zone of the Forest. The districts have about 70 permanent, full-time employees and about 65 seasonal workers. The districts have approximately 410,000 acres. Recreation and vegetation management (timber harvest/fuel reduction) activities are the largest resource programs on the districts. The districts have active programs in lands, minerals, wildlife habitat improvement, cultural resources, hydrology, botany, and livestock grazing. Game species include white-tailed and mule deer, elk, mountain lion, Merriam’s turkey, and ruffed grouse. The area has a rich history, from early

Forestry Technician (Recreation/OHV Trail Ranger) / Forest Protection Officer GS-462-05: Page 2 Black Hills National Forest Native American use to gold mining centered on Deadwood, South Dakota. Early pioneers crossing the prairie homesteaded in this part of the Black Hills in hopes of grand mining prospects or employment by the timber industry that continues to be a part of the local economy today.

Spearfish, at 3.680 feet, is 45 miles northwest of Rapid City and is 10 miles east of the South Dakota/Wyoming state line. Interstate 90 passes through the town. The population of Lawrence County is over 25,000, with about 14,500 of those living in Spearfish. Spearfish is a thriving, progressive, and scenic community. It is adjacent to the northern slopes of the Black Hills. Spearfish hosts a four-year public university (Black Hills State University). It includes numerous churches, motels, grocery stores, banks, and a public library. There is one hospital, several clinics, a nursing home, and a couple of assisted living complexes. The town has one daily newspaper, a theater, and radio stations. Telephone, cable television, and internet provider services are available. Spearfish has a police department, fire department, ambulance service, city offices, and retail businesses. Government housing is not available, but numerous housing options are available. To learn more about the community visit the following web sites: http://www.nbhrealtor.com/default.aspx. http://www.spearfish.com/ http://www.visitspearfish.com/

Hell Canyon and Mystic Ranger Districts (South Zone) and the Rapid City Community (Mystic Ranger District) Hell Canyon and Mystic Ranger Districts form the South Zone of the Forest. They have 100 permanent, full- time employees and about 100 seasonal workers. The Districts have about 750,000 acres in the Southern half of the Black Hills. The districts have large recreation and timber programs. These districts also have active programs in lands, minerals, wildlife habitat improvement, cultural resources, and livestock grazing. Game species include white-tailed and mule deer, elk, Merriam’s turkey, and ruffed grouse. The area has a rich history, from early Native American use to gold mining centered around Deadwood, South Dakota. Early pioneers crossing the prairie homesteaded in this part of the Black Hills in hopes of grand mining prospects or employment by the timber industry that continues to be a part of the local economy today.

Rapid City, at 3,200 feet, lies along the eastern edge of the Black Hills. It is the major population and retail center for the region. Rapid City’s population is over 70,000 and is a rapidly growing and vibrant community. It has a Regional Hospital, the Regional Eye Clinic, Neurology Center and Cancer Center, 27 parks with many connected by a 20 mile city bike path, Ellsworth Air Force Base, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, a satellite campus of Black Hills State University, National American University, scores of local and national chain restaurants, 90 churches, two public high schools/four middle schools/17 elementary schools, and several shopping malls. Rapid City, bisected by Interstate I-90, serves as the hub for dozens of tourist destinations in the Black Hills and is a popular stopping point for visitors passing through on their way to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming and Montana. Housing is available for purchase or rent in Rapid City and the surrounding communities. The median price for a home in Rapid City is about $158,000. Apartment rentals start at $600/month. Applicants should check the web sites of the local realtors for more information. There many web sites with information on Rapid City and the Black Hills. A few are: http://rapidcity.areaguides.net ; www.rcgov.orgwww.rcas.org ; http://rapidcitypubliclibrary.com http://www.visitrapidcity.com/

Contact Information Please fill out and return the attached outreach form if you have interest in the position. We will send you an email upon publication of the position announcement. If you would like more information, contact Shirlene Haas, Mystic Ranger District Lands and Recreation Specialist, at [email protected] 605-343-1567.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status (not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotapes, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9401 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Forestry Technician (Recreation/OHV Trail Ranger) / Forest Protection Officer GS-462-05: Page 3 Black Hills National Forest

Outreach Response Form

Forestry Technician (Recreation/OHV Trail Ranger) / Forest Protection Officer, GS-0462-05 Submit outreach response to: [email protected] by May 21, 2017. Mystic Ranger District, Black Hills National Forest

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Thank you for your interest in our vacancy.