Field Unit Local Hiring Authority (FUL) - Public Safety Dispatcher

Security Clearance

Other

Duties

As a Public Safety Dispatcher, you will perform the following duties: The incumbent performs emergency and non-emergency dispatch and call-taking services for public safety-related incidents and operations in an emergency communications center serving a large National Park. Monitors and tracks equipment and personnel such as law enforcement, structural fire, wildland fire, aviation, vessels, and search and rescue using a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) program. Operates a multi-frequency radio console and prioritizes radio traffic and related communications. Utilizes NCIC and other law enforcement databases and records management systems. Other duties include: records management, general public assistance, assistance to other park offices and partners, and projects as assigned in support of the Visitor and Resource Protection Division. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. AREA INFORMATION:The Great Smoky Mountains are among the oldest mountains in the world, formed perhaps 200-300 million years ago and encompassing more than 800 square miles in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Dominated by plant covered, gently contoured mountains, the crest of the Great Smoky Mountains forms the boundary between Tennessee and North Carolina, bisecting the Park from northeast to southwest in an unbroken chain that rises more than 5,000 feet for more than 36 miles. No other area of equal size in a temperate climate can match the Smokies amazing diversity of plants, animals, and invertebrates. GRSM is designated as an International Biosphere Reserve and is listed as a World Heritage Site. At 522,427 acres, GRSM is one of the largest parks in the eastern United States. The Park contains 384 miles of roads; 930 miles of backcountry trails; 104 designated backcountry campsites; over 300 miles of boundary; 66 species of mammals; 200 species of birds; 39 species of reptiles, 43 species of amphibians; 68 species of fish; 730 miles of fishable streams; 342 structures, 97 of them historic; 10 auto campgrounds; and 3 major developed areas with concession operations. The park is in the states of Tennessee and North Carolina and is surrounded by five counties and National Forest land. Duty station is near Gatlinburg, TN located within an hour drive of Knoxville. The area provides a wide range of residential communities, good schools, and recreational opportunities.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. 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. You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. Government housing may be available on a temporary basis and can be discussed during the interview process. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 4 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. You will be required to obtain and maintain a current Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certification within 1 year of appointment entry on duty. You must be able to obtain and maintain a current National Criminal Information Network (NCIC) certificate within 1 year of appointment entry on duty. You must have the ability to lift 50 lbs. *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Qualifications

Requirements Continued... Applicants must be at least (1) 18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program. 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. This 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-04/25/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience. To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes at least two of the following: A) Serving as a certified operator of the National Criminal Information Network (NCIC) system; B) Serving as a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher: C) Using a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system; AND having served as a Public Safety Dispatcher performing any of the following: Receiving and prioritizing both emergency and non-emergency calls for law enforcement, fire, and EMS incidents. Coordinating the appropriate response to emergency and non-emergency incidents and updating responders appropriately; Querying and relaying driver and vehicle information, person cautions, wants, and warrants for law enforcement contacts and investigations. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid NCIC certificate. You must include hours per week worked. To qualify for this position at the GS-08 grade level, you must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Serving as a senior dispatcher in a complex dispatch environment of multiple units, jurisdictions, and/or agencies, provides training and/or assistance to problems encountered by lower-level or newer dispatchers, and informs them on the proper policies and procedures as required. Provides technical guidance, orientation, and training to new employees or lower-level dispatchers. Troubleshoots radio and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system issues and notifies the appropriate personnel or Dispatch Supervisor of the issues. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid NCIC certificate. You must include hours per week worked. Volunteer Experience: 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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement. CTAP/ICTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

Other Information

This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is: 50 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Sugarlands Headquarters located at 107 Park Headquarters Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 33738. Residency will be verified during the hiring process. 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. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. Physical Demands: Incumbent must function efficiently in a confined space for extended periods with no breaks and no opportunity to leave the confines of the Communications Center. The dispatcher is considered an "essential employee," meaning he/she is required to work most holidays, report for duty during adverse weather conditions, and be expected to work for long hours exceeding normally scheduled shifts in case of emergencies. Position is sedentary with high amounts of stress. Incumbent is subject to shift work, rotating shift work, and uncommon tours of duty. Work requires use of the voice in vocal communications for periods of hours at a time. Voice must be clear, audible, and tone effective with words plainly spoken and understandable. Incumbent must be able to hear clearly and discern a variety of audible communications and signals simultaneously. Incumbent must be able to read critical information from multiple sources, including computer screen, fax, and written log quickly and accurately. The work is of an emergency nature and is emotionally stressful. Incumbent must possess manual dexterity sufficient to operate computer terminals/keyboards and related equipment and to maintain written logs. Work involves occasional lifting of boxes and supplies up to weights of 50 pounds. Working Conditions: The work is normally performed in a well-lighted and temperature controlled room. Noise levels are routinely high due to electronic equipment, telephones, radios, and other discussions ongoing in the performance of duties. The setting is typically confined and secure, and entrance and egress is controlled. During the training period and/or on other occasions, the incumbent will be assigned to accompany field law enforcement personnel in patrol vehicles to learn or gain a more detailed familiarization with agency field operating procedures and jurisdictional boundaries. Incumbent may not leave the center unless relieved by another qualified dispatcher.

Manages and preserves US national parks and historic sites.