Interdisciplinary Soil Conservationist/Natural Resources Specialist

Summary This position is located on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Mission Area is USDA's focal point for the nation's farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners for crop insurance, and disaster programs. The NRCS agency is responsible for technical and financial assistance to landowners and operators for implementation of natural resources conservation practices Responsibilities Serves as the Soil Conservationist and/or as the Natural Resources Specialist. Assists the field and area staff to implement assigned conservation programs. Assists the field and area staff to market farm bill programs. Provides training, guidance, and technical oversight relative to administration of the producer level financial and technical assistance provisions of the Farm Bill. Serves as the contact for State Office program specialists to ensure that all relevant information is provided to the field staff accurately and promptly. Establishes and maintains working relationships with other Federal, state, local and private agencies, groups, and individuals at the field and area level. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a US Citizen or US 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. If selected, you may be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are unable to reimburse for any fees incurred. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may 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. 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. Direct Deposit: 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. Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position. Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts. This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series listed below. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Basic Education Requirement: For the Natural Resource Specialist (0401) - Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. For the Soil Conservationist (0457) - Degree: soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering. The study must have included 30 semester hours in a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science; OR Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as shown in 1 above, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science.Evaluation of Education: Education that provided specialized knowledge and skills in soil and water conservation is more valuable than education that imparted broad but general knowledge and skills. Courses in soil fertility, soil chemistry, soil genesis, plant physiology, plant science, and field crops are examples of specialized courses that contribute towards meeting the required 12 semester hours as described above. Courses in the physical sciences or engineering such as geology, civil engineering, and hydrology also meet the soils, crops, or plant science course requirements where such courses included a complete introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Evaluation of Experience: Experience that included the application of techniques, principles, and methods from a variety of agricultural and natural resource fields is appropriate, given the interdisciplinary character of the soil conservation occupation. For example, experience gained in a specialized field such as soil science, forestry, or agronomy is as fully acceptable as experience directly obtained in soil conservation work. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education listed below. Specialized Experience Requirement For the GS-09 grade level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: assisting in carrying out policies and procedures in resource conservation planning, contracting, and conservation management systems implementation; and developing soil, water, and resource conservation plans for landowners, conservation groups, and/or units of local government OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience : 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree or masters or equivalent graduate degree in soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience as listed above. For the GS-11 grade level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: providing technical guidance and assistance to groups and individuals on topics such as soil interpretations, erosion control measures, pest and invasive species control, water quality improvements, livestock management, wildlife habitat, and forest management; preparing conservation or resource management plans and providing financial or implementation assistance; and communicating and sharing general information and explaining issues related to natural resource conservation, problems, and solutions to landowners, residents, and land managers. OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-11 level: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience as listed above. 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. You must meet this requirement by the closing date of this announcement. Education College Transcript: If qualifying based on education, you must submit a copy of your college transcript with course number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g., special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college to ensure proper evaluation. Your education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited toward qualifications. You may verify accreditation by visiting the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs website. We will verify your education accordingly. Foreign Education: You must submit verification that education completed in a foreign institution, was recognized by an accreditation body accepted by the U.S. Department of Education. You must include a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. Your transcripts must be in English or include an English translation. You may submit an unofficial copy of your transcript at the initial phase of the application process. However, if selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Please refer to the "How to Apply" section for instructions on submitting transcripts. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Promotion Potential: 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 neither implied nor guaranteed. COLA: In addition to salary, compensation also includes a Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA). COLA is not subject to Federal Income tax & is not calculated as salary for retirement. This allowance is to offset the cost of goods and services, housing, transportation and miscellaneous expenses. For more information, visit OPM's website. Post Allowance: In addition to salary, compensation also includes a Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA). This allowance is to offset the cost of goods and services, housing, transportation and miscellaneous expenses; and is not taxable. For more information, visit U.S. Department of State. {{Only for foreign duty location} Physical Demands: Work is sedentary. Some work requires periods of walking, standing, bending, climbing, or driving a motor vehicle. Employees occasionally carry light items, such as books, small instruments or samples, and other similar materials. Work Environment: Work is usually performed in an office setting. The work area normally involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of offices or meeting and training rooms; or may involve occasional exposure to a field site that involves risks and hazards that require safety precautions. Telework: This position is eligible for telework as determined by the agency policy. Incentives: Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.