Forester - Department Of Agriculture : Job Details

Forester

Department Of Agriculture

Job Location : Mount Clare,WV, USA

Posted on : 2024-10-17T07:33:33Z

Job Description :

Summary

This position provides technical leadership and program direction for forestry related resource assessment, development of conservation planning alternatives and participate in area wide conservation and watershed planning activities, and has responsibility for the development, planning contacting, and application of the woodland resource management systems based on NRCS conservation planning principles in an assigned geographical area.

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Overview

* Accepting applications

* Open & closing dates

10/10/2024 to 10/16/2024

* Salary

$59,966 - $94,317 per year

* Pay scale & grade

GS 9 - 11

* Help

Locations

1 vacancy in the following locations:

* Elkins, WV

* Morgantown, WV

* Mount Clare, WV

* Philippi, WV

* Show more locations (2)

* Weston, WV

* Whitehall, WV

* Remote job

* Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

* Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

* Relocation expenses reimbursed

Yes-Relocation expenses may be authorized as allowable by Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) and USDA policy.

* Appointment type

Permanent

* Work schedule

Full-time

* Service

Competitive

* Promotion potential

* Job family (Series)

* 0460 Forestry

* Supervisory status

* Security clearance

Not Required

* Drug test

* Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

* Trust determination process

* Credentialing

* Suitability/Fitness

* Financial disclosure

* Bargaining unit status

* Announcement number

NRCS-25-12530062-MP-WV-AT

* Control number

813447700

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This job is open to

* Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

* Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a surplus or displaced employee.

* Veterans

* Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

* Land & base management

Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent employees with competitive status; VEOA, LMWFA and ICTAP, CTAP/RPL eligible candidates and permanent Farm Service County Office employees.

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Duties

* Provides technical assistance to staff for conducting resource assessments and the development of conservation planning alternatives on woodlands, utilizing guidance in applicable NRCS handbooks and the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG).

* Monitors programs and policies of Federal and state agencies on forestland use and management, including applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations to inform supervisor of potential conflicts or opportunities for collaboration.

* Conducts resource inventories, obtains planning information, identifies conservation opportunities, and assists in developing conservation plans and contracts consistent with land use needs and NRCS policy.

* Utilizes NRCS computer tools such as ArcGIS, and Progress Reporting System to document plans and their implementation.

* Contacts natural resource agencies (State Department of Natural Resources, forestry contractors, consultants, conservation districts, etc.) to formulate conservation plans related to woodland planning and installation of forestry related practices.

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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 will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.

* Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.

* 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 at

* 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

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.

Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled (e.g. one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level).

Basic Education Requirement:

Degree: Forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas:

* Management of Renewable Resources -- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management.

* Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology.

* Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing; OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered:

Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include:

* assisting with the development, planning, contracting, and application of woodland resource management systems; OR

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-09 grade level: 2 year(s) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy.

Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include:

* planning and implementing forest land management actions on private lands;

* utilizing forest resources and environmental compliance to develop, review, implement, and resolve problems on conservation programs; OR

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-11 grade level: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: 400 Series

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 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

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). 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 for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.

Additional information

This position is being concurrently announced under Delegated Examining Unit Announcement Number NRCS-25-12531053-DE-WV-AT. This announcement is open to all qualified candidates. This announcement is open to all qualified candidates. Applying to both announcements may expand the possibilities of consideration since different referral criteria apply to each type of announcement. See the above announcement for more information.

* 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.

* Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.

* Physical Demands: A considerable amount of physical activity is required while making on-the-ground examinations or inspections of on-going operations, including walking and climbing over rough terrain.

* Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurrent exposure to the operation of agricultural or forestry equipment. Work is sometimes done under adverse conditions; such as, snow and icy field conditions, and unimproved roads, and includes exposure to poisonous plants and irritating insects. Protective equipment is necessary on construction and actively managed forest sites

* PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following:

* If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted.

* If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.

* 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.

* This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.

* Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.

* Locality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables may be found at

* Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below:

* Partnering

* Teaches Others

* Technical Competence

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need only meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

* Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

* Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information.

Note: If after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the Apply button to the right.

To view the application form, visit:

* Benefits

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* Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

* Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications.

* If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name & the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. 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 NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

* Current Federal employees:

* Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series & grade.

* Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.

* Current permanent FSA County employees must submit your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series & grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.

* Veteran Hiring Authorities: VEOA: DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, that shows dates of service & discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment.

* If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.

* Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act: Copies of Notification of Personnel Action(s) (SF-50) showing the employee served in eligible appointment(s) for a period(s) of more than 24 mos w/o a break between appointments of two+ years. Include initial hire actions, extensions, conversions and separation SF-50s for each period. Submit performance rating(s) showing acceptable performance for each period counted towards eligibility signed by supervisor(s). If documentation does not exist for one or more periods, submit a statement from supervisor(s) indicating acceptable performance. Applicants who do not have performance documentation for any period shall provide a reason why the documentation is not available and statement that performance for all periods was at an acceptable level.

* Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

* If claiming eligibility under a special hiring authority or an interchange agreement with another merit system not listed above, see the requirements for that authority and submit the required supporting documentation. Go to: USAJOBS Hiring Path for Special Authorities or Special Hiring Authority for more information.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

* How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.

Agency contact information

Ava Tinch

Phone 919-###-#### Email [email protected]

Address Natural Resources Conservation Service

1400 Independence Ave SW

Washington, DC 20250

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

* Fair and Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

* Criminal history inquiries

* Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

* Financial suitability

* New employee probationary period

* Privacy Act

* Reasonable accommodation policy

* Selective Service

* Signature and false statements

* Social security number request

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Required Documents

* Current Federal employees:

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards q

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