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Botanist

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource. For additional information about the BLM, please visit Our website.

This position is located in Escalante, Utah. Information about Escalante, Utah and the surrounding area can be found at Escalante, Utah.

Physical Demands: Work may be in an office or field setting. Field work requires long days in the field and the incumbent must be capable of working in mountain and or semi-arid areas as well as lift more than 50-pounds. The incumbent must be able to withstand exposure to high winds and extreme temperatures over tough terrain on foot. The incumbent may be required to fly as an observer in light aircraft at low altitude in gathering data.

Work Environment: Work that is performed in the office is performed in a typical office setting. Field conditions include the full range of topographic conditions, ranging from rolling desert plains to steep mountains. The incumbent will, on occasion, be required to tolerate high/low temperatures, travel in air craft, dust, and high levels of noise and vibration.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/27/2017 to 07/12/2017
Salary
$49,765 to - $78,270 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Escalante, UT
1 vacancy
Travel Required
Occasional travel - At times, travel for field work, meetings and/or training may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulations and Departmental policy. The use of a relocation service company and home marketing incentive will not be offered. To view FAQs regarding PCS, copy and paste the following link in your web browser: http://on.doi.gov/Wg6iXi and then press enter.
Appointment type
Permanent - This is a permanent position.
Work schedule
Full-time - full-time.
Service
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Announcement number
UT-Merit-2017-0108
Control number
473160600

This job is open to

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Duties

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This position serves as a Botanist for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM). The primary responsibilities of this position are to provide professional expertise in the areas of plant taxonomy, physiology, restoration, vegetation management. At the full performance level duties include but are not limited to:

  • Serves as lead for threatened and endangered (T&E) plants.
  • Reviews of oil and gas documents and grazing permit renewal NEPA documents.
  • Serves as primary contact with Fish and Wildlife Service concerning T&E plants.
  • Conducts vegetation inventories and studies.
  • Evaluates the impact of land use actions on plant species and communities.
  • Coordinates actions with other resource specialists, Federal, State, and local agencies.
  • Provides technical assistance and recommendations to GSENM management, which will be used for resource management decisions.
  • Serves as a member of the Renewable Resource Division, Branch of Biological & Reclamation Management.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Background Investigation Required.
  • Be sure to read the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license; nor can you
  • have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Land.
  • Direct Deposit Required.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. Time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 is 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. Time-in-grade requirements for the GS-09 is 52 weeks at the GS-07 level.

Qualifications

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: This position has a basic education requirement which requires that you have a degree in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany OR a combination of course equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Specialized Experience: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement - please be sure to include this information in your resume. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade of the position to be filled.

In addition to the basic education requirement and time-in-grade requirements, to qualify at the GS-09 level you must meet one of the following: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-07 level that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Botanist. Specialized experience includes; participation in the planning and execution of plant studies; performing established, tests and analyses on a broad range of plant samples; and preparing and/or reviewing reports on ecological investigations to determine project impacts on vegetation including T&E plant species. OR Education:Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-09 level. To qualify based on education you must have two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in the field of botany or directly related field of study. OR Combination of education and experience: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-09 level. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements if it has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. To calculate, first identify the percentage of graduate education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 18 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09 level.

In addition to the basic education requirement and time-in-grade requirements, to qualify at the GS-11 level you must meet one of the following: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 level that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Botanist. Specialized experience includes; evaluating proposed project/actions for impacts to vegetation including T&E species; developing and implementing conservations methods for plant species and habitats; planning and executing botanical investigations under the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act rules and regulations; recommending course of action to solve botanical issues. OR Education:Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-11 level if it has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. To qualify based on education you must have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a directly related field of study. OR Combination of education and experience:Applicants may also combine graduate education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements if it has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. To calculate, first identify the percentage of graduate education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 36 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11 level.

NOTE: If you are basing all or part of your experience on education, you must submit your college transcript(s) showing hours and grades from an accredited college or university. This education must have provided you the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the specialized experience as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must be adequately reflected in your resume.

Additional information

The Bureau of Land Management has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disater.

This position may require a 1 year probationary period.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Selective Service: Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System website.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well-qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form. CTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they earn a minimum score of 90 on the rating criteria for this position.

Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on a Reemployment Priority List, you may be given priority consideration.

How you will be evaluated

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

After the vacancy closes, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet all qualification requirements. Your rating will be based on your responses to the Job Specific Questionnaire and the information stated in your resume. If qualified, your score may range from 70-100 points. In addition, interviews may be conducted for this position. The interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis or may be scored. The job specific questions relate to the following knowledge, skills and abilities required to do the work of this position.

Knowledge and understanding on botany and professional experience & expertise in botany and any related fields with an understanding of other management activities (range, wildlife, restoration, recreation, etc) and how they relate to botany.

Specialized knowledge of plant species located in the Colorado Plateau, including native, invasive, and special status species plant species.

Knowledge and understanding of land use, planning process, environmental assessment and decision making procedures, directives, and authorities, including a knowledge of ESA, and related regulation.

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with internal and external customers from various backgrounds and experiences.

On-line Questionnaire: Please make sure that your responses to the on-line questionnaire are supported in your resume.
To preview questions please click here.

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