This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/496046200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Do you want to work for a premier conservation agency whose mission is to “help people help the land?” For more than 83 years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has worked in close partnership with farmers, ranchers, forest managers, non-governmental organizations, local and state governments, and other federal agencies to create and maintain healthy and productive working landscapes.
As part of USDA’s new Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Mission Area, we are the focal point for assisting the voluntary conservation efforts of the nation’s farmers, ranchers and other stewards of agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest lands. We help these stewards plan and implement proven conservation systems through technical and financial assistance designed to enhance productivity, improve soil and water health, and restore wetlands and wildlife habitat.
The NRCS employs over 10,000 professionals who work in over 3,000 locations, over 95 percent of whom are outside the Washington, D.C. area and covering every county in the U.S. We value our employees and are committed to employee engagement and work/life balance programs. We are also part of the USDA, which was ranked 7th among all federal agencies as a “best place to work” through the FY2017 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
We need people who are committed to action through public service-- people who want to apply their education and experience to help ensure that all of us enjoy the benefits that come from a healthy environment and productive agriculture. Please consider joining us and helping to make a difference for generations to come.
04/06/2018 to 04/12/2018
$87,252 - $113,428 per year
GS 13
5 vacancies in the following locations:
25% or less - Up to 20%
Yes—Relocation expenses may be authorized as allowable by FTR and USDA policy.
Permanent
Full-Time
13
Yes
NRCS-18-0192-MP-KG
496046200
The incumbent of this position serves as the State Resource Conservationist, formulating, recommending, and implementing policy and procedures applicable to resource conservation planning activities and various program activities, and performs an active role in developing and implementing a comprehensive soil, water, and resource conservation program for the state. Some of the duties of this position would include:
• Providing state leadership for the development, improvement, and maintenance of technical data, standards, guides, and manuals related to resource conservation planning, biology, recreation, plant technology, and resource development. And, then directs resource conservation planning, biology, and plant technology state specialist and coordinates their activities to assist staff in the implementation of a comprehensive conservation program.
• Providing guidance and direction for the use of automated programs such as: Customer Service Toolkit, nutrient management planning, erosion prediction, grazing lands spatial analysis took, energy tools, and soil tillage intensity rating. Also, in the development and use of the Field Office Technical Guide or supplements to the National Planning Procedures Handbook. Extends information to the customer base that includes new advances and innovations.
• Serving as a consultant and adviser to the State Conservationist and staff in developing state policy concerning resource conservation planning, management practice implementation and vegetative phases of conservation programs.
• Providing supervision to staff, which may include Rangeland Management Specialists, Agronomists, Foresters, Biologist and Soil Conservationist. Providing overall leadership of program activities, making work assignments, evaluating performance, interviewing candidates and making selections. Determines training needs for direct reports and provides training to NRCS personnel in the technical fields assigned.
• Serving as Chair of the State Technical Guide Committee. Represents NRCS on state and federal committees that set data standards and warehouse data. Develops and maintains close working relations with resource conservation planning, plant sciences, environment-related agencies and other natural resource related agencies and organizations in the state. Helps keep conservation district officials informed of NRCS programs in resource conservation planning and serves as primary POC with groups such as colleges and universities and other organizations to address their technical issues.
There are five (5) vacancies, one in each of the following locations:
Colchester, VT; Columbia, MO; Madison, WI; Reno, NV; and, Salt Lake City, UT
You may select up to three locations.
All applicants must meet all qualifications such as the education requirement, the specialized experience requirement and the time in grade requirements listed below by the closing date of the announcement.
Basic Education Requirement:
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 above, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science, plus appropriate experience or additional education comparable to a 4 year degree. 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.
In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualification Requirement in order to be considered:
Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-12 level or higher, that has equipped you with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as:
• Providing technical leadership to carry out various types of complex natural resource conservation programs; Providing direction to landowners and operators, individually and in groups to develop a variety of conservation plans;
• Representing the agency on county committees and/or task forces and at conservation district meetings and serves as an adviser to district committees;
• Provides expertise in program management, training and quality control for NRCS Farm Bill Programs, which may include the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Agricultural Land Easement Program Conservation Stewardship Program, as well as Agricultural Management Assistance, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and other programs as they are legislated to the technical office and field offices;
• Conducting area reviews; and, providing training to the field staff for technical practices
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 toward 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.
Experience Note: 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.
Time-in-Grade: Applicants must meet one year at the next lower grade (GS-12 for GS-13) to be considered for this position.
For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0400/
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.
May be subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period (unless prior service is creditable). New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required new supervisory training program before the end of their probationary period.
Locality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables my be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/
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 commuting area of the duty location of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. See more information at: http://www.chcoc.gov/transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?TransmittalID=6465
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): If you are claiming CTAP eligibility, provide proof of eligibility to include your most recent performance appraisal, SF-50, and proof of eligibility such as a RIF separation notice or letter from OPM/your agency. CTAP eligibles will be considered well-qualified if achieving a rating of 85 or above. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
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 education, experience, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies listed below:
Agricultural, Natural, Environmental, and Biological Processes; Assigning, Evaluating and Monitoring Work; Conservation; Conservation Planning – Decision Support, Defining Objectives, Financial Assistance, Management Practice and Vegetative Practices; Conservation Programs; Data Analysis and Management; Management Principles; Oral Communication; Relationship Management; and, Representing the Agency.
We will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements and assess your ability to perform this job. Before any certificate can be issued to the selecting official, the resume and supporting documents are reviewed by an HR Specialist to ensure that minimum qualification requirements are met.
The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume must include: 1) personal information; 2) education; 3) work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; and title, series and grade if applicable; 4) supervisors phone number, e-mail address for each work period listed, and whether we may contact for reference checks; and 5) other qualifications.
College Transcripts if education is required for meeting basic qualifications and/or used as a substitute for specialized experience. An unofficial copy is sufficient; however, if selected, an official transcript will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. Foreign education must be evaluated by an approved organization. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education website at http://www.ed.gov. All transcripts must be in English or include English translation.
You must submit the documents below if you claim any of the following:
Current Federal Employees:
Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND
Most recently completed performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan.
CTAP: Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; AND most recent performance evaluation; AND SF-50 documenting separation or the position separating from. Workers Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50. Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50. Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from the military or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin.
The following instructions outline our application process.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required.
You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application” to continue.
NOTE: Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system. Once in the Agency's staffing system you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX)
If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, you will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected. If you choose not to set up automatic email notifications, you must check your USAJOBS account for the latest status of your application. Your application may be reviewed to verify that you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements for the position prior to issuing lists to a selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Normally, a final job offer to the selected candidate is made within 30-60 days after the issuance of the certificate.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/496046200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps America’s farmers and ranchers conserve the Nation’s soil, water, air and other natural resources. We need people who want to apply their education and experience to make sure we all enjoy the benefits of productive soil, clean water, clean air, and abundant wildlife that come from a healthy environment. “Helping People Help the Land” http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/