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Land Surveyor

Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The incumbent serves as a Land Surveyor in the Surveys and Maps Section of the Division of Realty, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3. The duty location is the Fergus Falls Wetland Acquisition Office in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/05/2018 to 06/18/2018
Salary
$41,365 to - $53,773 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fergus Falls, MN
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Announcement number
R3-18-10228993-LO-DE
Control number
501420500

Duties

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Duties of the position at the full performance level include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Serves as a party chief to plan and perform cadastral surveys to establish and maintain boundaries of Service-owned lands and proposed acquisitions and performs topographic and engineering surveys required for planning and development.
  • Researches public and private records to gather information concerning former surveys, patent records, status records, recorded deeds and easements, highway right-of-ways, court judgments, and any other applicable records, statutes, and regulations.
  • Records detailed, neat, and accurate field notes as a permanent record of each survey.
  • Recovers, evaluates, and analyzes existing survey monuments and reference objects and correlates and reconciles all gathered information to determine and calculate the proper methods to establish or reestablish boundary lines and corner positions as specified by applicable laws, regulations, and court decisions.
  • Contracts for surveys from private firms or individuals.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
  • Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform required
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • A valid driver's license is required

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

A. Completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in land surveying; or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis. Civil engineering major courses include at least 6 semester hours of surveying, 3 semester hours of land law, and 21 additional semester hours in any combination of the following: surveying, photogrammetry, geodetic surveying, geodesy, route surveying, remote sensing, cartography, survey astronomy, land information systems, computer-aided mapping, aerial photo interpretation, and survey analysis and adjustments. OR
B. Combination of education from an accredited college or university and experience - - Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. OR
C. Current registration as a Professional Land Surveyor, in a State, territory or, the District of Columbia obtained by written examination. Registration must have obtained under conditions outlined in the National Council of Engineering Examiners (NCEE) Unified Model Law for Registration of Surveyors. Applicants wishing to be considered under this provision must show evidence of registration based on successful completion of the written examinations. Registrations granted prior to adoption of a registration law with qualification requirements equivalent to the NCEE Model Law by the State, territory, or District of Columbia are not acceptable under this option. To be considered equivalent to the NCEE Model law, registration laws must include the four options listed within the NCEE Unified Model Law in the section specifying "General Requirements for Registration" as a Professional Land Surveyor.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS:

A. At least one year of professional Land Surveying experience that is comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-5 level work in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position and has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities needed in order to successfully perform the duties of a Land Surveyor. Examples of professional specialized experience may have included: Assisting in researching and compiling control data, existing map data and field notes, and other pertinent data to present to various parties; assisting in coordinating and conducting field reconnaissance surveys to recover and establish basic horizontal and vertical control nets of large or small scope; assisting in the development of technical scopes of work and independent cost estimates; assisting in the collection of all available evidence concerning properties to be surveyed and performs duties in connection with boundary delineation; or assist in providing technical interface between field surveying, mapping, and current or planned new technologies. OR
B. I have a bachelor's degree in land surveying or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis as described above AND I have documented Superior Academic Achievement. I graduated in the upper third of my graduating class; OR earned a grade point average of 2.95 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on 4 years of education, or as computer based on courses completed during the final 2 years of my curriculum; OR earned a grade point average of 3.45 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of my curriculum; OR have been elected to or be a member of a National Scholastic Honor Society. I will submit copies of my college transcripts. OR
C. At least one full academic year of graduate education in a related field. One year is defined as 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours. OR
D. A combination of education and experience as described in (a) and (b) above, which when combined, equals 100% of the qualification requirements described above.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date will be considered.

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.

Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-11. At lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been or may be involuntarily separated (e.g. reduction in force, declining to relocate/transfer outside their local commuting area) from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal or Removal Notice; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; or Removal and most recent performance appraisal.). For more information visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

FWS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 90 days of 06/18/2018; OR More than one position may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the basic qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Knowledge of land surveying concepts, principles, and techniques
  • Practical knowledge of laws and regulations affecting surveys and boundaries in order to carry out survey activities within governmental legal requirements
  • Ability to keep detailed, neat, and accurate notes
  • Basic knowledge of the procedures required for the recovery of public land survey corners
All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the basic qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must attach an SF-15," Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" in addition to the proof required by that form.

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