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Visitor Services Information Assistant

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located within a National Forest. The primary purpose of this position is to perform the dissemination of information and interpretative assistance to the public through various means.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Posted 07/21/21
Location
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$16.90 - $16.90 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Temporary
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Announcement number
22-TEMP1-R9-0034-5DT-BV
Control number
608252300

Duties

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  • Assists in developing specific objectives for interpretive programs and displays, providing input to the annual plan of work.
  • Inventories and prepares reports on the annual volumes of use. Makes regular visits to the various public schools and social groups.
  • Makes presentations on subjects such as fire safety, environmental awareness, recreation activities, and litter prevention.
  • Maintains inventory of existing publications for public use. Prepares or assists in the preparation of informational exhibits which include photos, maps, etc. Maintains the Forest video, film, and slide library and audio-visual equipment.
  • Ensures that the information desk at a reception area or visitor center is covered at all times. Responds to a variety of inquiries regarding Forest Service activities, programs, exhibits, facilities, policies, and functions.
  • Provides guidance to the public on rules and regulations regarding on-unit activities. Assists visitors and callers with informational searches, and with use of the reference library.
  • Keeps abreast of unit issues and acts as lead to other information desk co-workers as needed. Serves as Collection Officer to sell forest timber permits and other items.
  • Is held responsible for submitting and accounting for collected monies using approved computer programs and records.
  • Performs regular daily activities for the reception area or visitor center, including but not limited to, daily opening and closing of the facility, raising and lowering the flag, and maintaining the front desk.
  • Provides visitors with effective instructions on security and safety procedures and informs the supervisor of visitor needs. Operates a variety of audio/visual equipment.
  • Maintains a lost and found for visitors and staff. Coordinates Interpretive Association book sales, including ordering, stocking, sales, quarterly inventory and reporting.
  • Coordinates with staff specialists and public affairs office to provide the latest, most accurate and appropriate information to the public.
  • Researches and maintains an inventory of timely publications, brochures, posters, and informational handouts for the public. Creates and posts informational handouts and flyers concerning safety, events and other items of importance.
  • Works with the public affairs unit to ensure that current and accurate information is available on the external Forest Service website. Updates information such as road and recreation closures.
  • Responds to and directs web and email inquiries to the appropriate personnel. Acts as liaison to other information centers such as other Forest Service offices or the local Chamber of Commerce.
  • Arranges informational interpretive displays in the reception area or visitor center. Provides interpretive answers to a wide variety of visitor interests, such as the identification of local flora and fauna or the location of camping areas.
  • Visits and is very familiar with trails, campgrounds, roads, and other areas on the unit, in order to provide accurate, descriptive information.
  • Plans and presents interpretive talks and programs for visitors, local schools, and other groups. Uses a variety of tools, such as drawings, activity specific tools, and audio/visual equipment, as interpretive aids for presentations.
  • Coordinates Smokey Bear appearances and Forest Service presence at local events such as parades and fairs. Handles clerical duties, such as mail and package delivery, personnel updates to phone lists and sign-out board.
  • Assists with scheduling the conference room, fleet use reporting, travel assistance, assistance with purchasing during busy times, and other projects and duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

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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
  • Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
  • Must be 18 years of age
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-Verify

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. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

GS-05: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 grade level; OR a bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school; OR combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

Examples of specialized experience include: Greeting visitors, responding to visitor inquiries, and accounting for collected monies using computer programs and records. Planning and presenting interpretive talks and programs for visitors, local schools, and other groups. Performing clerical duties, including mail and package delivery, assisting with scheduling for conference rooms, and operating audio/visual equipment

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.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is being used to fill positions for FY2022 Temporary Employment Hiring season. The expected start date for this position will be between October 10, 2021 and December 19, 2021.

This position is temporary, has a Not-to-Exceed date and will be filled for up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year, however an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or lack of funds.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other groups within the Region who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in any of the geographic location(s) listed on the announcement. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates.

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligible must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay.

This position is not eligible for telework.

Bargaining Unit Status: Eligible - Coverage is dependent upon unit location.
Availability of government housing and federal day care facilities will vary by location.

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 in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. Eligible applicants will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Applicants with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

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.

Forest Service

A career with the Forest Service will challenge you to manage and care for more than 193 million acres of our nation's most magnificent lands, conduct research through a network of forest and range experiment stations and the Forest Products Laboratory, and provide assistance to State and private forestry agencies.

It's an awesome responsibility - but the rewards are as limitless as the views.

Agency contact information

HRM Contact Center
Phone
1-877-372-7248 X2
Email
SM.FS.FSJobs@usda.gov
Address
USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US

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