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Botanist-Ecologist

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.

This position is located in Reno, Nevada. Information about Reno and the surrounding area can be found at Reno/Sparks Chamber of Commerce.

We expect to fill one (1) vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
09/07/2021 to 09/15/2021
This job will close when we have received 30 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$77,488 to - $100,739 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Reno, NV
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—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NV-DEU-21-11225300-KK
Control number
613257100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous Federal Service is required. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

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  • Coordinates various actions dealing with the management of native plants on the Bureau of Land Management Great Basin, focusing on actions involving the restoration/conservation of native plant communities and enhancement of pollinator habitat.
  • Places emphasis on at-risk and degraded watersheds to achieve broad improvements in ecosystem health in the Great Basin.
  • Ensure coordination and consistency of restoration/conservation activities and programs, including native plant materials collection, development, and native-plant management within and among the Great Basin states, using proper protocol.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for a Great Basin Native Plant Initiative addressing native plant materials development, native plant conservation, research, restoration and mitigation strategies, and strategies for sustainable funding.
  • Coordinate the development of ecoregional direction, assessments and strategies for the Great Basin, which includes an overall analysis of biological, physical, and socio-economic elements of the Great Basin, and identifying management concerns.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is 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 Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • May require a one year probationary period.
  • If selected for this position you will need to complete the Federal Information Systems Security Awareness (FISSA) training prior to start date (if applicable).

Qualifications

Travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulation, Chapter 302, and Departmental policy. Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. See "Additional Information" section for additional information on 2017 Tax Cuts as related to PCS.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

Education Requirement: This is an interdisciplinary position with a positive education requirement. You must meet the education requirements for at least one of the professional series below:

Basic Requirement:

For Botanist:
A. I have a degree in botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany.
B. I have a combination of education and specialized experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For Ecologist:
A. I have a degree in biology or a related field of science that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours include 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.

Specialized Experience:

For the GS-12 level: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the federal service. Specialized experience is further defined experience applying ecological or botanical principles and techniques with little to no oversight, resolving internal and external conflicts, and proposing solutions to issues.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement..

Physical Demands: The work combines field duties with office duties. Office duties are largely sedentary. Frequent travel throughout the Great Basin geographic region to various State and Field Offices, and the Headquarters Office will be required. Field duties will consist of site visits, some of which will require physical activity in irregular terrains and varied climatic conditions.

Work Environment: The work environment will consist primarily of an office environment, with some office duties conducted in a meeting setting. Periods of varying length of sedentary duty in front of a computer are expected. Some discomfort attributable to cold and beat could occur during field duties or during travel. Field duties may require biking and/or vehicle travel into remote locations in all seasons. lncumbent will adhere to all safety rules and regulations as prescribed in manuals/supplements or by the designated Safety Officer.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. See qualification section for description of the Basic Education Requirement (BER).

You MUST submit a copy of ALL your college transcripts or a list of ALL college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. Upon selection, official transcripts must be received prior to appointment. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

All selections and tentative offers of selection are contingent upon submission and verification of 'official' transcripts.

Additional information

Tax Law Impact for PCS: Moving expenses reimbursement is a taxable benefit. However, the Federal Travel Regulation 18-05 issued by General Services Administration has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance and Relocation Income Tax Allowance to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals.

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated 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, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under number NV Merit-21-11210844-KK, for status candidates and special hiring authority eligible. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

BLM may use certain incentives, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract high quality applicants.

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 how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. Qualified applicants will be placed in one of three predefined categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Candidates placed in the Best Qualified category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Botany
  • Creative Thinking
  • Partnering
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Competence

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

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