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Water Rights Specialist

Department of the Interior
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Northwest Region, Regional Office
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Northwest Region, Deputy Director-Trust Services, Division of Natural Resources, Water Resources in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.

This is a Bargaining Unit position, for more information see What are bargaining units?

NOTE: TRAVEL AND RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE AUTHORIZED. ANY RELOCATION EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH REPORTING FOR DUTY WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELECTED EMPLOYEE.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/13/2023 to 06/27/2023
Salary
$88,860 to - $115,518 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Portland, OR
Vancouver, WA
Remote job
No
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
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
STIMP-23-12008597-CAWY-MK
Control number
731609000

Duties

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  • Serve as an authoritative expert in water rights, perform and direct tasks to protect Indian water rights and related trust resources.
  • Responsible for the investigation, analysis and preparation of water rights cases, including litigation reports and position papers for government entities.
  • Participate in negotiations involving highly complex legal and natural resource issues.
  • Review of Indian and non-Indian irrigation, municipal, industrial, flood control, recreational, and other water-related programs to ascertain that Indian water rights are protected.
  • Assist Senior Water Rights Specialist in developing information and preparation of work plans, management of documents and reports.
  • Conduct reviews of natural resource programs administered under Public Law 93-638 to assess tribal compliance with regulatory guidelines, contract terms and conditions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (title 25, USC Section 472). Form BIA -4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference.
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit
  • You may be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  • Incidental Operator position. If you are required to operate a motor vehicle in order to properly carry out assigned duties, the 25 IAM 4 Motor Vehicle Safety Program Policy applies.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Administrative and Management Positions, GS-0301).

GS-12: I have at least 1 year of specialized experience or the equivalent, comparable to at least the GS-11 in the Federal Service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience in performing work related to the federal water rights doctrine or Indian water rights adjudications; working knowledge of the biological, social, political, and economic implications of water resources management; direct application of federal, tribal, or state laws related to water resources management; experience in tribal laws and regulations pertaining to water resources and natural resource protection; or conducting negotiations involving or controversial issues.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date.

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (title 25, USC Section 472).

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Education

Education is not required to qualify at the GS-12 grade level for the occupational series.

Additional information

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2023 Salary Tables here and select the duty station from the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington to choose the appropriate pay chart. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

The full performance level of this position is GS-12.

TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has determined that the duties of the position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

As a incidental motor vehicle operator position, you may be required to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle in the performance of duties; therefore, a valid driver's license is required and be able to meet the safe driving requirements of the Bureau of Indian Affairs 25 IAM 4 Motor Vehicle Safety Program. For more information visit: http://Indian Affairs IAM Motor Vehicle Safety Program

Career Transition Assistance Programs: 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 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. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp .

Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/; Vets Info Guide: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.

Former Federal Employees are required to indicate whether they received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) buyout in their previous employment with the Federal government, and are required to submit a copy of the applicable Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) regarding the VSIP. Most individuals who accept reemployment with the Federal government within 5 years of receiving the VSIP amount, must repay the gross amount of the separation pay prior to reemployment.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application package will be evaluated against the minimum qualification requirements specified above. In order to qualify, your resume must specifically describe your work history and the duties you performed in each position. Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date of 06/27/2023 to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. Competencies measured include:

  • Organizational Awareness
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Project Management
  • Technical Competence

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If the information in your resume does not support your responses to the assessment questions, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your qualifications.

Qualified Indian preference candidates will be referred to the hiring manager in order of veterans' preference.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and awards during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12008597.

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