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Student Trainee (Soil Science) GS-0499-03

Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Location Consideration: When selecting locations to be considered for, please select only those locations that you will report to no later than June 2017 to begin the internship. Depending on budget, NRCS may authorize a one-time gross housing stipend for the summer if the location selected for is outside the local commuting area of your temporary or permanent address, AND may also provide reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses necessary to get to and from duty station at the end of the work period (summer). Availability and the gross amount will vary by location.   The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables may be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/

Candidates selected from this announcement may be eligible for non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent position in the competitive service provided that all terms of the Internship Program are met and there is an available position. Conversion is not mandatory or guaranteed and is at agency discretion.

Pathways Interns may convert to permanent or TERM positions in the same line of work they were initially appointed (Soil Scientist, GS-0470-5/7/9). To be eligible for the conversion, you must satisfactorily complete all Pathways Program requirements: complete at least 640 hours of work experience prior to graduation, and if applicable, meet the position’s positive education requirements at graduation. The education requirements that must be met for conversion from this position:

  • Degree: soil science or a closely related discipline that included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility.
        OR
  • Combination of Education and Experience courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a related discipline that included at least 30 semester hours in the biological, physical, or earth sciences. At least 15 of these semester hours must have been in the areas specified above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
03/23/2017 to 04/03/2017
Salary
$12.53 to - $16.29 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 03
Locations
Owensboro, KY
1 vacancy
Pipestone, MN
1 vacancy
Bismarck, ND
2 vacancies
Ellsworth, WI
1 vacancy
Travel Required
Occasional travel - As required to perform the duties of the position and complete the requirements of the Pathways Program.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules
Service
Promotion potential
04
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
NRCS-17-0576-PW-MG
Control number
466459700

This job is open to

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Duties

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As a Student Trainee (Soil Science), you will be performing the following duties under direct supervision; Assignments will be developmental in nature and will assist the employee gain the competencies necessary for a career:

  • Performs developmental assignments of limited complexity that involve field examinations of soils by soil boring with an auger. Works with a higher graded employee to make a determination of soil type and determine the amount of topsoil remaining. The trainee examines soil borings, then compares soil samples with descriptions and legends to tentatively classify soil type.
  • Assists the MLRA Soil Survey Leader or designated employee in tabulating soil survey data. Assists in the maintenance of soil survey progress maps which indicate, by county, the location of areas mapped and the progress of soil surveys completed.
  • Performs developmental assignments to enable the employee to identify farm boundaries on aerial photographs, lay out photo coverage for mapping, and place match lines on photos.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

If selected for this Internship, the applicant will be required to complete the following:

Pathways Requirements:
•  Be enrolled as a certificate or degree-seeking student at least half-time at a qualifying educational institution.
•  Maintain good academic standing as defined by the educational institution for the duration of the internship.
•  Sign a Pathways Participant Agreement.
•  Serve a two (2) year trial period.

Employment Requirements:
•  Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. The position may require a background investigation at the time of appointment, and may be subject to reinvestigation every five years thereafter. A favorable adjudication of the background investigation at the time of appointment and on reinvestigations is a condition of employment.
•  If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system. Federal law requires the use of E-VERIFY to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. Under this system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.
•  Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.

Qualifications

All applicants must meet the eligibility, education and qualification requirements listed below by the closing date of the announcement.

• Be at least 16 years of age at the time of appointment;
• Be enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) in an accredited educational institution;
• Be enrolled at least half-time as defined by your educational institution; and
• Be in good academic standing, as defined by the your academic institution.

Below is the education requirements to be qualified at the following grade levels:
       GS-3 - Completion of 1 full academic year of post-high school study.

One full academic year of undergraduate education is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours or the equivalent as defined by the accredited college or university.

Degree programs in environmental, natural resources and related sciences preferred.

Education

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.

Additional information

  • Work Schedules: Selected Interns will be expected to work full-time (40 hours per week) during school summer breaks, and may be allowed to work part-time during the school year, depending on location/state selected
  • Promotion/conversion to the next higher grade may occur without further competition once all legal and regulatory requirements are met to include management’s certification of the continuing need for performance of duties at the higher grade level.
  • Depending on the location selected, if students work for more than one year, they may be required to be mobile and work in other locations within the state selected thereafter.
  • Work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as walking on rough terrain, jumping ditches and furrows, climbing steep banks, or negotiating other terrain features.
  • 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
  • Additional selections may be made from this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Application materials received by the closing date will be used to determine whether you meet eligibility criteria for Pathways Internship Program and the extent to which your responses to the Questionnaire satisfy the requirements.

All applicants who meet basic eligibility and qualification requirements will be referred to the selection official in veteran’s preference order. Preference will be given to applicants claiming veteran’s preference based on the supporting documents submitted. 
 
Attempts to falsify information; inflate your qualifications or providing inaccurate information on federal documents may be grounds for disqualification. If selected providing inaccurate information on federal documents could also be grounds for dismissing you from the position/agency. Please review and follow all instructions carefully.
To view the application form, visit: https://nrcs.usda.ntis.gov/cp/?event=jobs.previewApplication&jobid=02D4A8D5-B035-4B8C-A77F-A73E00BE4F76

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