This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/466639500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
This position is temporary and has a Not-to-Exceed date. However, an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or funds.
This position is located on a Forest Service unit. The incumbent is responsible for performing a variety of recurring and complex duties in support of ecological management activities on forest ecosystems. This position involves invasive non-native plant management and monitoring.
This vacancy announcement is for one or more locations throughout Region 3. The number and location of positions to be filled will be dependent upon individual unit needs.
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT: Some positions will have varying work schedules. Some positions may have irregular and protracted hours of work. Tours of duty include full-time or less than full-time and will involve working weekends or irregular work hours. Considerable travel may be required. Some positions involve work that requires travel away from the official duty location to remote worksites within commuting distance (49 miles).
Positions will be filled as a temporary appointment up to 6 months.
Hourly wage as shown is Rest of U.S. (RUS). Specific wage rate will vary by location and may be higher or lower than the amount shown on the vacancy announcement. http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/
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.
Learn more about this agency03/28/2017 to 04/03/2017
$15.74 - $15.74 per hour
GS 05
Occasional travel - Per Field Assignment
No
Temporary
Multiple Schedules
05
No
17-TEMP-R3-0404-5INVP-DT
466639500
Performs the full range of standardized technical assignments consisting of a variety of routine and frequently complex tasks involving invasive non-native plant treatment, management, inventory, and monitoring. Assignments involve the performance of a series of basic related technical tasks, which must be completed according to a predetermined and established routine. May also perform a variety of nonstandard tasks related to invasive non-native plant treatment, management, inventory, and monitoring.
Identifies invasive non-native plants using various field guides or botanical keys, surveys for target plants, collects and assesses data on infestation location and status, and treats invasive plant infestations. Treatments primarily involve using herbicides, but may also be accomplished by hand-pulling, and/or using hand tools, power tools, mowers, and other standardized control methods.
Collects and records data related to infestation location and status. Responsible for ensuring that data related to invasive non-native plant treatments is recorded accurately and legibly, and according to specific protocols.
Performs highly physical labor and daily hiking often to remote locations in rugged terrain under possible adverse weather conditions. Uses global positioning systems, aerial photographs, topographic maps, GIS and/or compass in navigation. A portion of time may be dedicated to data entry and other duties in a laboratory/office setting.
Applies herbicides using backpack sprayers or other equipment on a regular basis according to specific guidelines. Performs basic mathematical calculations related to herbicide mixing and applications. Utilizes appropriate personal protective equipment supplied by the Forest Service at all times. May identify, collect, and release appropriate insects (biological control) to achieve desired objectives.
Occasionally assists with revegetation and ecological restoration duties such as planting, seed collection, irrigation of past plantings, or native plant nursery work.
Note: Required Licenses and/or Certifications
Position is required to obtain and show proof they possess a valid herbicide applicators license before being hired for the position.
US Citizens and Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Incumbent must have or be able to obtain a pesticide applicator certification.
You must possess the Basic Requirements identified below to be considered eligible for this position. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the appropriate experience requirements.
GS-05: (1) one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level.
Specialized Experience is defined as: Participating in plant-related projects using established methods, techniques, and procedures, such as conducted vegetative surveys; identified and recorded locations of sensitive, threatened, endangered and proposed listed plant species; and photogrpahed, collected, and prepared specimen mounts of plants, participating in field work projects related to vegetation management such as field measurements of density, diversity, etc,. experimental layout, seeding or planting, fertilizer or pesticide treatment. Applying simple biological procedures, such as surveyed planted tracts, employed growth deterrents, and inspected for disease or infestation by insects. -OR
Successful completion of 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelors degree with at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. The successful completion of a full course of study of at least 12 months in a school for clinical laboratory technicians may be substituted for the 1 year of specialized experience required at the GS-05 level for positions involving microbiology and biochemistry technician work. -OR
A combination of education and experience listed above.
To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all qualification requirements on the closing date of this announcement.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 rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. 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.
Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply Online" button to the right.
The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) supervisor's phone number and whether or not the supervisor may be contacted for a reference check; 5) other qualifications.
• If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit http://www.naces.org/members.htm. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• If claiming veterans preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veterans preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veterans preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
• If claiming 10-point veterans preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans preference see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.
To begin, click "Apply Online" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.
NOTE: You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g., all SF-50s) into one or more files and scan for uploading into the application. Each file must not exceed 3MB. Grouping like documents into files will simplify the application process. Documents must be in one of the following formats: GIF, JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG, RTF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). Uploaded documents may not require a password, digital signature, or other encryption to open.
Please view Tips for Applicants – a guide to the Forest Service application process
Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account at https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/466639500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
A career with the Forest Service will challenge you to manage and care for more than 193 million acres of our nations 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.
Its an awesome responsibility - but the rewards are as limitless as the views.
USDA is a great place to start or continue your career. USDA is ranked as one of the top 10 "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" by the Partnership for Public Service http://bestplacestowork.org/BPTW/rankings/overall/large. Rankings are based on employee feedback regarding satisfaction with their work experience.