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Forestry Technician (Timber Sale Preparation)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Pay will be adjusted to include a 4.40% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).

This position is located with the Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan Ranger District in Ketchikan, AK. The incumbent serves as a qualified timber cruiser.

For additional information about this position, contact Brock Martin at907-228-4119 / brock.martin@usda.gov.

See Additional Information section for more information about this position.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 10/06/2020
Closed date: 10/13/2020
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$39,048 - $56,585 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 6
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-Time
Travel Required
75% or less - The incumbent will be expected to travel. Going out to our field camps even though they are on the District is considered travel.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
21-R10-10928677-FS-MM
Control number
580894400

Duties

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  • Duties are listed at the full performance level of the position (GS-06).
  • Performs presale and similar duties as part of the timber management program.
  • Prepares harvest unit maps, cruise maps, logging plan and contract maps using GIS.
  • Performs timber sale/project reconnaissance and data collection.
  • Prepares and completes timber sale appraisals to determine value, writes timber sale reports, prepares timber sale and stewardship contracts in the Timber Information Manager (TIM).
  • Conducts timber cruises and surveys within varying stand conditions to locate and estimate the quantity of timber on a given area, according to species, type, and quality.
  • Estimates volume, defect, and quality of timber in a given area.
  • Under supervision of a professional forester, and using pre-established marking rules, selects and marks trees to be harvested or left uncut.
  • Lays out boundaries of cutting areas as outlined in the NEPA, considering variables such as accessibility, steep slopes, stream protection, nesting tree protection, wildlife impacts, fuels management and regeneration requirements.
  • Marks trees using marking rules in areas complicated by variations in type, species composition, defect, site, age, class, etc.
  • Assists in other aspects of natural resource management, such as inspection of forestry planning and cutting contracts to ensure state required Best Management Practices are implemented.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or 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.
  • Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov

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.

Minimum Specialized Experience Qualification Requirements:

For the GS-05 Level
: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent private sector experience. Specialized Experience is defined as: Performed crew based forestry related support work such as selecting and marking individual trees for harvest using well defined marking guidelines, silviculture prescriptions, and specific instruction; AND/OR Assisted in the measurement of limiting distances, tree diameter, tree height, estimation of defect and quality, and related fundamental timber cruising procedures.

OR

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (120 semester/180 quarter hours) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources, outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable).

OR

Combination of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

For the GS-06 Level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent private sector experience. Specialized Experience is defined as: Provided support with tree measurements, map reading and compass use, species identification, defect recognition and determination, quality determination, traversing, use of aerial photos, and use of timber cruising tools and techniques; AND/OR Interpreted silvicultural prescriptions and timber marking guides to designate harvest timber; Measured amount and quantity of timber in designated timber sale areas.

OR

One full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture);

OR

Combination of graduate level education that is directly related to the position (such as forestry, range management, agriculture) and specialized experience that together meets the requirements of the position being filled. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

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.

TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.

Additional information

For additional information regarding COLA see: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/nonforeign-areas/#url=COLA-Rates

This is a bargaining unit designated position.

Government Housing is not available.

Daycare facilities are not available.

This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary and term employees the opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years and the last temporary or term appointment must have been with the Forest Service. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed.

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email SM.FS.asc_tos@usda.gov

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

Information on special hiring authorities such as the Veteran's Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, and individuals with disabilities may be found on the USAJOBS website.

This agency offers alternative and flexible work schedules.

This vacancy is being announced concurrently with vacancy announcement 21-R10-10930306-AP-MM under the ANILCA Excepted appointment authority (open to US Citizens).

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 your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Forest Management
  • Oral Communication
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Documentation


Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you 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.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10928677

Forest Service

The Tongass National Forest was established in 1902 and covers nearly 17 million acres in Southeast Alaska. It is the nation's largest National Forest. The Tongass stretches nearly 500 miles from its boundary with the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in the north, to the Canadian boundary in the south. It is a forest of islands including the Alexander Archipelago, and the mainland. The unique forest landscapes of the Tongass vary dramatically in topographic relief and include a mosaic of forest, peat lands, steep rocky areas, glaciated mountains and other non-forested lands.

Alaska's magnificent scenery, vast forests, and abundant natural resources match the size of the forest. The Tongass makes up ninety percent of Southeast Alaska and is a land of glaciers, mountains, waterways and thousands of islands separated by straits and channels. The islands and mainland create 11,000 miles of shoreline where regal mountains rise from the tidewater to overlook a mostly undeveloped and isolated landscape. The geography of the Alexander Archipelago presents a transportation challenge and most of the Tongass is isolated from the continental road system. You will find yourself boating or flying in a floatplane to most field locations. Visitors arrive by cruise ship, ferry or commercial airplane.

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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