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Natural Resource Specialist

Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Migratory Bird Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS AMENDED TO EXTEND THE CLOSING DATE.

This position will serve as the Remote Sensing and Geospatial Specialist to provide technical, strategic, and administrative expertise in designing and implementing, monitoring, assessment, and evaluation strategies for migratory bird habitat and harvest management in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/18/2020 to 01/13/2021
Salary
$66,167 to - $102,288 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - 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
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
R9-21-10993200-IS (MP)
Control number
587601500

Duties

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--Provide strategic guidance in developing the Division of Migratory Bird Management's remote sensing program to improve safety and the quality of data delivered in support of regulatory and conservation decisions.
--Manage and implement complete work-flow processes for planning primarily, but not exclusively, airborne remote sensing missions, collecting data using sensors and methods to meet project objectives, and processing, analyzing, and managing resultant image and navigation and orientation data.
--Coordinate with experts in fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning with emphasis on deep learning convolutional neural networks, to develop methods to automate the processing of aerial imagery from migratory bird population and habitat surveys.
--Design and implement processes and standards for conversion and management of large archives of airborne and satellite imagery and derived gee-spatial products.
--Prepare technical reports and peer-reviewed manuscripts that document methods, results, and management recommendations related to the application of remote sensing, GIS, artificial intelligence and other disciplines to migratory bird monitoring and management.
--Represent the Division of Migratory Bird Management and deliver oral presentations at technical, scientific, administrative, and other professional meetings.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Time-in-Grade requirements apply to status candidates
  • LMWFA or Public Land Corps eligibles may apply

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 01/13/2021 will be considered.

This is an interdisciplinary position. You may apply for any or all of the following disciplines:

  • Natural Resource Specialist, GS-0401.
  • General Physical Scientist, GS-1301
  • Geographer, GS-0150
  • Cartographer, GS-1370
Basic Requirements for each position: You must meet A or B to qualify for the position.

For Natural Resource Specialist:
A. Degree:
4-year degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR­
B. Combination of education and experience:
Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For General Physical Scientist:
A. Degree: 4-year degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For Geographer:
A. Degree: 4-year degree in geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields. OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For Cartographer:
A. Degree: 4-year degree in cartography; or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography and/or directly related science, and related mathematics. Such course work includes, but is not limited to, cartography, astronomy, geodesy, photogrammetry, physical and geological oceanography, computer science, land surveying, geophysics, physical geography, and remote sensing. The 30 semester hours must have included at least 6, but no more than 15, semester hours of college level, non-business mathematics or statistics (i.e., college level algebra, trigonometry, calculus, or scientific mathematics or statistics requiring equivalent college-level courses as prerequisites). OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major in cartography, or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography, and/or directly related science, and related mathematics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Specialized Experience Requirements: In addition to meeting one of the basic entry requirements listed above, you must have the appropriate specialized experience as described below.

You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of full-time professional specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to a GS-11 grade level in the Federal Service demonstrating experience in the following areas: Serving as a technical expert in the areas of remote sensing, image processing, geographic information systems; utilizing the airborne remote sensing systems and remote sensing mission planning; co-authoring peer-reviewed publications or technical reports; making oral presentations at a scientific meetings, symposia, or conferences; and applying the Federal Geographic Data Committee geospatial metadata standards.

You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of full-time professional specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to a GS-12 grade level in the Federal Service demonstrating experience in the following areas: providing strategic oversight and technical expertise in the areas of remote sensing, image processing, geographic information systems, digital aerial photography, direct geo-referencing system, and soft-copy photogrammetric methods; planning aerial remote sensing missions and operating airborne remote sensing systems; writing peer-reviewed publications or technical reports to present the results of remote sensing or geo-spatial analyses and preparing briefings to communicate policy or recommendations to internal or external audiences; making oral presentations at scientific meetings, symposia or conferences to present the results of remote sensing or geo-spatial analyses; coordinating the activities of interdisciplinary teams planning, conducting, processing, and analyzing remote sensing missions and resultant data; and applying the Federal Geographic Data Committee geospatial metadata standards and metadata development processes.

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.

Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-13. At lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-13. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA),P.L. 114-47, allows certain individuals who currently or formerly were under time-limited competitive appointments at certain land management agencies to compete under merit promotion procedures:
Current appointees:
You must submit ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA.· Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency.· Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; AND· Must have performed at an acceptable level.
Former appointees:·
Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency,· Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years;·Must apply for position within 2 years after separation,· Must have been separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; AND· Must have performed at an acceptable level.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s) and grade point average or class ranking. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Salary will be based upon duty station and locality pay once selected.

To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

FWS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

A PCS Move is authorized as follows: travel and relocation expenses including reimbursable real estate expenses will be authorized in accordance with the Federal travel regulations excluding contractor-provided home sale. All moving expenses are taxable.
More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
--You must possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during your tenure. The work is primarily performed in an office setting; however, information gathering and meetings require travel to remote stations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and flight in government-owned survey aircraft. Requires frequent travel by auto, common carrier, and Service vehicles and aircraft for the purposes of field data collection.
--This work is primarily sedentary, but requires mental exertion for long time periods. The incumbent must be able to also lift and move remote sensing equipment weighing up to 50 lbs in addition to lifting and moving other field equipment and gear of similar maximum weight.

Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority: Note: You must provide a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Competitive Hiring Based for Public Land Corps Service. to verify eligibility and meet the following criteria:(a) Served as a qualified youth on an appropriate conservation project completing a minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service that included at least 120 hours through the PLC;(b) Applied to a vacancy announcement for which applications are being accepted from individuals with non-competitive status;(c) Meet the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) minimum qualification standards stated in the vacancy announcement for the position which you are applying; and(d) Completed his/her most recent Corps service, which provided him/her with a total of 640 hours, inclusive of 120 hours on a PLC project as defined in 16 USC 1723(d), within the last two (2) years.(2) Appointments must be effected within the two years requirement.(3) The two year time-frame cannot be extended.(4) Selectees will be subject to a probationary period.(5) This authority may be used for General Schedule and Federal Wage System positions.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the basic qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Knowledge of remote sensing, image analysis, softcopy digital photogrammetry, and geographic information system theory necessary to support airborne remote sensing mission planning, image processing, and analysis of digital imagery and other spatial data to inform management decisions.
  • Skill in developing and administering technical work plans and budgets to effectively manage personnel and fiscal resources necessary to meet complex and competing program requirements.
  • Skill in applying, biological, ecological, and geospatial data sufficient to lead and provide technical and strategic oversight of multi-disciplinary teams tasked to support and solve complex wildlife and natural resources monitoring and management challenges.
  • Knowledge of object-based image analysis and machine learning methods sufficient to coordinate and collaborate with specialists in these fields in order to develop automation strategies for image analysis and target detection, classification, and counting for wildlife and natural resource monitoring.
  • Ability to work with information technology and data management specialists in Service and Department to interpret and correctly apply policies and standard practices and develop novel solutions for information and geospatial data collection, management, and access.

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