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Social Scientist

Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Science Applications Program
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is amended to extend the closing date.

This position is a Social Scientist, GS- 0101-12/13 with the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Science Applications Program for the Southwest Region.

This position is also open to the public under announcement R2-22-11473738-IS-DE. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/10/2022 to 06/01/2022
Salary
$68,299 to - $105,579 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Fort Collins, CO
Albuquerque, NM
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% 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
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
MR-22-11479258-IS-MP
Control number
653527800

Duties

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As a Social Scientist your duties will include but are not limited to the following:

--Provide technical assistance for the regional or Program programming, further developing the regions' or Programs' strategic priority of understanding of human dimensions of wildlife and other natural resource conservation, and supporting planning for expanding social science capacity within the region or Program and the Service more broadly.
--Provide leadership and expert advice on conservation social science in addressing the human dimensions of wildlife and other natural resource conservation.
--Apply social science expertise to inform program staff and senior leadership on the human dimensions of complex wildlife and other natural resource conservation issues.
--Develop systematic approaches to program evaluation and provides advice and guidance to the field staff and/or manager to ensure consistency and ability to roll up data for national-level reporting.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply).
  • Merit promotion applicants must meet time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
  • Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • Driver's License: A valid driver's license is required.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 06/01/2022 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Basic Requirement:

  1. Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR
  2. Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. OR
  3. Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
Minimum Qualification [GS-13]
One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-12 in the Federal service. Experience may include: 1) applied conservation social science disciplines to improve natural resource management practices and processes. Examples include the application of human values, attitudes and behaviors; stakeholder engagement; socio demographics, conflict resolution; or strategic communications; 2) applied evaluation principles or methods to monitor and evaluate conservation strategies or programs; 3) collaborated with natural resource practitioners to increase awareness and impact of social science to address complex natural resource issues such as endangered species recovery, wildlife health, pollinator conservation, landscape conservation, grassland/sagebrush conservation, water rights, or private lands conservation; 4) communicated social science to natural resource practitioners including presentations and briefings to practitioners and decision-makers; 5) lead interdisciplinary teams to integrate social science to address complex natural resource management issues such as endangered species recovery, wildlife health, pollinator conservation, landscape conservation, grassland/sagebrush conservation, water rights, or private lands conservation.

Minimum Qualification [GS-12]
One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-11 in the Federal service. Experience may include: 1) applied conservation social science disciplines to improve natural resource management practices and processes. Examples include the application of human values, attitudes and behaviors; stakeholder engagement; socio demographics, conflict resolution; or strategic communications; 2) applied evaluation principles or methods to monitor and evaluate conservation strategies or programs; 3) collaborated with natural resource practitioners to increase awareness and impact of social science to address complex natural resource issues such as endangered species recovery, wildlife health, pollinator conservation, landscape conservation, grassland/sagebrush conservation, water rights, or private lands conservation; 4) communicated social science to natural resource practitioners including presentations and briefings to practitioners and decision-makers; 5) collaborated on interdisciplinary teams to integrate social science to address complex natural resource management issues such as endangered species recovery, wildlife health, pollinator conservation, landscape conservation, grassland/sagebrush conservation, water rights, or private lands conservation.

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: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the JOA. Specifically,
i. Area of Consideration.
ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502.
iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPM's Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions or for Federal Wage System (FWS), wage grade positions, applicants are evaluated using the OPM Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations and the job element examining method
Your SF-50 will be used to confirm you meet all requirements

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), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. 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

The salary will be based upon duty station and locality pay once selected. Locality tables may be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/.

Entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. Relocation discretionary entitlements may be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale. All moving expenses are taxable.

This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For information on CTAP and ICTAP click here

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.

For Eligibility Information click here: USAJOBS Help Center | Land Management

Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority: 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 and received a certificate of non-competitive eligibility. Completed most recent Corps service, for which a certificate of non-competitive eligibility was issued, within the last 2 years. Appointment must be effected within the 2 year period.

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 how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Competencies:
GS-13: Attention to Detail, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork.
GS-12: Same as above, in addition: Customer Service, Influencing/Negotiating.

KSAs:
--Mastery knowledge of and skill in applying qualitative and quantitative social science principles, practices, and techniques to better understand how human factors may impact wildlife or other natural resource management, such as to evaluate conservation interventions or work unit strategic communications; to inform campaigns or strategies aimed at influencing human conservation behavior; to improve stakeholder engagement processes or partnership building efforts; to develop reports that identify short-coming (realized and projected) and recommend solutions of alternative courses to take; and to discuss study results with technical and non-technical individual(s).
--Skill in integrating social science and natural science concepts and principles to independently develop communication materials and products that address complex relationships between people and the wildlife and their habitats.
--Ability to coordinate work unit efforts with other internal and external offices, represent these efforts to key individuals and groups outside the immediate work unit, as well as serve as spokesperson and social science subject matter expert for the Service.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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