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Biological Scientist/Physical Scientist

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located with the Southern Research Station , duty stationed at Knoxville, TN.

This scientist works within the Forest Inventory and Analysis and serves as a Data Manager for the Information Resources & Technology Unit. The incumbent is responsible for analyzing, managing, cataloging, and/or archiving environmental databases.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Jeffery A. Turner at jeffery.turner@usda.gov.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
09/27/2022 to 10/14/2022
Salary
$79,363 to - $79,363 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Knoxville, TN
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel 10% or less to other Forest Service offices or field locations and attend other professional meetings and or training.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
22-RES-11662583-DHA-IC
Control number
679777700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

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Duties

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  • Provides program and technical advice for the collection, compilation, storage, analysis, reporting, and distribution of strategic annual multi-resource data.
  • Provides technical expertise, staff coordination and consultation in the areas of biometrics, data visualization and analytics, field collection techniques, and data applications.
  • Provides feedback and communicates changes necessary to develop, improve, and enhance the methodologies and databases concerning the extent, content and trends of the nation?s forest resources and other related components.
  • Analyzes work processes and operations to determine the feasibility of upgrading data management programs or implementing new ones.
  • Tests programs to ensure accurate and statistically consistent operation, and identifies problems and bottlenecks in the information management system and makes corrections and improvements.
  • Applies research methodologies to evaluate data and ensure statistical consistency and accuracy.
  • Collaborates and consults on many research and monitoring projects to satisfy the requirements of data users and research scientists.
  • Curates research data collected by other researchers and from sensor networks.
  • Transfers data and reconciles inconsistencies, creates metadata records to document changes, and stores backup versions of original data files.
  • Participates in the design, development, and maintenance (including normalization) of existing standalone and internet-enabled databases.
  • Develops, promotes, and follows data governance activities such as cataloging data, contributing to metadata management, data lineage, and data quality.
  • Assists with planning and project management activities in relation to research project operations.
  • Develops and prepares presentations and briefings to program leadership and others on progress toward implementing solutions to resource issues.
  • Supervisory duties less than 20%.

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 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.

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. This position has a positive education requirement for either the GS-0401 or GS-1301 series. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Failure to provide transcripts will result in candidate not being referred for consideration.

This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series listed below.

Basic Requirement for the Biological Scientist Series (0401):
A. Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study 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.

Basic Requirement for the Physical Scientist Series (1301):
A. Degree: 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.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Statement:
GS-12: One year of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal service. To qualify at this grade level, your resume must reflect 52 weeks of 3 out of 4 the following:

  1. Analyzing, managing, cataloging, and/or archiving environmental multi-resource related databases
  2. Producing reports, database products, presentations, and/or fulfill stakeholder requests based on natural resource databases;
  3. Providing technical expertise, staff coordination and consultation in the areas of biometrics, data visualization and analytics, field collection techniques, and/or data applications
  4. Curating natural resource data collected from sensor networks, which includes transferring data and reconciling inconsistencies, creating metadata records to document changes, and storing backup versions of original data files.
Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade (salary) if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would be given a new appointment.

This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

Government Housing will not be available.

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

How you will be evaluated

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

This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may be found ineligible. 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.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11662583

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