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Botanist

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These positions are located in the Six Rivers, Shasta-Trinity, Lassen, Stanislaus, and Tahoe NF in Gasquet, Eureka, Mount Shasta, Susanville, Nevada City, and Pinecrest, CA.

The incumbent has responsibility for providing assistance to the staff pertaining to a variety of botanical and sensitive plant species duties in support of Forest activities.

For information of duties/location of these positions, please see Additional Information section.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/23/2022 to 12/07/2022
Salary
$44,740 to - $54,727 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Eureka, CA
Gasquet, CA
Mount Shasta, CA
Nevada City, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings and/or training or travel to project sites.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
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
23-R5-GVA-11685791-DP-DJ
Control number
690736800

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Duties

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  • Evaluate and monitor threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species and plant community and vegetation management programs.
  • Assist or train other assigned field personnel to recognize, identify, and locate plant species of concern.
  • Identify plants encountered during surveys.
  • Develop and implement management plans and partnerships for the control of invasive plant species and establishment of native vegetation
  • Collaborate with other resources specialist in the preparation of prescribed fire, pesticide use and NEPA compliance documents for a variety of vegetation management and restoration actions.
  • Participate on interdisciplinary teams to provide the documentation and coordination necessary for the effective management of threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species.
  • Prepare informational responses to internal directives or agency, public group, and individual inquiries.
  • Provide analytical data and information necessary to complete consultation with project partners.
  • Train staff on a variety of botanical and sensitive plant species.
  • Document and maintain invasive and native plant surveys, inventories, and monitoring records in appropriate data base and GIS files.
  • Develop and/or modify established procedures for recording plant survey information in order to meet environmental assessment requirements
  • Perform field survey work which includes conducting inventories of invasive vegetation and native plant populations and communities in compliance with selected protocols to contribute to the baseline data for invasive plant and botanical resources.
  • Assist in preparing assessments and management plans for the protection and enhancement of habitat for special status plants
  • Prepare reports for informational responses, and program guidance.
  • Prepare reports on population trend and community composition monitoring data. (

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. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Basic Requirement:

GS-0430: Degree: botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany.

OR

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, as shown above, 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 Requirement:

For the GS-7: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as two or more of the following: Studied, surveyed and prepared sections of reports on threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species and plant community and vegetation management for environmental assessment requirements; Participated in phases of planning, organizing and implementing biological investigations that affect threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species; Prepared correspondence on the technical aspects of work and preparing reports on progress of and results of threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species and plant community and vegetation management studies.

OR one full year of graduate level education

OR an appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience

OR Superior Academic Achievement (to determine if you are eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

For the GS-9: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as two or more of the following: Participated in the evaluation and monitoring of the threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species and plant community and vegetation management programs; Located, surveyed, identified, and recorded threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species information in order to meet environmental assessment requirements; Collected and summarized threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species and plant community and vegetation management data and administered plant species projects.

OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

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

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

Additional information

For additional information about the duties or location of the position in Gasquet, CA, please contact Donna Peppin at donna.peppin@usda.gov or 707-457-3865.

For additional information about the duties or location of the position in Eureka, CA, please contact Jeff Jones at jeff.jones4@usda.gov or 707-441-3553.

For additional information about the duties or location of the position in Mount Shasta, CA, please contact Beth Wood at beth.wood@usda.gov or 530-360-0993.

For additional information about the duties or location of the position in Susanville, CA, please contact Jessica Mcmullen at
Jessicca.Mcmullen@usda.gov or 530-252-6698.

For additional information about the duties or location of the position in Pinecrest, CA, please contact Marcie Easter at Marcie.Easter@usda.gov or 209-432-3079.

For additional information about the duties or location of the position in Neveda City, CA, please contact Chelsea Morgan at chelsea.morgan@usda.gov or 530-478-6254.

Relocation Incentive MAY be authorized. Final determination will be made at the time of job offer.

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.

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. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

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.


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 bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE.

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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications.

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. You 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. Individuals 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 score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or 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/11685791

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