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Social Scientist/Biological Scientist/Physical Science Information Specialist

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Multiple positions being filled through out the Northern Region, Region 1. Forest Service Office's within R1 can be found here.

The incumbent is responsible for supporting managers and resource specialists in the use of geospatial technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for land, natural resources and ecosystem management.

For additional information about individual duty locations, please see the Education section below.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
09/22/2023 to 09/27/2023
This job will close when we have received 75 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$57,118 to - $89,835 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Locations
7 vacancies in the following locations:
Avery, ID
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Elk City, ID
Kamiah, ID
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training, meetings, field work, and/or site visits.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
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-R1GV-12137858-DP-DC
Control number
750666700

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Duties

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  • Duties listed at the full performance level.
  • Works with managers and resource specialists to determine type, amount and level of information required to develop and analyze ecosystem management alternatives.
  • Oversees data life cycle management.
  • Assesses quality, compatibility, and limitations of various data used in a wide array of land management and planning efforts.
  • Develops data dictionaries, data models, and metadata for multi-disciplinary information and geospatial applications.
  • Coordinates conversion of geospatial information and remote sensing imagery into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases
  • Responsible for organization and maintenance of resource information and data to facilitate analysis across multiple disciplines including but not limited to recreation, silviculture, planning, engineering and fire.
  • Provides expertise and makes recommendations on the development and application of geospatial analysis processes, protocols and solutions to mission critical resource management issues.
  • Applies advanced principles to facilitate geospatial model design and analysis procedures related to ecological, natural resource and relevant socio-economic data and products.
  • Manipulates and analyzes geospatial data to support resource management decisions for multiple resource, jurisdictional, and ownership units or a large geographical region.
  • Operates complex computer systems and software packages and develops procedures to produce intricately detailed maps and graphics for the many varied Forest resource programs, planning documents, and a variety of other requirements.
  • Applies geographic and cartographic principles to the resolution of multi-disciplinary issues in geospatial database construction and map compilation.

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.

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

Basic Requirement:
0101: 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 behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

-OR-
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-
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.

0401: 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-
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.

-OR-
Combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field needed to perform the work of the occupation.

1301: 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: 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-
Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown 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 Requirement:

For the GS-09 level: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service; Specialized experience includes performing one or more of the following:

  • Participated in developing data dictionaries, data models, and metadata for multi-disciplinary information and geospatial applications;
  • Participated in the manipulation and analysis of geospatial data linking a variety of resources such as socio-economics, land, air, water, timber, recreation, wildlife, fisheries and/or special management areas;
  • Created increasingly more complex thematic map products and presentation materials using established automated map and chart making processes; and/or
  • Applied basic geographic and cartographic principles to the resolution of more complicated issues in geospatial database construction and map compilation.
-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).

For the GS-11 level: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service; Specialized experience includes performing one or more of the following:
  • Working with managers and resource specialists to determine type, amount and level of information required to develop and analyze ecosystem management alternative,
  • Assisting with developing data dictionaries, data models and metadata for multi-disciplinary information and geospatial applications;
  • Applying applicable principles to facilitate geospatial model design and analysis procedures related to natural resource and relevant socio-economic data and products; and/or
  • Operating complex computer systems and software packages and used established procedures to produce intricately detailed maps and graphics for a variety of natural resource programs and planning documents.
-OR-
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled);

-OR- an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).

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 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

See above for education that may be qualifying.

Contact Information

-Flathead National Forest, Supervisors Office, Duty Location: Kalispell, MT. Supervisor: Michael Reichenberg, michael.reichenberg@usda.gov

-Flathead National Forest, Supervisors Office, Duty Location: Kalispell, MT. Supervisor: Luke Floch, luke.floch@usda.gov


-Custer Gallatin National Forest, Duty Location: Bozeman, MT. Supervisor: Lauren Oswald, lauren.oswald@usda.gov

-Custer Gallatin National Forest, Duty Location: Billings or Bozeman, MT. Supervisor: Annette Yeager, annette.yeager@usda.gov

-Northern Region, Regional Office, Engineering, Duty Location (2 positions): Within R1 Geographic Area. Supervisor: Joseph Fortier, joseph.fortier@usda.gov

-Lolo National Forest, Duty Location, Within Forest boundary. Supervisor: Tom Lilly thomas.lilly@usda.gov


-Northern Region, Regional Office, NEPA Strike Team (2 positions): Within R1 Geographic Area. Supervisor: Chandra Neils chandra.neils@usda.gov

-Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest (2 positions): Within Forest boundary, Supervisor: Joel Harrison joel.harrison3@usda.gov

Additional information

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/

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

Forest Service daycare facilities may be available.

Government Housing is not available.

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

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is limited to the first 75 applications received and will close at 11:59 pm ET on the closing date identified above or the day we receive the 75th application, whichever occurs first.

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 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/12137858

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