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Biological Science Technician (Plants)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Multiple positions being filled throughout the Northern Region, Region 1.

This position is established on a Forest Service unit and is responsible for performing a variety of complex and recurring technical duties in support of the unit noxious weed control program.

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
$42,022 to - $60,703 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Locations
9 vacancies in the following locations:
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Ashland, MT
Bozeman, MT
Eureka, MT
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
7
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-12126360-DP-RY
Control number
750673300

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Duties

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  • Duties listed are at the full performance level.
  • Schedule, organize, and conduct field surveys to identify, document, and map noxious weed infestations.
  • Compile, manage, analyze, and interpret data collected.
  • Prepare written and graphical reports in a variety of formats.
  • Compiles, manages, analyzes, and interprets data collected by the incumbent and others.
  • Provides noxious weed information for project analysis which may include written reports and/or summaries.
  • Links tabular data to locational parameters using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) database technologies and Geographical Positioning Systems (GPS) location technology.
  • Makes recommendations based upon analysis of data and research on the best methods for control and eradication of noxious weeds.

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.
  • Must possess or be able to obtain a pesticide applicator certification within 120 days of placement in position.

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.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-06: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following:

  • Conducting field inventories of invasive plant species;
  • Collecting invasive plant data;
  • Participating in integrated weed management activities including herbicide treatment and physical methods; and/or
  • Maintaining field equipment.


OR
One full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics.

OR
Combination of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

For the GS-07: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience is defined as meeting one or more of the following:

  • Conducting field surveys to identify, document, and map noxious weed infestations;
  • Participating in the collection of data and entering data into databases;
  • Gathering information from written and graphical reports of findings in a variety of formats used for development of noxious weeds control project plans;
  • Participating in weed control activities, including the physical removal and herbicide treatment of invasive weeds.


OR
One full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics.

OR
Combination of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

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:

Kootenai National Forest, Cabinet Ranger District, Duty Location: Trout Creek, MT. Supervisor: Steven Snell, steven.snell@usda.gov

Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Ranger District, Duty Location: Troy, MT. Supervisor: Julie Hopkinson, julie.hopkinson@usda.gov

Kootenai National Forest, Rexford/Fortine Ranger District, Duty Location: Eureka, MT. Supervisor: Michael Granroth, michael.granroth@usda.gov

Dakota Prairie Grasslands, Grand River Ranger District, Duty Location: Lemmon, SD. Supervisor: Kyle Dalzell, kyle.p.dalzell@usda.gov

Idaho Panhandle National Forest, Supervisors Office, Duty Location: Coeur d'Alene, ID. Supervisor: Jeremy Kleinsmith, jeremy.kleinsmith@usda.gov

Custer Gallatin National Forest, Bozeman Ranger District, Duty Location: Bozeman, MT. Supervisor: Daren Many, daren.many@usda.gov

Custer Gallatin National Forest, Yellowstone Ranger District, Duty Location: Livingston, MT. Supervisor: Chauntelle Rock, chauntelle.rock@usda.gov

Custer Gallatin National Forest, Beartooth Ranger District, Duty Location: Red Lodge, MT. Supervisor: Michael Hess, michael.hess2@usda.gov

Custer Gallatin National Forest, Ashland Ranger District, Duty Location: Ashland, MT. Supervisor: Ryan Melin,
ryan.melin@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 are not available.

Government Housing is not available.

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.

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.

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/12126360

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