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Social Scientist/Biological Scientist

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Multiple positions located throughout the Northern Region, Region 1.

Incumbent serves as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)/Appeals & Litigation coordinator for NEPA, National Forest Management Act (NFMA), Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) and Appeals and Litigation in support of the Wildland Fire Crisis Strategy (WCS).

For contact information, please see Education section.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/17/2023 to 11/24/2023
This job will close when we have received 50 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
5 vacancies in the following locations:
Kamiah, ID
Orofino, ID
Eureka, MT
Libby, 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
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
24-R1GV-12210868-DH-DC
Control number
761313200

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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  • Duties listed at the full performance GS-11 grade level.
  • Plans, directs, and advises Forest personnel on compliance efforts regarding National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), and Forest Service policy.
  • Serves as the subject matter expert, the incumbent provides Forest Line Officers with advice and interpretation of a broad range of environmental policies.
  • Provides program managers and district NEPA coordinators with technical leadership and guidance concerning the interpretation and implementation of environmental policies.
  • Responsible for mediating conflicting viewpoints of Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) members on preparation and processing of Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements.
  • Executes and coordinates final evaluation and review of environmental analysis documents for Forest projects and/or programs to ensure compliance with multiple environmental policy requirements.
  • Identifies the need for and type(s) of environmental policy training for Forest personnel involved in NEPA, NFMA, FOIA, and Appeals and Litigation reviews, projects, requests, and responses.
  • Liaisons with Federal, State, and Local government officials, special interest groups, tribal representatives, and agency stake holders to provide interpretation of requirements and applicability of NEPA, NFMA, FOIA, and Appeals and Litigation.
  • Serves as the Forest Appeals Coordinator in the implementation of the Administrative Appeals procedures (36CFR Parts 215, 217, and 251, Part C).
  • Formulates responses to appeals regarding decisions made by the Forest.
  • Communicates the impacts and applicability of changes, decisions, and directions to Forest Line Officers and Staff involved in projects and/or programs that are subject to NEPA, NFMA, FOIA, and Appeals and Litigation.

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:
For the GS-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.

For the GS-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
Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, 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-09: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as performing one or more of the following:

  • Assisted in natural resource management activities;
  • Participated in environmental assessments and drafting segments of environmental impact statements;
  • Assisted in the permit or project review process by performing field inspections and collecting and analyzing environmental data; and/or
  • Assisted in planning one or more conventional environmental resources projects, such as construction, production, or reclamation initiatives and ensure compliance with environmental plans and stipulations.
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.

For the GS-11: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as two or more of the following:
  • Participated in natural resource management activities by making observations, gathering data, and reporting findings where information was used in environmental assessments and environmental impact statements;
  • Participated in the permit review process or identification of regulatory compliance issues and requirements by performing field inspections, collecting and analyzing environmental data; and/or
  • Served as a project planner for one or more conventional environmental resources projects, such as construction, production or reclamation activities and ensure compliance with environmental plans and stipulations.
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.

Individual Contact Information:

-Kootenai National Forest: Supervisor, Nathan Gassmann, nathan.gassman@usda.gov. Duty location: Libby, MT.

-Kootenai National Forest, Ksanka Ranger District: Supervisor, Seth Carbonari, seth.carbonari@usda.gov. Duty location: Eureka, MT.

-Kootenai National Forest, Three Rivers Ranger District: Supervisor, Sam Martin, sam.martin@usda.gov. Duty location: Troy, MT.

-Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest (2 Positions): Supervisor(s), Zoanne Anderson, zoanne.anderson@usda.gov or Andrew Skowlund, andrew.skowlund@usda.gov. Duty location: Orofino, ID.

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.

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

Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

Government Housing may be available.

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.

This position is not eligible for telework.

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/

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is limited to the first 50 applications received and will close at 11:59 pm ET on the closing date identified above or the day we receive the 50th 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.

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/12210868

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