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Forester (Silviculture)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Three positions will be filled in Region 6 using this vacancy. Duty locations will be Corvallis, OR, Vancouver, WA, and Amboy, WA. The Corvallis position will be filled at the full performance level GS-12, Vancouver at the GS-11 or full performance level GS-12, and Amboy at the full performance level GS-11.For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Katherine Richardson at katherine.richardson@usda.gov

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
01/09/2024 to 01/23/2024
Salary
$72,553 to - $113,047 per year

Pay rates vary depending on location and the salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S. See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Locations
3 vacancies in the following locations:
Corvallis, OR
Amboy, WA
Vancouver, WA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
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
24-R6-GVA-12241526-DH-VT
Control number
768642900

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-12
  • Evaluate adequacy and effectiveness of timber improvement programs through periodic on-the-ground inspections of compliance with established policies, standards, program objectives and initiate corrective action as needed.
  • Provide program leadership for the silviculture program on the forest to draft local policy and technical guides and standards for timber marking, reforestation, and timber stand improvement programs.
  • Review and critique short-range plans and annual work plans prepared by first level unit personnel for timber sale planning, reforestation, timber stand improvement, and pest management.
  • Serve as the Forest budget coordinator for the silviculture program which includes coordinating with Regional staff on budget allocations and making adjustments to ensure the Forest silviculture program budget remains within its annual allocations.
  • Prepare budget reports and project work plans to coordinate and monitor funding for partnership projects.
  • Coordinate insect, disease, and animal damage control programs as applied to silvicultural activities on the individual operating units.

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-0460: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 forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas:

  • Management of Renewable Resources -- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management.
  • Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology.
  • Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing.
OR
Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same 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.

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-11: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service. Qualifying specialized experience includes meeting one or more of the following: Performed vegetation management duties including timber management, harvesting, reforestation, timber stand improvement, and fuels management; assisted in analyzing technical issues and/or providing advice and assistance on forestry resource management policies and practices; and assisted in reviewing or developed standard plans for well-established programs or projects or recommending short-range plans for a component of a forestry resource management program.
OR
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that is related to the work of this position.
OR
A combination of graduate level education (beyond 36 semester hours) directly related to this position and specialized experience that together meets the qualification requirements for this position.

For the GS-12: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service. Qualifying specialized experience includes meeting one or more of the following: Prepared silvicultural/vegetative portions of environmental analysis reports and impact statements; planned and administered a timber management program which may include providing technical direction in all phases of reforestation and timber stand improvement; directed studies on problems created by timber management practices, including the regeneration of cut-over areas; and/or developing land use plans for a multiple-use forest resource area, specifically management of vegetation, with diverse and complex problems.

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 for the specific grade level.

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 represented by the National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW.

Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

Government Housing is not 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.

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


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/

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/12241526

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