Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Wild Horse and Burro Specialist

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.

These positions are located in Winnemucca, NV. For information about the area visit: City of Winnemucca.

We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/09/2024 to 07/24/2024
This job will close when we have received 25 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$59,966 to - $94,317 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Winnemucca, NV
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
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
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NV-DEU-24-12460882-KP
Control number
798886200

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous Federal Service is required. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

Help
  • Advises management on the development and implementation of Wild Horse and Burro policies and practices in accordance with Federal laws, and Department and Bureau policies.
  • Prepares and implements documents such as Gather Plans and Herd Area Management Plans.
  • Participates as a member of the District/Field Office Interdisciplinary Team Plans, schedules, and organizes the gathering and removal of wild horses and burros.
  • Monitors and evaluates rangelands used by wild horses and burros, also conducts, and maintains census of wild horse and burro populations.
  • Provides technical direction and quality control for wild horse and burro inventories and monitoring, allotment evaluations and management plans, and environmental assessments and impact statements.
  • Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with other BLM offices, user groups and state and federal agencies concerned with the wild horse and burro program in BLM.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • Incumbent must be able to receive and maintain current certification to use BLM owned firearms in the performance of official duties, in accordance with established procedures for the duration of appointment.
  • Incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain clearance and remain in compliance with the Lautenberg Amendment, as a condition of employment.
  • An applicant appointed to this position must possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license with appropriate endorsements while employed in this position.
  • May require a one year probationary period.
  • Incumbent may be required to travel by horseback and helicopter in the performance of duties.
  • Will be required to obtain a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Level 2 certification within one year of employment.

Qualifications

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified:

  • Possess a current, valid state driver's license.
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

This position has a Basic Education Requirement (BER) requirement: A bachelor's degree with a major in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, OR a combination of education and experience equivalent to a major in biological science, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

At the GS-09 Level:
Specialized Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include assisting with planning and conducting wild horses and burro surveys, census, inventories or monitoring studies; experience assisting in gathering and removal of wild horses or burros.
-OR-
Education: Completed two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in biological sciences or a directly related field
-OR-
Combination of Education and Specialized Experience: Possess an equivalent combination of the type and level of experience and graduate education described above.

At the GS-11 Level:
Specialized Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience may include: planning and conducting wild horses and burro surveys, census, inventories, or monitoring studies, experience in gathering and removal of wild horses and burros, and preparing recommendations for future management of the wild horses and burros.
-OR-
Education: Completed three (3) years of graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree in the field of biological sciences or directly related field
-OR-
Combination of Education and Specialized Experience: Possess an equivalent combination of the type and level of experience and graduate education described above.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: The work is a combination of office and field work. Field work involves strenuous walking, horseback riding, and climbing over rough and mountainous terrain. The work involves heavy lifting, bending, climbing, and handling WH&Bs; and lifting hay bales, metal corral panels, construction materials, wire ropes, and other supplies and equipment. The work requires travel using various modes of transportation (e.g., airplanes, helicopters, government owned vehicles, etc.). The incumbent operates various types of vehicles (e.g., cars, SUVs, light/medium/heavy trucks coupled with trailers of various sizes) and operates a skid-steer loader or other light tractor.

Work Environment: The office area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Field work involves long days and involves the hazards associated with the handling of untamed animals. Field assignments involve widely varying topographic (e.g., flat to steep and rocky terrain) and climatic conditions. Temperatures may range from -20 degrees Fahrenheit to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with considerable precipitation from rain, freezing rain, or snow fall.

Education

This position falls under the General Resource Management and Biological Sciences Series 0401 and has Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR).

You MUST submit a copy of ALL your college transcripts or a list of ALL college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. Upon selection, official transcripts must be received prior to appointment. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

All selections and tentative offers of selection are contingent upon submission and verification of 'official' transcripts upon selection.

Additional information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under number NV-Merit-24-12460883-KP, for status candidates and special hiring authority eligible. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. Qualified applicants will be placed in one of three predefined categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans.

In addition, one or more Subject Matter Experts will conduct a resume review. Candidates placed in the Best Qualified category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview. The interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis or may be scored.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Administrative Law
  • Ecology
  • Partnering
  • Rangeland Management


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Resume Panel Review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.