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District Ranger

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These positions serve as a District Ranger with responsibility for the management of the resources, personnel, goods, and services of a designated area on a National Forest/Grasslands.

For more information about the duties of the positions, see the "Additional Information" section for location specific points of contact.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/28/2024 to 11/08/2024
Salary
$86,962 to - $134,435 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Locations
5 vacancies in the following locations:
Heflin, AL
Whitley City, KY
Laurel, MS
Oxford, MS
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
Yes—A recruitment or relocation incentive, or reimbursement of relocation expenses may be authorized at the discretion of management in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
25-R8-GVA-340-DR-12-13-R
Control number
816008100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent Forest Service (FS) employees with competitive status whose permanent position of record is in Region 8. Land Management eligibles whose last appointment was with Region 8 of the Forest Service; and CTAP/RPL eligible candidates.

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Duties

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  • Duties listed below are at the full performance level.
  • Serve as a steward for a designated Forest Service area and embodies the agency’s core values in service to the Forest Service mission and completes duties in a way that is trustworthy, caring, respectful, responsive, curious, and inclusive.
  • Clearly communicates decisions and takes care to explain actions in the larger context of our Forest Service mission and purpose.
  • Directly responsible for the science-based stewardship of diverse natural and cultural resources, understanding the interdependence of all Forest mission areas.
  • Responsible for implementing agency policy, navigating dynamic tensions and complex political, human and social factors, while also addressing the appropriate public use of forests/grasslands and associated lands of the District.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to learning and evolving management approaches based on knowledge gained both from best available science and the relationships with communities, key stakeholders, interagency partners, and the public.
  • Oversee the inventory, planning, evaluation, and management of each forest/grassland resource including timber, soil, land, water, wildlife and fish habitat, minerals, forage, wilderness and visual areas, and outdoor recreation.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered 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.gov
  • Selectee is subject to financial disclosure requirements and must submit form OGE-450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
  • Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period (unless prior service is creditable). New USDA supervisors must successfully complete the required supervisory training program before the end of their probationary period.

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.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-12 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level. Qualifying specialized experience includes meeting one or more of the following:

  • Represented an organizational unit for the purpose of discussing agency policies and regulations with the general public, representatives from local, county, State, Federal and Tribal governments, permittees, industry, special interest groups, or other partners;
  • Developed annual program of work, prepared project work plans, developed long- and short-term budget needs, set priorities and documented work progress and accountability for assigned programs;
  • Planned, implemented, and administered a natural resources program (e.g., timber management program) for a unit that included developing staffing, budget and equipment needs for program/project accomplishment;
  • Provided advice, technical support, and evaluation of proposed and on-going natural resource programs to higher-level officials.
For the GS-13 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. Qualifying specialized experience includes meeting one or more of the following:
  • Provided counsel to higher organizational levels concerning natural resource program issues and their current and anticipated effects;
  • Exercised program responsibilities that included one or more of the following: program development, planning, budgeting, or identifying workforce and organizational needs to establish and meet priorities;
  • Interacted with members of the general public, representatives from local, county, State, Federal and Tribal governments, permittees, industry, special interest groups, and other partners to discuss, explain, or defend natural resource management policies and regulations;
  • Administered a natural resource program (e.g. timber management) for a unit that included development of staffing, budget and equipment needs, and implementation to meet program/project accomplishments.
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.

TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience.

Additional information

For more information about the specific locations for these positions please contact:
Whitley City, KY - Scott Ray, harvey.ray@usda.gov
Heflin, AL - Linwood Butler, linwood.butler@usda.gov
Zavalla, TX - Kimpton Cooper, kimpton.cooper@usda.gov
Oxford and Laurel, MS - Shannon Kelardy, shannon.kelardy@usda.gov

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary and term employees the opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years and the last temporary or term appointment must have been with Region 8 of the Forest Service. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met.

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 on the OPM Website.

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email SM.FS.asc_tos@usda.gov.

These are non-bargaining unit position.

Forest Service daycare facilities may be available.

Government Housing may be available.

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 based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:

  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Manages Human Resources
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Program Management
  • Workforce Environment


Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. 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.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12588855

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