U.S. nationals: Natural Resource Specialist/Hydrologist

U.S. Forest Service (USFS)

Arcadia, CA, USA 🇺🇸

Bishop, CA, USA 🇺🇸

San Bernardino, CA, USA 🇺🇸

Sonora, CA, USA 🇺🇸

Willows, CA, USA 🇺🇸

Yreka, CA, USA 🇺🇸

Overview

  • Accepting applications

Summary

There are six positions being advertised. One position each on the Klamath National Forest in Yreka, CA, Mendocino National Forest in Willows, CA, Stanislaus National Forest in Sonora, CA, San Bernardino National Forest in San Bernardino, CA, Angeles National Forest in Arcadia, CA and Inyo National Forest in Bishop, CA.

The incumbent serves as a program manager for soils, watershed, and fisheries management on a Forest Service unit.

For additional information, please see the EDUCATION section.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Current permanent federal employees with competitive status, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP and VEOA eligibles, Farm Service Agency permanent county employees, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas & Foreign Service Employees, Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement & Other Miscellaneous Authorities, People w/Disabilities, Peace Corps & VISTA, Reinstatement, Public Land Corps, Resource Assistant Program, and VRA eligible candidates (GS-11 ONLY).

Duties

  • Duties below are at the full performance level.
  • Provides program leadership in land management planning, project-level analysis, monitoring, restoration, and interagency coordination related to the management of soil and aquatic resources.
  • position provides oversight to the soil and aquatic programs including development of the annual program of work, distribution of the soil/aquatic workload and funding across the forest, and developing and expanding partnerships.
  • Primary advisor for interpreting and meeting compliance with regulatory statutes such as the Federal Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts.
  • Provides essential leadership in program and budget development and management via effective near and long-range priority setting.
  • Stays appraised of regional and national initiatives and guidance, and responds accordingly via annual and long-term program of works.
  • Helps establish aquatic and soil restoration and conservation vision, initiatives, and emphasis areas that can be pursued individually or integrated into larger planning and restoration efforts.
  • Advises and communicates with aquatic and soils specialists on program direction and on workloads and their distributions.
  • Works with the forest leadership and zone specialists on a variety of topics including: program management; forest planning; project-level analysis; appeals and litigation responses, and negotiation; and environmental compliance.
  • Serves as an authority on preparing reports on a variety of complex soil, hydrologic, and fisheries studies. Reports involve analysis of data collected and plans for corrective actions.
  • Provides guidance and technical assistance regarding assessment techniques in soil science, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, and fisheries management.
  • Reviews projects or activities on-the-ground to analyze impacts as a result of such activities and report accordingly as part of Forest Plan monitoring efforts.
  • Manages special studies to improve environmental impact analysis and develop techniques that will assist in minimizing management effects to all forest resources.
  • Performs supervisory duties 20% or less of the time.

Requirements

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

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:
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
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.
OR
Combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field needed to perform the work of the occupation.

GS-1315:
Degree: physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.
OR
Combination of education and experience — course work as shown in A 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-11:
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09). Specialized experience is defined as two or more of the following: Collected, analyzed, and interpreted fisheries and watershed data for input to environmental reports; and/or followed prescribed project plans and applied conventional methods to analyze water samples, fisheries habitat and population surveys, and determined the causes of data anomalies; and/or prepared and carried out water quality monitoring programs, including preparation of plans, collection and analysis of samples, and interpretation of data; and/or prepared reports of findings for assigned parts of interpretive studies and summarized the results of hydrologic investigations.
OR
Have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled)
OR
Have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master’s degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).

For the GS-12:
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11). Specialized experience is defined as three or more of the following: Participated in biological/fisheries, hydrologic and soil productivity investigations and studies required for planning and design of multi-purpose projects; and/or compiled information from investigations and studies into long range prescriptions or plans for fisheries habitat restoration, watershed management, water yield improvement, and/or soils productivity associated with land management project planning; and/or reviewed completed watershed-fisheries rehabilitation projects to determine their effectiveness; and/or participated in the land management planning process as required in the development of environmental assessments or environmental impact statements; and/or participated on interdisciplinary teams to evaluate the impact of land management activities.

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

See Qualifications section for Education requirements.

SUMMARY (cont’d)
Yreka: Please contact Michael Ramsey at 541-891-9653 or michael.ramsey@usda.gov.
Willows: Please contact Bryan Yost at 707-672-9792 or bryan.yost@usda.gov.
Sonora: Please contact Michael Jow at 209-283-4547 or michael.jow@usda.gov.
San Bernardino: Please contact O’dell Tucker at 909-361-8580 or odell.tucker@usda.gov.
Angeles: Please contact Jamie Uyehara at 626-372-6107 or julie.uyehara@usda.gov.
Inyo: Please contact Nathan Sill at 626-698-8996 or nathan.sill@usda.gov.

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. CTAP/ICTAP 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/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran’s Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies 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. 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.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.

For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran’s Recruitment Act (VRA, GS-11 ONLY), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website.

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 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 neither implied or 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/

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

Government Housing is not available.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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:

  • Hydrology
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Problem Solving
  • Project Management
  • Supervision
  • 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/12101747

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

  • Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) supervisor’s phone number and whether or not the supervisor may be contacted for a reference check; 5) other qualifications.
  • If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit: a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

In addition to the above, you must submit the documents below if you claim the following:

  • Current and former Federal employees: 1) Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND 2) Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan.
  • Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Eligible Applicants: please review the required documents for this hiring authority on the Forest Service website.
  • Current permanent FSA County employees: most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action, (SF-50 or equivalent) showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.
  • Veteran Hiring Authorities: VEOA, VRA and 30% Disabled Veterans: DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, that shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active-duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran’s preference must be verified prior to appointment.
  • If claiming 10-point veteran’s preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans’ Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference.
  • Public Land Corps: You must submit a Certificate of Hiring Eligibility FS-1820-0027, dated within two years after completion of Public Land Corps service in the Forest Service.
  • Resource Assistants: You must submit a Certificate of Hiring Eligibility, FS-1820-0028, dated within two years after completion of the Forest Service Resource Assistants program and college transcripts.
  • Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment: Letter from a physician, local, state, or federal rehabilitation office citing eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
  • If claiming eligibility under a special hiring authority or an interchange agreement with another merit system not listed above, see the requirements for that authority and submit the required supporting documentation. Go to: USAJOBS Hiring Path for Special Authorities or Special Hiring Authority for more information.

How to Apply

Please view Tips for Applicants – a guide to the Forest Service application process.

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m., Monday – Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement to be entered into the system prior to its closing.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.

To begin, in USAJOBS click “Apply” and follow the instructions to attach your resume and required documents, complete the assessment questionnaire, and submit your application.

NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency’s staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency’s staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.

Agency contact information

 HRM Contact Center

Phone

1-877-372-7248 X2

Email

HRM_Contact_Center@usda.gov

Address

USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

You must choose to turn on email notifications in your USAJOBS profile if you want to receive important email notifications that may impact your applicant experience (e.g. If you start an application and do not submit it prior to the closing date, USAJOBS will send an email reminder that the closing date is approaching and your application is in an incomplete status).

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

POSITION TYPE

Full-Time

ORGANIZATION TYPE

Government

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

Not Specified

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