Rangeland Management Specialist

This announcement is being advertised as a Forest Service National Hiring effort to fill multiple vacancies. Positions may be filled at one or more of the duty locations included in this announcement. Final determination of the duty location will be made at the time of the job offer.

? For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Joshua Voorhis at joshua.voorhis@usda.gov.

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• Duties are listed at the GS-11 grade level.
• Prepare long and short-range plans based on rangeland resource needs/health/capability, available work force, equipment and budget, and public demands for rangeland resource uses.
• Serve as principal contact and negotiator for the District on rangeland resources and activities.
• Prepare and review ecological assessments for inclusion in the environmental documentation record as a basis for rangeland project decisions.
• Prepare and review Environmental Analysis Reports and review applications for rangeland use permits or other rangeland use agreements.
• Review rangeland conditions with rangeland users/permittees to identify and resolve rangeland management problems
• Serve as principal contact and negotiator on rangeland resources and activities.

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• 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.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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-0454 Series

• Degree: range management; or a related discipline that included at least 42 semester hours in a combination of the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management, as follows: Range Management -- At least 18 semester hours of course work in range management, including courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning. Directly Related Plant, Animal, and Soil Sciences -- At least 15 semester hours of directly related courses in the plant, animal, and soil sciences, including at least one course in each of these three scientific areas, i.e., plant, animal, and soil sciences. Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or soil classification are acceptable. Related Resource Management Studies -- At least 9 semester hours of course work in related resource management subjects, including courses in such areas as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, and outdoor recreation management.
• Range Management -- At least 18 semester hours of course work in range management, including courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning.
• Directly Related Plant, Animal, and Soil Sciences -- At least 15 semester hours of directly related courses in the plant, animal, and soil sciences, including at least one course in each of these three scientific areas, i.e., plant, animal, and soil sciences. Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or soil classification are acceptable.
• Related Resource Management Studies -- At least 9 semester hours of course work in related resource management subjects, including courses in such areas as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, and outdoor recreation management.

• Combination of education and experience: at least 42 semester hours of course work in the combination of plant, animal, and soil sciences and natural resources management 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-07 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level;

One full year of graduate level education in a related field of study.

Appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education.

Superior Academic Achievement (to determine if you are eligible, go to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/. The education was obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following:

• Collected basic data from on-the-ground observations to determine rangeland activity suitability, ecological health, ecological status, trend and grazing capacity of the rangeland resource;
• Gathered basic information for rangeland vegetation programs and monitored strategies and activity permits for compliance and on-the-ground results; and/or
• Assisted with rangeland improvement projects and maintenance.

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;

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.

Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following:

• Assisted senior specialists in performing scientific and technical analysis and/or providing technical advice concerning rangeland management topics and/or issues;
• Assisted in performing recurring, well-defined, and moderately difficult range improvement projects such as preparing allotment management plans, locating, designing, and placing fences, signs, cattle guards, determining stocking and rotation plans and similar projects; and/or
• Assisted in preparing segments of conventional range use plans under multiple-use sustained yield concepts or developing simple activity plans.

See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

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 eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

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.

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.

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

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. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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 window Learn 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.