Range Technician

Summary Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource. We expect to fill many vacancies. This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year. Duties Initiates and conducts range inventory surveys according to accepted standards and techniques. Safely mixes, maintains, and calibrates herbicides and pesticides for use in rangeland environments. Range Technicians work under the supervision and guidance of professional range or natural resource specialists related to monitoring rangeland conditions. Ensures grazing permits and leases are in compliance. Inspects grazing allotments, forwards issues to higher graded lead or supervisor. Counts livestock and reports on utilization and grazing impact. Maps out areas of use. Inspects range improvement and makes reports. Provide technical support and assistance in range conservation, range management, and range improvement. Identify needed range improvements, assists with monitoring agreements and permit projects for conformance to specifications. Other duties may include weed management and monument inventory. Completing range or vegetation condition and trend studies, utilization, actual use, climatological and other allotment evaluation studies May manage herds of wild horses and burros, process allotment transfers, supervise range use by permits, and investigate unauthorized use. Operates and maintains weed treatment equipment and supplies (UTV s, Herbicide sprayers, hand tools, chainsaws, and herbicides.) Requests replacement parts, new equipment, and supplies as needed. Coordinates pre-inventory mapping (soils, vegetation, etc.) by preliminary delineation in geographic information systems (GIS). Requirements 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. You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position. Some locations may require that you possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position. Qualifications n order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement - please be sure to include this information in your resume. You must meet the qualification requirements to be found qualified. GS-6: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 level. Examples of specialized experience may include assisting with range improvement projects and/or other vegetation management activities to include vegetation monitoring; Collecting resource data; Assisting with the detection of trespass issues for rangeland monitoring activities; and Communicating with stakeholders to resolve conflicts or deviations from licensed use of rangelands. OR- Successful completion of one full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position; -OR- A combination of experience and education to meet total experience. GS-7: One (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS-6 level. Examples of specialized experience are: Assisting with range improvement projects and/or other vegetation management activities to include vegetation monitoring; Collecting data to determine causes of variances, and applicability of data; Assisting with the detection and/or investigation of trespass issues for rangeland monitoring activities; and Communicating with stakeholders to resolve conflicts or deviations from licensed use of rangelands. OR- Successful completion of one full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position; -OR- A combination of experience and education to meet total experience. 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 / Work Environment: The work ranges from sedentary when completing duties in the office to frequent field work requiring a considerable amount of walking, riding, stooping, bending, and lifting. Office work is performed in adequately lighted, heated, and air-conditioned offices. Much of the time is spent in the field where exposure to extremes of heat and cold, rough terrain, insects, snakes, and other hazards are common. The incumbent carefully adheres to all safety procedures to mitigate hazards encountered. Education Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information. 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. This position is not eligible for Telework. All positions may not be filled or they may be filled at different times depending on budget, hiring needs, and requirements. These positions are temporary and are expected to last for up to 6 months. These positions have no promotion potential, if you want to be considered for a higher grade you must apply for the higher grade. If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment. If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)?. The Act allows certain individuals, who have or had time-limited appointments at land management agencies, to compete for any permanent position in the competitive service under "internal" merit promotion procedures. For more information, see the section under Eligibility, which starts with Question #15 (Q15. Who is eligible for appointment under these provisions?). 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. 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. Review our 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.