Forester (Public Domain)

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. A copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application.

You must meet the BASIC Requirement *AND* the ADDITIONAL Requirement in order to qualify for this position.

Basic Requirement: This position has a basic education requirement which requires that applicants have a degree in forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have included courses in each of the following areas: (1) Management of Renewable Resources -- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management; (2) Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology; and (3) Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic entry requirement, applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related education of the position to be found qualified.

To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. Specialized experience for the GS-11 Forester: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in forestry related work. Examples include experience in applying forest management principles and practices as well as related laws, regulation and policies sufficient to support forestry-oriented, multiple-use land management programs such as land use planning, litigation, protests and appeals, trespass, public review and coordination, contracting survey and records, prescription/planning, silviculture projects, cruising/appraising and forest and woodland products sales; OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in the field of forestry or directly related fields of study; OR have an equivalent combination of the type and level of experience and education described above. Only graduate level education in excess of the first two years may be combined with 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.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

You must meet all qualifications by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: Work is divided between activity in an office environment and moderate to heavy physical activity in the field. The ability to safely operate four-wheel drive vehicles and ATVs is necessary. During winter conditions, operation of over-snow vehicles such as snow machines and the Thiokol are necessary. The ability to walk over steep, rough, uneven or rocky terrain at extreme elevations is required. Also hiking through extremely dense brush, logging slash and tree covered terrain, often wet or occasionally snow covered is required.

Work Environment: Some work is performed in an adequately lighted, heated, and air-conditioned office. However, considerable outdoor activity is required to complete project work. The outdoor activity involves working in isolated or back country areas, working at high altitudes, working alone, working in extreme weather conditions, and travel in hazardous terrain. Safety precautions are required, and the employee must wear protective equipment in the forest area.