Natural Resources Specialist

Summary Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. This position is located in North Bend, OR and Spokane, WA. Information about and the surrounding area can be found at: North Bend, OR Spokane, WA 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 Compiles, analyzes, and summarizes survey, inventory, and monitoring data for input into reports. Conduct field surveys to inventory and monitor the status and condition of wildlife/aquatic and plant species and their habitats. Maintains equipment and data loggers, advises all specialists of the water quality, implements riparian and water monitoring projects. Assists with the implementation and monitoring of management plans. Inventories, treats, and monitors invasive weeds plus proposes, develops, and implements projects to control invasive weed species. 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 max. 2-page 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. Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application. BASIC REQUIREMENTS for the Natural Resources Specialist GS-0401 position. You must meet one of the following: 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 biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR- Have an appropriate combination of education and experience, courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education related to the position which demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study. Appropriate experience may include work identifying plants, trees, or wildlife using taxonomic keys; vegetation management using hand tools or herbicides including farm, nursery, or landscaping work; experience surveying or monitoring for plants, fisheries, or wildlife; experience collecting data in outdoor field settings; experience with general field work in inclement weather or remote/rugged settings. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements, to be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying: You qualify for the grade GS-05 if you meet the Basic Requirements. To qualify for the grade GS-07, you must meet one of the following: Have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: compiling biological reports for review by higher graded specialist, conducting surveys for wildlife and plant species and their respective habitats, assessing ecological site conditions, analyzing environmental impacts, protecting environmental resources. -OR- Successful completion of 1 year of graduate education in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct the work of this position such as biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR- Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above which, when combined, equals 100% of the total requirement. -OR- Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for this position, such as biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, from an accredited college or university, and meet one of the requirements for Superior Academic Achievement based on the following: (1) class standing (upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.); (2) grade-point average (3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as computed based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. 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 Environments: Work requires some physical exertion such as bending and walking/hiking in terrain that is rough, rocky, mountainous and densely vegetated that may also be steep, wet and muddy. Required to lift and carry equipment necessary to perform the work of the position, this includes tools, personal protective equipment, food and water for extended periods away from a vehicle. Work while in the office is performed in adequately lighted, ventilated, cooled and heated area. Fieldwork is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme and adverse weather conditions and injuries and discomforts from pests and animals. Education Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. As a general rule, education is not creditable above GS-5 for most positions covered by this standard; however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position. 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 This is a temporary seasonal appointment, defined as employment in a position performing annually recurring work lasting less than six months per year, not to exceed 1039 hours per service year. The service year is a 12-month period beginning on the employee's initial DOI appointment date. Employees may hold more than one appointment within the same service year, provided the appointments are to different positions. Training Hours:- For initial appointments, employees may receive additional training hours that do not count toward the 1,039-hour limit during the first 120 days following appointment.- For subsequent appointments, employees may receive up to 80 hours (two weeks) of training per year following reappointment, without regard to the service-year limitation. Spokane Salary: $40,948 to $50,723 per year. 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.