RANGELAND MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
What you'd do
This position is located in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Field Operations Team. The incumbent performs duties which assist the Team Leader in developing and carrying out a coordinated natural resources conservation program tailored to customers' needs and meeting USDA and NRCS requirements.
Major duties
Conducts on-site inventory evaluations, evaluates resource concerns, interprets soil survey data, and analyzes effects of land-use alternatives on soil, water, plant, air, and animal resources. Creates complete conservation plans, recommends practical practices like rotational grazing and water systems, prepares program contracts, updates existing plans, and leads conservation demonstrations and tours Delivers technical guidance for Farm Bill programs, clarifies cost-share and payment rules, records planning and practice data in NRCS systems, and uses GIS, digital data tools, and NRCS online software. Spot-checks planning and practice application, prepares maps and documentation, completes HEL and Wetland determinations, and ensures work meets NRCS policy and standards and overall compliance. Promotes NRCS via tours and materials, coordinates with agencies and partners, trains staff, assists workload analysis, and supports performance reporting and team leader.
What you need to qualify
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. If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Basic Education Requirement: 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. OR 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 education requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education listed below. Specialized Experience Requirement For the GS-11 grade level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: developing and reviewing multiple-use conservation plans on grazing lands; providing guidance and assistance to landowners and operators, as well as field office staff, on the identification of resource concerns on grazing lands to ensure that conservation plans provide for the application of technically accurate and adequate practices; following up with landowners to implement grazing management plans, evaluate problems, and propose land improvement alternatives; conducting onsite measurement, monitoring, collection, and analysis of data regarding land use and natural resources conditions and trends. OR Education at the GS-11 grade level: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Range Management, Directly Related Plant, Animal, and Soil Sciences, and/or Related Resource Management Studies. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience as listed above. 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 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. You must meet this requirement by the closing date of this announcement.
Before you apply
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