Shire Jobs

Summary Position can be located in a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State, Area, or District/Field Office and serves as the State Grazing Specialist on the Ecological Sciences or Technical Support staff. The incumbent assists the immediate staff, area offices, technical offices and field offices in all technical aspects of pasture, forage and livestock management. This position also provides technical support for managing plant communities especially within pastures and other grasslands. Responsibilities Provide leadership, technical guidance and training on grazing, forage and livestock management related practices assigned for incorporation into conservation plans of operation for all programs and activities administered by the agency. Develop standards and specifications, technical notes, informational materials, job sheets or implementation guides, proper use grazing related tools, and other programmatic technical information as needed for state wide distribution. Initiate solutions for problems and situations under a wide geographic and environmentally diverse area. Work effectively on many different unrelated processes, methods and problem-solving techniques. Identify and evaluate problems impacting natural resource management. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions and specialized experience as defined below. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. (e.g. one year at the GS-11 grade level for consideration for the GS-12 grade level; one year at the GS-9 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level). Basic Education Requirement: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level or higher in Federal service. The specialized experience is defined as: Investigating, analyzing and advising on a variety of natural resource management problems and conditions in accordance with established criteria; Assists in identifying and evaluating problems Impacting pasture, forage, livestock and plant communities management, and develops solutions In compliance with applicable legislation, regulation and agency policy. OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience: 3 year(s) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in Federal service. The specialized experience is defined as: Experienced with resource area compliance and applicable legislation, regulation and agency policy; Investigating, analyzing and evaluating problems and situations involving a wide variety of circumstances or unusual conditions; developing new or improved techniques, criteria or alternatives to meet requirements involving specific natural resources, research problem and issues, or agency clinical activities; and upgrading current capabilities involving natural resources. Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 level. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: General Schedule Qualification Standards (opm.gov) 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. Education If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information. Failure to provide all of the required documents/information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. Additional Information ?Locality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables my be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Promotion Potential: 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 neither implied nor guaranteed. Physical Demands: The work requires regular and recurring prolonged walking over field terrain, and bending, lifting, stretching and climbing while utilizing survey instruments and equipment. Dexterity in the use of computers and drafting tools is necessary. Design preparation and computations require sitting and/or standing at the office location. Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring exposure to operating agricultural and construction equipment. Protective gear and clothing are necessary, including hard hats, boots, and gloves. All safety precautions are observed while working around equipment. The work often involves exposure to deep snow, ice, herbicide and chemical spray operations and severe cold. Adequate protective clothing is required to preserve health and safety. Use of farm biosecurity clothing, washes and procedures may be required. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline. This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.