Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals . Note: Federal employees with permanent status or individuals eligible for special appointing authorities may also apply to Job Announcement #26A-SR-313381-MPA-FM. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

The Biologist (Arboriculture) is responsible for the landscape environment, the art of planting and care of trees and woody plants, including their maintenance, safety, health assessment, and recommending suitable tree species for specific environments located on Smithsonian grounds.

In this position, you will:

• Perform skillful tree care using a wide range of concepts, principles, and practices of the biology, agriculture, or natural resources field.
• Update tree database using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, integrating arboricultural field data to meet evolving program needs.
• Assist in preparing contract documentation, including statements of work, purchase requests, and bid abstracts, to support arboriculture services.
• Serve as a key arboricultural specialist within Smithsonian Gardens, contributing to the development and implementation of a comprehensive tree care program.

Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• May need to complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications 

1. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

   OR

2. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:

Experience:

GS-11: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as cultivating trees and managing the health and safety of a tree collection; updating tree inventory data; developing tree care plans for assigned areas including pruning cycles, pest management, and soil improvement strategies; providing technical guidance to horticulture staff on proper pruning, planting and maintenance practices; overseeing contractor work for pruning, removals, and plant health care to ensure compliance with specifications.

Or Education: Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree directly related to this position may be substituted to meet the experience requirements.

Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

GS-12: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as cultivating trees and managing the health and safety of a tree collection; designing and implementing an organizational wide tree management program(s) which includes risk assessment protocols, inventory systems, long-term canopy strategies and interdisciplinary coordination; developing specifications, standards and policies for pruning, removal, planting and tree health care across multiple sites; and managing large-scale contracts which includes writing technical specifications, evaluating proposals, budget development and overseeing performance.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual 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.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume will be used to evaluate your experience, education, and/or training that address the competencies below:

• Ability to perform proper tree care.
• Ability to manage a tree collection.
• Ability to oversee contracted work.
• Ability to determine and treat tree health concerns. 

Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:

Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job-related competencies above.

Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job-related competencies above.

Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job-related competencies above to a substantive degree.

This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position.

Important Note:

The review of your resume will determine your final rating and should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Your application package should include the following documents:

• Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder. Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), and hours worked per week, for each employment period. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted. Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position.

  For assistance with creating a resume, please click USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
• Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran. Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter.
• Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment.
• Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.

Next steps