Community Planner Job

Vacancy No. WO-1614-LWCF-25-12599822-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $60,541.00 to $131,452.00 Grade 9 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/18/2024 Close Date 12/3/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Los Angeles, CADenver, COWashington, DCAtlanta, GA


Summary

These positions are located in Land and Water Conservation Fund Program, in the Land and Water Conservation Fund Program Division, and serves as a Community Planner and a resource and compliance submit matter expert providing technical assistance on several federal compliance matters, but especially requirements related to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Duties

The major duties for these positions are:

  1. Cultivates partnerships and collaborates with state and local government partners to support the development and expansion of conservation and outdoor recreation areas and opportunities.
  2. Identification and analysis of community needs, resources, and problems, and assist local and state officials and citizens to make decisions on goals, policies, priorities, plans, programs, and methods of implementation; Must work through established local, regional, State, and Federal agency policies to develop community assistance goals, and the provision of public outdoor recreation facilities; The preparation of comprehensive, statewide short- and long-range development plans for outdoor recreation facilities and resources based on community needs, program priorities and available funds.
  3. Help officials responsible for decisions to obtain a comprehensive view of problems and operations, to be aware of the range of alternative solutions, and understand the relationship and long range impact of present decisions; work with the physical, climatic, economic, social, political, and financial conditions in communities, the process of change, and the policy questions related to guiding that change.
  4. Supports program reviews for consistency with applicable laws, regulations, program policy, guidance, and procedures.
  5. Coordinate planning activities and programs at and between several jurisdictional levels (local, regional, State, and national); and maintain an overview and evaluate policies and planning documents after initial application to update them or to suggest other approach; Coordinating programs and projects with other Federal, State, and local agencies, public officials, historic preservation offices, local developmental authorities, and other affected non-Federal organizations.
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 3 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/03/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

COMMUNITY PLANNER INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
To be considered for the GS-0020-09/11/12 positions, you must first meet the individual occupational requirements of the 0020 series. If you do not, you will no longer receive consideration.

Individual Occupational Requirements:
  1. A degree in community planning; or related field such as urban affairs, architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, sociology, geography, economics, political science, or public administration that included at least 12 semester hours in the planning process, socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, urban and regional economic analysis, and development finance (Note: Applicants with degrees in related fields, such as those listed above, who do not have the 12 semester hours of specified course work must have had at least 1 year of work experience in community planning acquired under the supervision and guidance of a community planner). OR
  2. A combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major in one of the above disciplines, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the above disciplines of which at least 12 semester hours were in the planning process, and socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
- AND -

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes:
  1. Assist staff in planning, advising and coordinating outdoor recreation and conservation planning documents and projects;
  2. assist staff and partners in assessment of community needs, and in analysis of economic, social and environmental data to make informed decisions;
  3. evaluate planning documents for consistency with local, state and federal agency regulations, policies, programs and operating procedures;
  4. assist in providing technical assistance to staff and organizations regarding local, state and federal environmental regulations related to land use, natural resources, transportation and outdoor recreation; and
  5. support collection of data about the physical, social, or economic factors of a community to develop objectives for major planning projects.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree that is related to the position. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the total number of semester hours completed and divide by 36 (for quarter hours, divide by 54) and multiply the answer by 100 for your education percentage. To calculate your experience percentage, take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months, then multiply the answer by 100. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes:
  1. Provide planning, advising and coordinating outdoor recreation and conservation planning documents and projects;
  2. coordinate technical assistance to staff and partners in assessment of community needs, and perform analysis of economic, social, and environmental data to make informed decisions;
  3. evaluate planning documents for consistency with local, state and federal environmental regulations, policies, programs and operating procedures;
  4. assemble and analyze data and incorporate findings into major planning projects, studies and reports; and
  5. arrange and conduct public meetings, and conferences with partners and the public, community groups, and public agencies related to the development of major plans, and represent the agency before the public on major issues.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 3 years (54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that is related to the position.. You must include transcripts.

-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the total number of semester hours completed and divide by 54 (for quarter hours, divide by 81) and multiply the answer by 100 for your education percentage. To calculate your experience percentage, take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months, then multiply the answer by 100. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes:
  1. Lead and guide planning, coordination and management of outdoor recreation and conservation planning and projects;
  2. facilitate resolution of conflicts and project problems related to land use and environmental impact;
  3. plans, develop and produces comprehensive planning studies to be used as the basis for administrative or budget planning;
  4. assess community needs, interpret regulations and analyze economic social and environmental data to make informed decisions; and
  5. develop and review information and plans, and makes recommendations on complex planning problems related to a variety of land uses involving conflicting factors, economic growth, and the social and cultural welfare of communities.

Volunteer 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.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-12 grade level of this announcement.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wage to calculate locality pay.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Physical Demands: The work is usually sedentary although, at times, requires a high degree of resistance to fatigue, working extended hours when in travel status or engaging in work session where stamina and concentration are necessary to protect the interests of the Government. There is also some walking, bending, and climbing associated with on-site inspections.

Working Conditions: Most of the work is performed in an office setting, auditoriums, and meeting rooms. Occasional travel and field inspections are required.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Partnering
  • Project Management
  • Public Planning
  • Strategic Thinking


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including a panel resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/03/2024:

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. Complete All Required Assessments.
  3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
    • Veterans Preference Documentation:
      • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
      • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
      • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
  4. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  5. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/03/2024. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
    • Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
Please note, the eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you select. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim. Please review the list of documentation provided in the eligibilities language to ensure you provide the appropriate information. You may choose more than one eligibility.

Agency contact information

Katherine Mott
Address
Land and Water Conservation Fund Program
1849 C. Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

Additional Locations


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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