Education Specialist Job in Munising, MI

Vacancy No. MW-1544-PIRO-25-12629156-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $59,966.00 to $77,955.00 Grade 9 to 9
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/18/2024 Close Date 1/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Munising, MI


Summary

This position works in the Interpretation and Education Division at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, Michigan. The purpose of the position is to carry out the education specialist duties.


This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This job is open to United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) and those eligible under ICTAP/CTAP

Duties

MAJOR DUTIES:

  • Teaches and oversees the day-to-day operations of the park's education program. Coordinates the development, implementation, and evaluation of interdisciplinary curriculum-based education programs for school groups to meet the Michigan State Standards and support place-based education in a nearshore Great Lakes environment. The programs contain pre-site, field visit, and post-site components. Collaborates with professional educators to ensure that materials meet the needs of the park and the schools. Evaluates and selects the appropriate instructional methodology for all pre-K-12th grade programs.
  • Schedules, plans, and leads professional development or teacher workshops that trains on curriculum and prepares educators to bring their classes to the park, and to help teachers prepare and present programs about park and Great Lakes resources to their students.
  • Maintains partnerships with different agencies and groups such as U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Michigan State University - Extension to support interagency curriculum-based programming.
  • Oversees youth-based community engagement and outreach programs either on or off site.
  • Maintains and inventories and makes recommendations for purchases of program supplies and equipment.

Area Information:
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior between the communities of Munising (population 2,500). The duty station for this position is Munising. Amenities in Munising include basic shopping, medical facilities, and K-12 schools. Basic shopping and medical facilities are available in Munising. Summers are generally warm and pleasant. The winter season may extend from October to May and is often characterized by cold temperatures and seasonal snowfall in excess of 140 inches. The area is rich in outdoor sporting activities including hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, biking, camping, and skiing. Government housing is not available.
Hiring Contact: Alisa Hardin-Lapp, alisa_hardin-lapp@nps.gov

Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work from approximately 12/28 to 12/15 and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year.

Open to the first 101 applicants or until 01/03/2025 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Direct Deposit: Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Driver's License: You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
  • Uniform: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • Probationary Period: If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • Minimum Age Requirement: 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-01/03/2025-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.

Basic Requirement: One of the basic requirements must be met to be considered for this position. Failure to demonstrate you meet the basic requirement will result in disqualification.

EDUCATION: a degree that included or was supplemented by major study in education or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position
OR
COMBINATION: Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in education, or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position, plus appropriate experience or additional course work that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in A above.
- AND -
Along with the basic requirement above, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement to qualify at the GS-9 level:

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 activities such as: professional level experience in conducting and applying experiential education techniques and methods, organizing work, setting priorities, and determining resource requirements, determining short and long term goals and strategies to achieve them, coordinating with other organizations or colleagues to accomplish goals, monitor and evaluate progress. Providing oversight of curriculum-based education programs and staff. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited institution in education, educational leadership, general psychology, human development, teaching methods at the elementary or secondary learning level. Areas of major study include education, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, social sciences, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
COMBINATION: I do not have the amount of specialized experience and/or graduate or higher-level education described above; however, I do have a quantity of specialized experience and graduate or higher-level education of the type described above that when combined, the total percentage equals at least 100 to qualify for the position. NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first year maybe combined with experience to qualify applicants for positions at the GS-09 grade. PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must submit a copy of your transcripts (A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected).

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.

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.

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.

Physical Demands: Work responsibilities require occasional heavy lifting, strenuous periods of walking, hiking and snowshoeing on rough, uneven trails throughout the park for distances of two miles or more, long periods of standing or sitting and working in sometimes harsh weather conditions of snow, cold, wind, rain, heat and humidity. Working in close contact with large groups of children can increase the risk of communicable diseases. Work requires the operation of a motor vehicle, including driving in snowy and icy conditions. The job can be stressful due to multiple priorities, weather, and safety issues of working with groups of minors.

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office as well as in the field. Office work will require the ability to sit for extended periods of time working at a computer. Field work involves regular and recurring outdoor exposure to moderate risks and discomforts associated with the visiting remote park sites including deep snow, temperatures that can drop below zero, and temperatures that can exceed 90 degrees during the summer months. Winter programming is the main focus of the park's education program. The park receives 200+ inches of snow a year, much of it comes as lake-effect blowing snow causing white-out and blizzardlike conditions. Driving to park sites, schools and partner sites in winter means driving up to two hours each way on snow-packed and icy roads.

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:
  • Education and Training
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Teaching Others
  • Technology Application
  • Writing


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 subject matter expert panel Resume Review

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/03/2025:

  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 01/03/2025. 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.

Agency contact information

NPS MW East Talent Team
Address
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
N8391 Sand Point Road
Munising, MI 49862
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.


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


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