Summary
This position is a Forestry Technician, GS- 0462-7 working for the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, which includes Panther Swamp NWR, Theodore Roosevelt NWR Visitor Center, and Yazoo NWR.
One (1) position will be filled in Yazoo City, MS; Greenville, MS; or Vicksburg, MS. See Additional Information.
This is a term position expected to last 13 months but may be extended up to a total of 4 years at management's discretion.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Open to all U.S. Citizens. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles.
Duties
As a Forestry Technician your duties will be responsible for working across several refuges within the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex and include Panther Swamp NWR, Theodore Roosevelt NWR Visitor Center, or Yazoo NWR. Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Gathers a variety of resource information to prepare forestry portion of planning documents, amendments to plans, etc.
- Conducts reconnaissance of management areas, timber sale boundaries, roads, and property lines. Performs site evaluations and unit design for proposed management tracts. Recognizes variations in stand conditions such as species composition, structure, and age. Proposes silvicultural treatments and assists with developing management prescriptions. Reads physical characteristics of terrain as they relate to logging and trucking equipment.
- Conducts data collection following specific inventory and monitoring protocols. Prepares data for computation and enters into data management systems, when such are available. Conducts surveys, analysis, and reporting to assess pre and post management conditions including surveys to estimate stand conditions and timber volume. Establishes permanent plot when needed.
- Serves as timber sale contract administrator on final harvest and/or commercial thinning timber sales. Uses established regulations and guidelines to function as a contract administrator. Uses accepted cruising practices and sampling techniques for timber sales or contract modifications.
- Serves as a crew leader for various forestry projects. Organizes, schedules, and executes work crew assignments; documents work progress; and ensures each project is properly completed and recorded. Reports on status of work to supervisor and ensures all record keeping is complete and accurate. Provides advice, assistance, and training to lower graded technicians involved in various projects, as necessary.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Resume (See "Required Documents"). Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is provided on resume.
- Eligibility and Supporting documents - You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to AND submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section.
- Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
- Driver's License: Selectees MAY be required to possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during their tenure.
- Uniform: Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform required.
- Trial period required.
- Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. To verify registration, visit SSS.gov.
Qualifications
Only experience and education obtained by 05/20/2024 will be considered.
In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification.
Minimum Qualification [GS-7]
A. I have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level in the Federal service that equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience may include: 1) Planning and carrying out forest inventories for the purpose of estimating tree density, species, composition, regeneration, timber volumes, timber types, etc.; 2) Selectively marking timber for sale in accordance with approved silvicultural techniques and determining the volumes of trees to be sold; 3) Inspecting timber harvest operations to ensure compliance with provisions of Special Use Permits; 4) Assisting in conducting pest surveys and carrying out approved control measures; 5) Assisting in conducting systematic forest resource surveys and inventories to collect field data used in preparation of both long and short range management prescriptions. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient detail of this level of work, i.e., complete begin/end dates, hours worked per week, duties performed, etc. for each timeframe for consideration.
(OR)
B. I have completed at least 1 year (18 semester hours) of graduate level education directly related to this position. NOTE: Transcripts required.
(OR)
C. I have a combination of successfully completed graduate level education, and specialized experience (both as described above) that, when computed as percentages of their respective requirements, equals at least 100% when combined. NOTE: Transcripts required and your resume must contain sufficient information, e.g., complete begin/end dates, hours worked per week, duties performed, etc., for each period of work for consideration to meet this standard.
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
PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.
PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)
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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications outlined above.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
- Knowledge of technical concepts, principles, methods, processes, and procedures associated with forestry sufficient to plan, manage, inventory, monitor, assess and implement forestry projects involving specialized or complex procedures; identify and correct deficiencies; resolve operational problems.
- Ability to utilize various types of computer programs and software applications related to a forestry program sufficient to enter, maintain, and retrieve information from various automated systems and databases.
- Ability to communicate technical information to various audiences; make recommendations based on preliminary data interpretation or analysis; present information that increases understanding of programs, policies, and objectives.
All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified
The category rating process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).
Required Documents
You must submit a complete application package. We will not make assumptions about your experience and/or education.
Required Documents:
1. Resume: You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed, and description of job duties. Note: Current and former Federal employees should include the grade level of their federal positions. Include name and address of employer, supervisor name and telephone number. Additional information on what to include can be found here. Your experience needs to address every required qualification. Note: Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
Additional Documentation, if applicable:
1. Cover Letter
2. College Transcripts: Please refer to the education section above for additional information. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A copy of your official transcripts may be required if you are selected.
3. Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 Member Copy 2 or 4 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, attach an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference in addition to the proof required by that form (i.e. VA letter). You may not be awarded preference if you do not attach the correct Veteran Documentation as specified above.
4. CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
4. Current and former federal employees - It is recommended that you submit a copy of your SF-50(s) (Notification of Personnel Action) to support your experience. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointments/separations, promotions, within-grade increases.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
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
Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section.
Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
- Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12408880.
- Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application.
- Applications must be received by 05/20/2024 ,11:59pm ET to receive consideration.
- Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Human Resources Office via email at fwshiring@fws.gov.
Next steps
Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official.
You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.
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