Interdisciplinary (Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit Research Coordinator) - Direct Hire Authority Job

Vacancy No. DE-12568152-25-NM Department National Park Service
Salary $103,409.00 to $158,860.00 Grade 13 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/9/2024 Close Date 10/23/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Columbia, MOLincoln, NE


Summary

A Cooperative Ecosystems Study Unit (CESU) Research Coordinator manages research programs that support National Park units by coordinating with universities, non-governmental agencies, & park management regarding the natural, social, & cultural resource needs of the Region. The CESUs partner with others to understand & manage ecological, biophysical, cultural, economic & social resources in parks, especially those pertaining to landscape scale restoration, conservation & ecosystem management.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen or national. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. This announcement is open until 11:59 pm ET on October 23, 2024 or the date when the 100th application is received, whichever comes first.

Duties

  • Develop and implement an integrated program of natural, social, and cultural resource research to support regional needs
  • Serve as the primary science advisor to the Region and Parks and represent the region on a variety of technical and priority-setting committees
  • Identify researchers to lead projects for which funding has been identified and develop cooperative agreements or other mechanisms to obtain funding for additional research initiatives
  • Evaluate research products prepared by other scientists to ensure applicability to park and ecosystem problems
  • Serve as the primary liaison with the CESU universities and partner agencies
  • Write annual reports summarizing the findings of NPS/CESU research initiatives

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • All requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • A one year probationary period may be required.
  • You are required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license.

Qualifications

In order to be qualified for this position, you must meet both the basic requirement for the series for which you are applying as well as the specialized experience for the grade(s) for which you are applying.

Basic Requirement for GS-0401 Biologist
A. Possess a Bachelor's or higher degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position - OR -
B. Posses a combination of education and experience. This includes courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Basic Requirement for GS-1301 Physical Scientist
A. Possess a Bachelor's or higher degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics - OR -
B. Possess a combination of education and experience. This includes education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Specialized Experience for GS-13: You must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service leading the implementation of ecological research projects/programs which study the human dimension in an ecosystem (e.g. human-wildlife conflict; visitor behavior change; resource preservation); maintaining partnerships with external groups (e.g. academic institutions, state/local/tribal governments) to complete research projects; and preparing a variety of reports and presentations detailing the results of research.
Specialized Experience for GS-14: You must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service leading the development of ecological research projects/programs which study the human dimension in an ecosystem (e.g. human-wildlife conflict; visitor behavior change; resource preservation); establishing partnerships with external groups (e.g. academic institutions, state/local/tribal governments) to complete research projects; identifying and securing funding to complete research projects; and preparing a variety of reports and presentations detailing the results of research.

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.

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

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the 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. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid if the person selected for the position is from outside the local commuting area and is otherwise eligible for reimbursement of relocation expenses under the Federal Travel Regulations (such as current permanent Federal employees).

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service

This notice is being issued to recruit personnel to occupations for which a severe shortage of candidates exists and/or a critical hiring need has been identified. To assist in filling these positions, OPM has granted agencies Direct Hire Authority.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible see http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact Philadelphia Services Branch at philadelphia@opm.gov or 215-861-3074

This announcement may be used to fill one or more positions.

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.

Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualification requirements. Upon receipt of the completed application package, a review of the application will be made to ensure basic qualification requirements are met.

This vacancy will be filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority. Veterans' Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this Authority. All qualified applicants, as determined by HR, will be referred for consideration. While managers and supervisors are not required to conduct interviews, it is highly recommended that they do so in order to assess the competencies of each applicant.

If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied. If a determination is made that an applicant has inflated qualifications or experience on the resume, consideration for the position will be denied, as per OPM regulations.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be received by 11:59 PM (ET) of the closing date of this announcement:

  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:
    • College transcripts
    • 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.
      • For more information on veterans' hiring authorities visit the Feds Hire Vets website.
  4. 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.

How to Apply

A complete application package must be received by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/23/2024 to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  • Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
  • To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • To return to saved application at a later date, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to EO 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Agency contact information

Philadelphia Services Branch
Address
Interior Region 3, 4 and 5
601 Riverfront Drive
Omaha, NE 68102
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive notice once this process is completed (generally 4-6 weeks).


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


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