Interdisciplinary Ecologist/Botanist Job in Gunnison, CO

Vacancy No. BLM-SWD-25-12565924-DE-OPM Department Bureau of Land Management
Salary $49,025.00 to $94,317.00 Grade 7 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/16/2024 Close Date 10/25/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Gunnison, CO


Summary

This position is located in the BLM Colorado, Southwest District Gunnison Field Office.

Salary Range Per Grade Level:

  • GS-07 $49,025 to $63,733
  • GS-09 $59,966 to $77,955
  • GS-11 $72,553 to $94,317

Duties

  • Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
  • Coordinate various actions dealing with the management of native plants, with other offices, resource specialists, professionals, and other interested groups.
  • Perform various scientific duties requiring analysis of problems and issues related to the botany/plant ecology/restoration ecology program.
  • Develop strategies or restoration projects to overcome significant resource problems involved with resources management.
  • Conduct plant inventories for threatened and endangered plants and special status species plants, serving as a data steward or curator for all botanical, ecological, and vegetative data.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • May be required to complete background investigation and drug screening.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents).
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license. Occasionally Operates a Government Motor Vehicle.
  • You will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 nights per month.
  • Will perform Procurement and COR duties.
  • May be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet (1) BASIC Requirement *AND* the ADDITIONAL Requirement described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application.

BASIC REQUIREMENT GS-0408 (Ecologist) Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree or higher in biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. This education must have been completed in an accredited college or university.

BASIC REQUIREMENT GS-0430 (Botanist)
A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's or higher in botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, from an accredited college or university. Courses in basic botany, plant anatomy or morphology, cytology, histology, genetics, taxonomy or systematics, algology, mycology, ethnobotany, and those dealing with specific problems of a botanical nature or with specific groups of plants are qualifying.
OR,
B. Have a combination of education and experience that includes courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field.

AND,
Additional Qualification Requirements- To be considered minimally qualified for this position, in addition to the Basic Requirement above, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education below for the grade level (s) for which you are applying.

Specialized Experience GS-07: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05 level in the Federal Service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) collecting and reviewing botany, plant ecology, and/or restoration ecology data for accuracy and any discrepancies; 2) reviewing requests for access and use of public lands and assisting with the processing of permit applications to ensure compliance with appropriate Federal law; 3) providing assistance to specialists and senior staff in the analysis or computation of data in support of botany, soils, watershed, rangeland, or wildlife programs.
OR,
Education GS-07: Successful completion of one year of graduate-level education which included a major study in fields such as botany, related plant sciences, ecology, biological sciences, physical sciences, or directly related fields which demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct the work of this position.
OR,
Combination of Education/Specialized Experience GS-07: Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as described above, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement.
OR,
Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) GS-07: Successful completion of a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for this position as described above from an accredited college or university, and meets one of the requirements for Superior Academic Achievement based on the following: (1) class standing (upper third standing in the graduating class of a college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses); (2) grade-point average (3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0) as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or (3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. (NOTE: You must submit a transcript that shows a confer/completion date)

Specialized Experience GS-09: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07 grade level in the Federal Service(obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) conducting inventories or surveys of plant communities and sites of rare species; 2) monitoring land management programs to identify impacts on various ecosystem components; 3) working with other offices, resource specialists, professionals, and other interested groups in planning and accomplishing plant species monitoring, conservation project implementation and management; 4) analyzing and synthesizing scientific information for inclusion in reports and planning/environmental documents.
OR,
Education GS-09: Successful completion of two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree, or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct the work of this position. Such fields include botany, related plant sciences, ecology, biological sciences, physical sciences, or directly related fields.
OR,
Combination of Education/Specialized Experience GS-09: Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as described above, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. Please note only graduate education in excess of one year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify under this option. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

Specialized Experience GS-11: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 grade level in the Federal Service(obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) developing and conducting investigations or studies of botanical/plant ecology related projects and activities affecting natural resource management; 2) analyzing problems or issues which may be affecting botany, plant ecology, and/or restoration ecology programs to identify source and develop solutions; 3) providing consultation on development of strategies for overcoming botanical, plant ecology resources or environmental issues, conditions or problems; 4) providing technical advice on proper collection and preservation of specimens; performance of tests and non-routine procedures; and organization of field data.
OR,
Education GS-11: Successful completion of three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct the work of this position. Such fields include botany, related plant sciences, ecology, biological sciences, physical sciences, or directly related fields.
OR,
Combination of Education/Specialized Experience GS-11: Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as described above, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. Please note only graduate education in excess of two years (36 semester hours) may be used to qualify under this option. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

*Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.*

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.

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.

Additional information

This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-11. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

Physical Demands:
The work is typically performed in an office setting with no special physical demands. However, work may also be performed in the field which involves periods of walking, bending, climbing, or driving motor vehicles to worksites. The work may also involve some overnight travel for training, meetings, and site visits.
or
Field work routinely requires physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing or walking over rough, uneven, rocky surfaces or mountainous terrain; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, or reaching; using hand tools such as shovels, trowels, or screening devices; and lifting of moderately heavy items such as equipment and samples.

Work Environment: The work is usually performed in an office setting. However, work time may also be spent occasionally visiting field sites. Field site visits are typically performed in either an outdoor setting subject to weather changes, diverse terrain, and safety hazards associated with working around complex features and/or construction. Both settings may require the use of personal protective equipment. Safety precautions and protocols are observed at all times and the incumbent complies with safety instructions and regulations and ensures individual and others' safety by promptly reporting unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, and accidents to the supervisor.

Tax Law Impact for PCS: Moving expenses reimbursement is a taxable benefit. However, the Federal Travel Regulation 18-05 issued by General Services Administration has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance and Relocation Income Tax Allowance to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

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 90 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 San Antonio Services Branch at SASBMailbox@opm.gov or 816-541-8101.

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.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

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.

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 resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed below that are required to successfully perform the job.

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:
  • Botany
  • Manages and Organizes Information
  • Project Management
  • Technical Competence

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/25/2024.

  1. Resume must include a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. 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". If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. 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. NOTE: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
  2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
  3. College transcripts.
  4. 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.
    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 90 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

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 10/25/2024. 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.
  13. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

Agency contact information

San Antonio Services Branch
Address
BLM Colorado State Office
Denver Federal Center
Building 40
Lakewood, CO 80225
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.

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

More than one position may be filled from this announcement, at the discretion of Federal hiring officials. Department of the Interior may share the list of eligible candidates with other Federal agencies/departments, authorized to appoint new employees under the same hiring procedures if the position is in the same: job series, grade level, promotion potential, and in the same geographic locations (including the same metro/commuting area) provided herein. You will have the opportunity to "opt-in" to appear on a shared list. "Opt-in" does not guarantee your application will be shared, but you will be contacted in the event your application is shared.


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


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