Landscape Architect (Historical) Job in El Portal, CA

Vacancy No. PW-1549-YOSE-25-12605792-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $72,758.00 to $94,583.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/18/2024 Close Date 11/29/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
El Portal, CA


Summary

This position is located in Yosemite National Park and is responsible for the identification, research, planning, treatment, and preservation maintenance of cultural landscapes.

This is a Career-Seasonal appointment. Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work for approximately 11 1/2 months, and you will be in a non-pay status for two weeks.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to the public and ICTAP/CTAP (Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program) eligibles.

Duties

  • Performs landscape architectural duties associated with review, design, treatment, and monitoring of cultural landscapes.
  • Develops and maintains liaisons and effective working relations with related groups and individuals, agencies, and the public.
  • Identifies research needs and suitable research designs and conducts or oversees various levels of documentary research and field investigation.
  • Conducts on-site investigations of project sites to determine the feasibility of proposed projects.
  • Conducts and coordinates cultural landscape research projects related to the identification, documentation, analysis and evaluation, and treatment.
  • Prepares and maintains cultural landscape inventories,
  • Prepares cultural landscape reports on existing conditions and defining treatment actions.
  • Negotiates cooperative and interagency agreements and other cooperative instruments needed to effectively carry out resource stewardship goals.

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.
  • You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle incidental to your official duties. A valid driver's license is required.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • 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 one night per month on (on average). 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-11/29/2024-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.

To qualify for this Landscape Architect, GS-0807-11 position, you must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

Basic Requirements/Individual Occupational Requirements

A Bachelor's or higher degree in landscape architecture or landscape design.

OR

A combination of education and experience that when combined equals four years. For each year short of graduation from a bachelor's program as listed above, you must have had one year of experience under the professional guidance of a landscape architect/designer. Your experience must have included original landscape design.

IN ADDITION TO THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS/INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATION REQUIREMENTS, YOU MUST POSSESS THE FOLLOWING:

Minimum Qualifications

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities/competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes assisting in the identification, research, planning, treatment, and preservation maintenance of conventional historic landscapes; identifying threats and needs and conducting on-site investigations of project sites to determine the feasibility of proposed projects including the development of design alternatives and subsequent analysis to ensure the project is consistent with policies, guidelines, standards and environmental and cultural compliance laws and regulations to include the National Historic Preservation Act, and conducting and coordinating cultural landscape research projects related to the identification, documentation, analysis, evaluation, and preservation treatment of cultural landscapes.

OR

3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree in Landscape Architecture or Landscape Design.

OR

A combination of higher-level education leading to a Ph.D./equivalent doctoral degree and specialized experience as described above that when combined is equal to at least 100 percent of the minimum qualifications required for the position.

PLEASE NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies each course, college or university, semester or quarter hour earned, grade received, and date completed. If you fail to submit, your application will not be considered and you will be rated ineligible.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST:

1. Clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, title of position, starting and ending dates of employment (month and year).
2. Must reflect work schedule as full-time and/or part-time and the total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time or part-time).3. If part-time, (the number of hours worked must be indicated) and will be pro-rated to determine the amount of qualified specialized experience.

You will not receive credit for experience that does not indicate the exact hours worked per week or is listed as "varies."

Please ensure your resume/employment history includes all the information listed above.

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.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

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: The work is basically sedentary with occasional physical activity (walking, climbing, bending, stooping) during fieldwork, and may require visits to remote sites which require walking or riding over rough, uneven surfaces. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time.

Working Conditions: The work is basically sedentary with occasional physical activity (walking, climbing, bending, stooping) during fieldwork, and may require visits to remote sites which require walking or riding over rough, uneven surfaces. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time.

This is a Career-Seasonal position subject to release and recall procedures. A permanent career-seasonal position includes all the benefits of permanent employment but does not provide employment on a full year-round basis. As such, the selected applicant will be in a non-pay/non-duty status for at least 2 weeks to 6 months per year based on project requirements. Selectees are guaranteed to work at least 6 months per year but not more than 50 weeks per year, with the work schedule to be determined upon appointment. The typical non-pay season for Yosemite National Park is mid-December through late January but can be variable during these months due to project requirements or weather conditions.

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:
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Partnering
  • Research
  • Technical Competence
  • 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 resume review panel. 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 11/29/2024:

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, beginning and ending 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.
  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 11/29/2024. 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.

Agency contact information

Sharon Sample
Address
Yosemite National Park
5037 Stroming Road
Mariposa, CA 95338
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.