Duties
This position as a Natural Resource Manager, is an outstanding opportunity for a candidate with skills in Geospatial technologies, biological sciences, ecology, or other environmental sciences. Employee will serve as the Natural Resource Manager of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (NST). The position is in Cross Plains, Wisconsin, is supervised by the Trail Manager for the Ice Age NST, with an office building situated on NPS Property along the Ice Ace Age NST route. The NPS property is located within and makes up some acreage of the larger Cross Plains Ice Age National Scientific Reserve and State Park.
The Ice Age NST is a premier recreational footpath that generally follows the edge of the last glacial advance in Wisconsin. The Ice Age NST is administered and managed in partnership between the National Park Service (NPS), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), and Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA). When completed, the Ice Age NST will meander for approximately 1,200 miles through Wisconsin, from Potawatomi State Park in Door County to Interstate State Park in Polk County. Today, approximately 700 miles of the Ice Age NST have been constructed and are open for use. The Ice Age NST preserves outstanding landscapes and landscape features, resulting from continental glaciation. The National Park Service is responsible for overall administration, planning, compliance, interpretation, signage, and some land acquisition.
At the full performance level (GS-09) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
- Carry out provisions of the National Trails System Act (P.L. 90-543, as amended) pertaining to the geospatial aspect of planning and administering of the Ice Age NST.
- Administers all functions related to ArcGIS, technical support, and collecting data with GPS while proposing creative ways to use technology to advance development of the trail and advanced interpretation.
- Creates presentations of findings and effectively communicates project details to interested parties, partners, and members of the public.
- Develop project workplans and implementation strategies leading to the accomplishment of restoration efforts, trail development, mitigation actions, and participate as a member of the planning and interdisciplinary team.
- Interprets variables, trends, correlations, and interrelationships between data and conditions of work projects and provides reports to managers and interested parties.
- Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and teamwork mentality that fosters the commitment to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and supports the goals established with partners.
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
Salary Range Information (Per Annum):
Cross Plains, WI
GS-07: $50,460 - $65,599
GS-09: $61,722 - $80,243
*First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
- Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Direct Deposit participation required.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
- You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally.
- You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
- Driver's License: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position.
- 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.
*Additional Requirements located under Qualifications*
Qualifications
Requirements Continued...
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.
This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications:
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - -unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience and/or education for the series to which you are applying.
(1) Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must meet the Education Requirements described below:
GS-0401:
A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
-OR-
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
GS-1301:
A. Degree: 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. Combination of education and experience: 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.
AND
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
(2) Specialized Experience:
GS-07:
Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) conducting on-site studies and fieldwork; (2) applying natural and/or cultural resources principles and concepts to preservation, conservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of natural, cultural or historic resources; and (3) drafting work plans and implementation strategies for restoration and habitat improvement projects.
-OR-
Education: One year (18 semester hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education from an accredited educational institution concentrated in a field that is directly related to the work of the position to be filled, such as biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, physical science, engineering, mathematics, or related disciplines appropriate to this position.
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: A qualifying combination of graduate level education and specialized experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
-OR-
Superior Academic Achievement: The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work (to determine if you are eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp).
NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.
GS-09:
Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) conducting on-site studies and fieldwork; (2) applying natural and/or cultural resources principles and concepts to preservation, conservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of natural, cultural or historic resources; (3) drafting work plans and implementation strategies for restoration and habitat improvement projects; (4) developing compliance and management projects; and (5) leading planning efforts and management of cultural and natural resources.
-OR-
Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree from an accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, physical science, engineering, mathematics, or related disciplines appropriate to this position. Transcripts must be submitted to demonstrate eligibility.
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: A qualifying combination of graduate level education and specialized experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of 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
This position has a mandatory education requirement.
You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
Additional information
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.
All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.
Physical Demands: The work requires a variety of physical exertion, including long periods of standing, walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, and the frequent lifting and carrying of moderately heavy to heavy objects. The position may also involve strenuous activities such as climbing and working in physically dangerous areas or settings. In addition, documentary research and report writing duties are sedentary, requiring the ability to concentrate and write for extended periods of time.
Work Environment: Work is performed primarily indoors. Occasionally, work may be performed outdoors in all types
of weather. Outdoor assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep slopes, rocky terrain, volcanoes, caves, firelines, arctic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests. On occasion, flying in fixed-winged aircraft and helicopters is possible.
This is an interdisciplinary position. Position may be filled as: Biologist, 0401 or Physical Scientist, 1301.
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
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 assessment(s) required for this position. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.
You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Conservation Biology
- Manages and Organizes Information
- Planning and Evaluating
- Public Planning
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 assessment(s), including a structured resume review.These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.
All qualified non-competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.
DUE WEIGHT: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level.