Rangeland Management Specialist Job

Vacancy No. BLM-NM-25-12566132-DE-OPM Department Bureau of Land Management
Salary $49,025.00 to $95,310.00 Grade 7 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/21/2024 Close Date 11/19/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Albuquerque, NMFarmington, NM


Summary

The Rangeland Management Specialist is located in either the Farmington Field Office, Farmington, NM or the Rio Puerco Field Office, Albuquerque, NM, with responsibility for preparing, evaluating and conducting biological analyses of public rangeland projects.

This position is concurrently open to Merit Promotion eligibles under Announcement Number BLM-NM-25-12566133-MP-OPM.

Duties

  • Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
  • Major duties at the full performance level include advising landowners and land lessees on principles of rangeland management and the laws, regulations, and policies governing management of range resources.
  • Coordinates range and wildlife ecological management with other functional activities in harmony with the concept of multiple use management.
  • Serves as principal contact and negotiator on rangeland resources and activities, maintaining liaison with affected groups and others to ensure compliance with agreed upon plans and desired quality of work.
  • Serves on interdisciplinary teams, evaluating rangeland resource and ecosystem impacts, and identifying alternatives, and trade-offs or results of various rangeland project proposals.
  • Prepares long and short-range plans based on rangeland resource needs/health/capability, available work force, equipment and budget, and public demands for rangeland resource uses.
  • Conducts short- and long-term monitoring of plant community change, trends, grazing impacts; precipitation; soil erosion hazards; to correlate other rangeland resource activities and uses.

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.
  • 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. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the Basic Requirement AND the Minimum Qualification requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. A copy of your official/unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application.

Basic Requirement for the 0454 Series:
1. Education: Successful completion of a bachelor's or higher degree in range management; or a related discipline that included at least 42 semester hours in a combination of the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management, as follows:
  • Range Management -- At least 18 semester hours of course work in range management, including courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning.
  • Directly Related Plant, Animal, and Soil Sciences -- At least 15 semester hours of directly related courses in the plant, animal, and soil sciences, including at least one course in each of these three scientific areas, i.e., plant, animal, and soil sciences. Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or soil classification are acceptable.
  • Related Resource Management Studies -- At least 9 semester hours of course work in related resource management subjects, including courses in such areas as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, and outdoor recreation management.
OR

2. Combination of Education and Experience: Education that includes at least 42 semester hours of course work in the combination of plant, animal, and soil sciences and natural resources management shown 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 is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying:

To qualify for the grade GS-07, you must meet one of the following:

A. Specialized Experience: Have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) assisting with the collection of field data on wildlife habitats and vegetation; (2) assisting with interpretation of aerial photos to determine vegetation types; (3) assisting with assembling biological and vegetation use data from records to determine past wildlife and livestock use; (4) assisting with development or presentation of communication and interpretative programs related to wildlife and their habitats.

B. Education: Have one (1) year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have a master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university. Your graduate level education must include major study in range management; or a related discipline such as plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management. (NOTE: Include a copy of transcripts with your application.).

C. Combination: Combination of education and experience as described above that, when converted to percentages, equal at least 100% of the total requirement. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed in A above. Then determine the amount of your graduate education as a percentage of the requirement listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.)

D. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Meet the requirements for Superior Academic Achievement by earning a bachelor's degree with at least one of the following: (1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher based on a 4.0 scale; (2) a 3.5 GPA or higher for required courses completed in a major field of study during junior and senior year of a 4-year college or university; (3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or a major subdivision of the college, based on completed courses; or (4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies. In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position such as range management; or related discipline that included at least 42 semester hours in a combination of the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management as described under the basic education requirements. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts and final GPA must be reflected on your transcripts, as proof of any claimed education.)

To qualify for the grade GS-09, you must meet one of the following:

A. Specialized Experience: Have at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) serving as an advanced trainee specializing in range management and performing common qualitative and quantitative analyses of range resources; (2) conducting surveys and drafting tentative professional opinions to assist in determining allotment or watershed needs and remedies; (3) assisting in carrying out analytical/scientific assignments in the range management profession such as researching and analyzing data, issues, and information that support range improvement project recommendations.

B. Education: Have two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have a master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university. Your graduate level education must include major study in range management; or a related discipline such as the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.)

C. Combination: Combination of specialized experience and graduate level education described above in A and B which equals 100% of the total requirement. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed in A above. Then determine the amount of your graduate education as a percentage of the requirement listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. Please note only graduate education in excess of one year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify under this option. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.)

Education

Qualifications (Continued):

To qualify for the grade GS-11, you must meet one of the following:

A. Specialized Experience: Have at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) developing and/or managing range conservation, improvement, or treatment plans including designing technical surveys; (2) advising landowners and land lessees on principles of rangeland management and the laws, regulations, and policies governing management of range resources; (3) conducting inventories and monitoring of rangeland resource and activities to document degree of impacts occurring, plant community changes and trend of ecological status or diversity that results.

B. Education: Have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited college or university. Your graduate (Ph.D.) level education must include major study in range management; or a related discipline such as the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.)

C. Combination: Combination of specialized experience and graduate level education described above in A and B which equals 100% of the total requirement. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed in A above. Then determine the amount of your graduate education as a percentage of the requirement listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. Please note only graduate education in excess of two years (36 semester hours, above the Master's level) may be used to qualify under this option (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts as proof of any claimed education.)

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

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).

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.

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".

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

Salary Ranges:

Albuquerque:
GS-07: $49,541 - $64,405
GS-09: $60,597 - $78,776
GS-11: $73,317 - $95,310

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

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 individual works in an office setting at this level, however, in order to gather samples and complete monitoring activities, the individual may frequently be required to walk or ride horses and /or vehicles over rough terrain, perform duties that require recurring bending, crouching, stooping, reaching or lifting. Work may also include lifting of moderately heavy items, such as equipment and samples. Extended periods of driving four-wheel drive vehicles over rough terrain is required to remote areas. Overnight camping is sometimes required. The incumbent may be subjected to hostile wildlife, chemical and physical hazards.

Work Environment: The work of the employee is performed in an office setting. However, frequently when necessary to complete the work, there is outdoor exposure. Outdoor exposure requires some discomfort in extremes of temperature or inclement weather. Outdoor work is performed in remote areas. The work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks and discomfort (e.g., outdoor camping, insect borne disease). Special safety precautions and specialized equipment are required.

The Bureau of Land Management has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

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:
  • Ecology
  • General Engineering
  • Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
  • Rangeland Management
  • Writing

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/19/2024.

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
  3. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  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.

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 11/19/2024. 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 New Mexico State Office
BLM New Mexico, NM-951
301 Dinosaur Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87508
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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