Rangeland Management Specialist

Clarification from the agency

This is a Merit Promotion announcement for current and former career and career conditional Federal employees, Career Transition eligibles (CTAP & ICTAP) and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.

This job is also open in another announcement to:

The public

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Position Overview
As a Rangeland Management Specialist, you will help care for the health of public lands and support the people who rely on them. Your work will blend time outdoors assessing rangeland conditions with time in the office evaluating information, preparing recommendations, and coordinating with ranchers, Tribes, partners, and other resource specialists.

You will collect and analyze scientific data, develop clear management plans, review grazing proposals, and help ensure rangelands remain productive, resilient, and available for multiple uses. You will also play a key role in explaining processes, sharing information, and building constructive working relationships with land users and community members.

Whether you join at a developmental level or the full performance level, you will receive training, mentorship, and support to grow your technical skills and professional confidence.

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Lead rangeland evaluations and monitoring activities by collecting, interpreting, and analyzing field data to determine rangeland health, trends, and management needs. You will assess vegetation, soils, riparian conditions, and resource impacts to help guide land-use decisions.
• Develop and implement conservation and grazing management plans by preparing allotment evaluations, drafting technical recommendations, and contributing to multiple-use decisions. You will ensure plans align with laws, policies, land-use plans, and resource objectives.
• Review and process grazing permits, authorizations, and related casework by evaluating proposals for compliance, recommending mitigation measures, resolving unauthorized use, and preparing clear and defensible documentation. You may provide expert input during protests, appeals, or hearings.
• Plan and design range improvements and vegetation treatments to support healthy rangeland conditions. This includes coordinating structural improvements, developing vegetation management approaches, and considering sensitive resources such as riparian areas and threatened or endangered species.
• Collaborate with ranchers, Tribes, landowners, partner agencies, and interdisciplinary teams to identify issues, share information, build consensus, and support responsible land stewardship. You will serve as a technical advisor and help others understand rangeland conditions, requirements, and management options.
• Prepare planning documents, environmental analyses, and technical reports that clearly communicate findings, recommendations, and resource impacts. You will ensure documents are complete, accurate, and aligned with Bureau policies and regulatory requirements.
• Use Bureau systems-such as the Rangeland Administration System (RAS) and related data tools-to enter and manage information, track permit activity, monitor projects, and support data-driven decisions for rangeland programs.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• 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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• You must be able to operate a four-wheel-drive vehicle over rough, uneven, or remote terrain as part of regular fieldwork.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary or a 2-year trial period depending on your selected eligibility, during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary or trial 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 or trial 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 - 11/09/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, 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. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full- and/or part-time hours requirement, as the service dates will be reflected.

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT - RANGELAND MANAGEMENT SERIES (0454)
In addition to the grade-level qualifications below, you must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) through qualifying education or a combination of education and experience, as applicable:

Education: You have a bachelor's degree or higher in range management or a directly related discipline that included a total of 42 semester hours, with the following distribution:

• 18 semester hours in range management subjects such as principles of range management, range ecology, range improvements, range inventories and studies, and rangeland planning;
• 15 semester hours in plant, animal, and soil sciences, with at least one course in each of the plant, animal, and soil sciences; and
• 9 semester hours in related resource-management subjects such as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, or outdoor recreation management.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience:
You have completed at least 42 semester hours distributed as above and possess appropriate experience or additional education demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform professional rangeland management work. Qualifying experience may include assisting in the conservation, regulation, and use of public lands for grazing; participating in range inventory and monitoring activities; or assisting in the operation or management of lands comparable to public rangelands.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE GS-07 RANGELAND MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
In addition to meeting the IOR above, you must meet one of the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (GS-07):
You have at least one full year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-05 level performing all of the following:

1. Assisting in the conservation, regulation, and use of public or federally controlled lands for grazing.
2. Leading or supporting range inventory and monitoring activities that include field data collection.
3. Inspecting and inventorying existing range improvements and identifying needed improvements.
4. Assisting in the operation of a livestock ranch or in the management or preservation of lands comparable to public rangelands.
5. Contributing to the development of livestock grazing management plans.

OR

EDUCATION (GS-07):
You have completed one full year of graduate-level education in range management or a directly related field that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for GS-07 work. One full year of graduate education is the amount the school considers to represent one year of full-time study; if not defined, 18 semester hours is considered one year.

OR

SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (S.A.A.) (GS-07):
You have successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a field that meets the IOR and you meet one of the following:

• Class Standing: Upper third of your graduating class.
• GPA: 3.0 or higher out of 4.0 (overall or in the last two years), or 3.5 or higher out of 4.0 in your major or major courses completed in the last two years.
• Honor Society Membership: Election to a national scholastic honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (GS-07):
You have a combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education that equals at least 100 percent of the GS-07 requirement and also satisfies the IOR. To determine your percentage, divide months of GS-05-level qualifying experience by 12, and divide qualifying graduate semester hours beyond the first year by 18; the sum must equal at least 100 percent.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE GS-09 RANGELAND MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
In addition to meeting the IOR, you must meet one of the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (GS-09):
You have at least one full year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-07 level performing all of the following:

1. Assisting in the conservation, regulation, and use of public or federally controlled lands for grazing.
2. Supporting or conducting range inventory and monitoring activities that include field data collection and evaluation.
3. Assisting in the operation of a livestock ranch or in the management or preservation of lands comparable to public rangelands.
4. Assisting in the development of rangeland management plans designed to improve range conditions and minimize invasive species.

OR

EDUCATION (GS-09):
You have completed a master's degree or equivalent, OR two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, in range management or a directly related field that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for GS-09 work.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (GS-09):
You have a combination of qualifying graduate education and specialized experience that equals at least 100 percent of the GS-09 requirement. Only graduate education beyond 18 semester hours may be credited.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE GS-11 RANGELAND MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
In addition to meeting the IOR, you must meet one of the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (GS-11):
You have at least one full year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-09 level performing all of the following:

1. Assisting in the conservation, regulation, and use of public or federally controlled lands for grazing.
2. Leading rangeland inventory and monitoring activities that include field data collection and evaluation.
3. Inspecting and inventorying existing range improvements and identifying needed improvements.
4. Assisting in the operation or management of lands comparable to public rangelands.
5. Developing rangeland management plans to improve range conditions and minimize invasive species.

OR

EDUCATION (GS-11):
You have completed three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, OR a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, in range management or a directly related field that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for GS-11 work.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (GS-11):
You have a combination of qualifying graduate education and specialized experience that equals at least 100 percent of the GS-11 requirement. Only graduate education beyond 36 semester hours may be credited.

Other Information

Volunteer Experience:
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work 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 translate directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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):

• Compliance Inspection
• Interpersonal Skills
• Planning and Evaluating
• Rangeland Management
• Technology Application

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 (SRR). 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.

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. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) -11/09/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement:

1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
2. Complete All Required Assessment(s).
3. Performance Appraisals and Awards: You must submit your most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor dated within the past 18 months. If unavailable, a written explanation is required (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level). Performance awards dated within the past 5 years may also be submitted for due weight consideration.
4. All College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
5. Eligibility Documentation:
   • Current and former Federal employees: Submit your most recent SF-50 (e.g., Promotion, Separation, WGI) showing tenure (block 24), grade, and, if applicable, an additional SF-50 showing the highest grade or promotion potential held. Time-in-grade will be verified using your resume and SF-50s. If the SF-50 showing your highest permanent grade has an effective date within the past year, your resume must show you held that grade for one year. Do not submit award SF-50s.
   • Veterans Preference Documentation: Applicants eligible under VRA (GS-11 & below), VEOA, 30% or More Disabled, or Disabled Veterans in a VA Training Program must submit Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions (e.g., DD-214) as listed on the SF-15. Parents or spouses of Disabled/Deceased Veterans must submit all documentation required by the SF-15. A VA letter can be requested at https://www.va.gov/records. Veterans within 120 days of discharge must submit signed documentation certifying: 1) expected release/retirement, 2) honorable conditions, 3) pay grade/rank/rate, 4) active-duty service dates, 5) medals received, and 6) a date within 120 days of separation.
   • Public Land Corps: Submit your signed Certificate of Non-Competitive Eligibility and ensure your resume states time served and duties performed on qualifying conservation projects.
   • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): Submit all Appointment and Termination SF-50s for each competitive time-limited appointment (block 34, code 1) and documentation of satisfactory performance for each employment period (e.g., evaluations or supervisor memoranda). If not currently employed, your most recent separation must be from the hiring Bureau.
   • Special Appointing Authorities: If applying under a special authority (e.g., Schedule A, Peace Corps, Military Spouses), submit documentation verifying your eligibility. Failure to provide documentation results in loss of consideration. If using an authority not listed, you are responsible for submitting appropriate proof.
   • Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, 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 well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.

Next steps

Additional locations