Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent APHIS employees with competitive status and CTAP/RPL eligible candidates.

• The duties may include, but are not limited to:
• Assists the District Supervisor in planning, directing, coordinating and administering a WS program in a portion of a large/complex District or over one or more complex Program Area(s).
• Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships among agencies, industry groups, county/local governments, etc., in meeting program needs and goals.
• Negotiates, develops, monitors, and reports on agreements such as Cooperative Service Field Agreements, Interagency Agreements, and others with work and financial plans.
• Assists District Supervisor supervising a combined workforce of both State/local cooperative and Federal employees.
• Develops and conducts National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes and developsdocuments with minimal guidance from the supervisor.
• Actively supports and implements the equal opportunity program as specified in national, regional and local affirmative action plans.
• Cultivates positive community and media relations, participates in community meetings, gives presentations before groups, and prepares articles for local news media.
• Modifies or adapts established wildlife damage management techniques as necessary to meet program needs.
• Recommends areas for potential research or further investigation and suggests possible research projects or activities.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Testing Designated Position: Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.
• Must possess and maintain a valid State-issued driver’s license in order to operate a Government-owned or leased vehicle.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• Legal and physical ability to possess and discharge firearms appropriately and safely is required.
• Proof of specific vaccinations and boosters, may be required as a condition of employment to prevent contracting preventable diseases
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:
Degree: biological science that included:

-At least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses in the field of wildlife biology; and

-At least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects (Excess courses in wildlife biology may be used to meet the zoology requirements where appropriate.); and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences.

OR

Combination of education and experience: equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), with at least 9 semester hours in wildlife subjects, 12 semester hours in zoology, and 9 semester hours in botany or related plant science, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to the basic requirement applicants must also possess:

FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Managing small teams of subordinate employees to accomplish agency/company mission and project goals within budget constraints and meeting established cooperator/client timelines. May be in official or acting capacities.
• Collaborating with research institutions to conduct research projects that investigate new techniques or methods for wildlife damage management (WDM) techniques and/or methods or protection of threatened and endangered species and/or natural resources.
• Assisting a supervisor with creating and editing program budgets for cooperative service agreements, such as providing initial labor or equipment cost estimates/market research for supervisor review and inclusion into the project. These budgets would be for wildlife damage management (WDM) or natural resource protection programs for federal, state, tribal or municipal governments, and/or private cooperators.

OR

3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in one of the following degree fields: Wildlife Biology, Wildlife Ecology, or Wildlife Management.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:

• This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.
• You are qualifying for the position based on education.
• You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
• This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

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 your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below:

Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements. Your resume must address experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Note: If after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12884546

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information;2) education;3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed two pages. Only one resume will be reviewed.
• If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution. Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program. For further information, see: Foreign Education Evaluation. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification (see above) plus the documentation listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. Failure to submit these documents could result in a finding that 10-point preference cannot be awarded.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP or RPL priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal, and the most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

Next steps