Rangeland Management Specialist

SummaryThe incumbent will provide professional services in range management, and soil and water conservation activities while assisting in the planning of conservation practices on ranches and farms.ResponsibilitiesServes as grazing lands consultant and advisor to numerous ranchers and farmers in the assigned area of responsibility.Provides individual landowners' evaluations of their resources, identifies problems, and proposes short and/or long term land improvement alternatives.Provides guidance, assistance, and training to field and/or area office personnel to ensure that conservation plans on all grazing lands provide for the application of technically accurate and adequate practices and measures.These may include, but are not limited to: planned grazing systems, brush management, various types of species and plants, and their respective role and response in the grazing system.Develops conservation plans on grazing lands.Makes specific effort to assure an inter-disciplinary approach to the planning and development of alternative solutions including specific provisions for candidate species or species of concern where appropriate.Assembles, evaluates, and interprets data relating to forage yields, composition changes, and predictions of performance by various forage sources common to the area.Assists in the preparation of ecological site descriptions (ESD) and the Rangeland Health Assessment Guide.Writes news stories and prepares public presentations and/or radio and television programs on the subject of land utilization, improvement, and establishment to inform the public of the value of a sound grazing lands management program.RequirementsConditions of EmploymentQualificationsApplicants 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: Applicants must have one year at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level). Basic Education Requirement:Degree: 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 Combination of Education and Experience: 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 comparable to a 4-year degree. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: Specialized experience to qualify for the GS-09 level: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 advanced-trainee level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Developing and implementing grazing management systems on grazing lands (i.e. rangelands, pasturelands) Independently conducting forage inventories Planning vegetative management practices Experience working with livestock operations; OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-09 level: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a directly related discipline; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized experience to qualify for the GS-11 level: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience requires the knowledge of a wide range of rangeland management principles, concepts, and theories sufficient to perform duties concerning the development and implementation of multiple-use rangeland management plans. Examples of specialized experience include: Developing and reviewing multiple-use conservation plans on grazing lands Providing guidance and assistance to land owners and operators, as well as field office staff, on the identification of resource concerns on grazing lands to ensure that conservation plans provide for the application of technically accurate and adequate practices Following up with landowners to implement grazing management plans, evaluate problems, and propose land improvement alternative Conducting onsite measurement, monitoring, collection, and analysis of data regarding land use and natural resources conditions and trends; OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-11 level: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a directly related discipline; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.EducationYou must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. 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. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.Additional InformationLocality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables my be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Physical Demands: The majority of the work requires regular and recurring physical exertion related to rangeland management. This involves standing for long periods and/or walking on rough, uneven or rocky terrain. Work Environment: The work is usually performed outdoors and involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks such as wind, adverse weather conditions, insects, poisonous plants, or pesticides. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline. It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. See more informationat: http://www.chcoc.gov/transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?TransmittalID=6465 Relocation and/or Recruitment Incentive may be authorized. Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.