- Position Title
- Research Ecologist/Forester
- Agency
- Forest Service
- Announcement Number
- 19-RES-10605279-DP-TC Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Thursday, September 19, 2019 to Friday, September 27, 2019
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?
2.
Are you a current USDA employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee, in which received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF)? If yes, confirm:
• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
3.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a Federal agency other than USDA? If yes, confirm:
• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
4.
Have you registered for reemployment consideration AND meet one of the below:
• Are you a current or former competitive service USDA employee who will be or was separated by Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and received a rating of satisfactory or above as your last annual performance rating?
OR
• Are you a former USDA competitive service employee who separated due to a compensable injury or disability?
• Are you a current or former competitive service USDA employee who will be or was separated by Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and received a rating of satisfactory or above as your last annual performance rating?
OR
• Are you a former USDA competitive service employee who separated due to a compensable injury or disability?
Preferences
1.
Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.
2.
Select all of the series you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one series.
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in this Interdisciplinary Research Ecologist/Research Forester GS-0408/0460-12/13 position with the USDA Forest Service.
This interdisciplinary position may be filled in any of the following series: Ecologist, GS-0408 or Forester, GS-0460. Your responses to the Basic Requirements and Specialized Experience questions, as well as the other questions in the questionnaire, in conjunction with the information provided in your completed application, will be evaluated to determine your qualifications for this position. Read all responses before making your selection. If you do not meet one of these basic requirements, you will be considered not qualified and will not receive consideration for this position. IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must document your course work and/or degree completed in your resume or other application materials you submit. You must submit a copy of your transcripts that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed. If you are qualifying based on education and you do not submit specific course work information described below, your application will be rated not qualified for consideration. (A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected). YOUR RESUME OR APPLICATION MATERIALS YOU SUBMIT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MUST SUPPORT THE ANSWERS YOU CLAIM UNDER THIS AND OTHER QUESTIONS.
Basic Requirements for Ecologist
1.
From the description below, select the response that best describes how your background meets the basic requirements for a Ecologist position, GS-0408.
Basic Requirements for Forester
2.
From the descriptions below, select the one response that best describes how your background meets the basic requirements for a Forester position, GS-0460.
Specialized Experience and/or Graduate Education Requirements for GS-12 level
3.
From the descriptions below, select one response that best describes how your background meets the specialized experience and/or graduate education requirements for the GS-12 level of this interdisciplinary Ecologist/Forester GS-0408/0460 position. Read all responses before making your selection. If you do not meet these minimum qualifications, you will be considered not qualified and will not receive consideration for this position.
Specialized Experience Requirements for GS-13 level.
4.
From the descriptions below, select one response that best describes how your background meets the specialized experience requirements for the GS-13 level of this interdisciplinary Ecologist/Forester GS-0408/0460 position. Graduate level education alone is not qualifying for the GS-13 grade level. Read all responses before making your selection. If you do not meet these minimum qualifications, you will be considered not qualified and will not receive consideration for this position.
For each of the following tasks, choose the statement from the list below that best describe your experience and/or training. Do not overstate or understate your level of experience and demonstrated capability. You should be aware that your ratings are subject to evaluation and verification based on the resume, and other relevant documents you submit. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your stated level of experience and demonstrated capability. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position following acceptance.
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
5.
Develop research plan for utilizing space borne remote sensing (multispectral, lidar, and/or radar) imagery to support the inventory, monitoring and analysis of natural resources.
6.
Conduct and coordinate research, analyze remote sensing and field-based data, and facilitate the technology transfer of analytical results and investigations.
7.
Organize work plans to accomplish research tasks, plans remote sensing data acquisition, field data collection.
8.
Analyze the results of scientific research, and publish findings as peer reviewed journal articles.
9.
Use modern statistical or scientific programming languages (e.g., R, SAS, Python, C++) to analyze and model large forest research data sets.
10.
Develop new tools, techniques, and methodology (including analysis of satellite remote sensing) for forest and rangeland scientific research.
11.
Develop and test models of basic plant responses (such as dormancy plant growth, insect and disease resistance) to environmental factors.
12.
Use remote sensing techniques such as satellite LIDAR, satellite image time-series to evaluate vegetation response to management treatments and other disturbances in a cost effective manner.
13.
Use remote sensing and spatial analysis to address the effects of management practices on long-term susceptibility to fire, insects, wind, climate change, and other forest disturbances.
14.
Develop new methods incorporating climate change, human use, and natural disturbances into vegetation management and monitoring regimes.
15.
Develop resource management alternatives that provide desired goods and properly functioning forest ecosystems.
16.
Compete for external grants and/or research awards to fund ongoing scientific research.
17.
Collaborate with other organizations and individuals to plan and conduct research studies of forest and range ecosystems.
18.
Provide information on the status, extent, and characteristics of forest and rangeland and their change over time to decision makers, stakeholders, and the public.
19.
Collaborate with others on the team to identify and investigate relevant topics for forest and rangeland research.
20.
Cooperate with interdisciplinary teams to develop and test inventory methods and to co-author publications on natural resource issues.
21.
Provide advice, interpretation, data summaries, and analyses concerning the use of satellite remote sensing to stakeholders and agency partners.
22.
Use statistical modeling to extract ecological signals (disturbance, drought stress,
growth, recovery, phenology, etc.) from a combination of multi-spectral satellite
imagery and field-based data for natural resource scientific research.
growth, recovery, phenology, etc.) from a combination of multi-spectral satellite
imagery and field-based data for natural resource scientific research.
23.
Conduct analysis of multi-temporal satellite remote sensing time series and
integration with regional field inventories to produce consistent information on
resource status and trends.
integration with regional field inventories to produce consistent information on
resource status and trends.
24.
Develop, document, and share statistical algorithms using a standard statistical
programming language such as R, SAS, SPLUS, and Python.
programming language such as R, SAS, SPLUS, and Python.
25.
If any of your education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. Contacts for private organizations that specialize in this evaluation is located here: http://www.naces.org/members.htm. A fee is normally associated with this service. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
26.
Education is required for both job series advertised. If you are also using graduate education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your graduate transcripts in addition to transcripts showing the basic education required for the series advertised. It may be necessary to attach transcripts from multiple institutions and/or to attach both undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
27.
(DEMO PROFESSIONAL) Please select the statement(s) that reflect your educational achievement(s). Transcripts, certificates, or other appropriate documentation must be included with this application to verify GPA, degree, and/or completion of trade or vocational school program.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
28.
I certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by me with my application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that I have truthfully and accurately represented my work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). I understand that the information provided may be investigated. I understand that misrepresenting my experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in or with my application may be grounds for not hiring me or for terminating me after I begin work. I also understand that false or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).