USA Staffing

Position Title: Biological Scientist/Physical Scientist
Agency: Forest Service
Announcement Number: 23-RES-12077234-DHAT-JN Opens in new window
Open Period: Wednesday, August 9, 2023 to Tuesday, September 5, 2023

For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.

1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?

A. No, I do not claim Veterans' Preference

B. 0-point Sole Survivorship Preference (SSP)

C. 5-point preference based on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (TP)

D. 10-point preference for non-compensable disability or Purple Heart (XP)

E. 10-point preference based on a compensable service connected disability of at least 10% but less than 30% (CP)

F. 10 point preference based on widow/widower or parent of a deceased veteran, or spouse or parent of a disabled veteran (XP)

G. 10-point preference based on a compensable service connected disability of 30% or more (CPS)

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.

A. Yes

B. No

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.

A. Yes

B. No

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?

A. Yes

B. No

1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location.

A. Albany, CA

B. Arcata, CA

C. Davis, CA

D. Fresno, CA

E. Placerville, CA

F. Redding, CA

G. Riverside, CA

2. Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.

3. Select the series you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one series.

A. 0401 - General Natural Resources Management And Biological Sciences

B. 1301 - General Physical Science

4. Would you accept a term appointment?

A. Yes

B. No

5. Are you a current or former Political appointee, Presidential appointee, and/or non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointee?

A. Yes

B. No

Thank you for your interest in this Interdisciplinary Biological Scientist/Physical Scientist GS-0401-1301-12 position with the USDA Forest Service. Your responses to the questions in the questionnaire and the information provided in your completed application will be evaluated to determine your qualifications for this position. NOTE: Attach all transcripts that document the required course work and/or degree completed listed below. To qualify, transcripts must show the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed. Your resume or application materials must support the answers you select.

Basic Education Requirements for Biological Scientist (0401) series.

1. Select the statement that best reflects your education and/or experience. To be minimally qualified for this position you must possess the required education, combination of education in a related discipline, or a combination of education and experience. For a detailed explanation of qualifying education and experience, review the information in the vacancy announcement or visit: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/IORs/gs0400/0401.htm. You will be required to provide transcripts with your application to validate that you meet all degree/coursework requirements for this position.

A. I have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

B. I have a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major described above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. My resume reflects the experience used to meet this requirement.

C. I do not meet the requirement(s) described above.

Basic Requirements for Physical Scientist (1301) series.

2. Select the statement that best reflects your education or experience. To be minimally qualified for this position you must possess the required degree/coursework, combination of education in a related discipline, or a combination of education and experience. For a detailed explanation of qualifying education and experience, review the information in the vacancy announcement or visit: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/IORs/gs1300/1301.htm. You will be required to provide transcripts with your application to validate that you meet degree/coursework requirements for this position.

A. I have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

B. I have a combination of education and experience--24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

C. I do not meet the requirement(s) described above.

Minimum Qualification Requirements for the GS-11 level.

3. From the descriptions below, select the response that best describes your experience as it pertains to meeting the minimum qualifications requirements for this Biological Scientist/Physical Scientist GS-0401/1301-11 position.

A. I have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. To qualify at this level, your experience must include the following: Using techniques from statistical analysis, mathematics, image processing and analysis, forest inventory, geographic information systems (GIS), geospatial analysis, database operations, and computer science to conduct quality assurance tests on collection, compilation, storage, analysis, reporting, and distribution of strategic multi-resource data; Transferring natural resource data and reconciling inconsistencies, creating metadata records to document changes, and storing backup versions of original data files following data governance processes and protocols; AND Collaborating and consulting on research and monitoring projects to provide advice and respond to frequent user requests, satisfy the requirements of data users and research scientists, and assist researchers in extracting and interpreting spatial and tabular data.

B. I have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree directly related to the position in fields such as landscape ecology, forest dynamics, disturbance ecology, climate change research, population or community ecology, ecohydrology, or socioecological resilience modeling.

C. I have a combination of graduate level education leading to a Ph.D. as described above, beyond the first two years of progressive graduate study (over 36 semester hours), and specialized experience described above that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.

D. I do not meet or exceed the requirements as described above.

Specialized Experience Requirements for the GS-12 level.

4. From the descriptions below, select the response that best describes your experience as it pertains to meeting the specialized experience requirements for this Biological Scientist/Physical Scientist GS-0401/1301-12 position. Graduate level education alone is not qualifying for this grade level. To qualify for this grade level, you must have the specialized experience listed below.

A. I have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. To qualify at this level, your resume must reflect 52 weeks of ALL of the following duties: Applying and integrating techniques from statistical analysis, image processing and analysis, forest inventory, geographic information systems (GIS), geospatial analysis, database operations, and computer science to improve techniques or provide solutions for collection, compilation, storage, analysis, reporting, and distribution of strategic multi-resource data; Organizing data collected by researchers and/or from sensor networks, which includes accurately transferring data and reconciling inconsistencies, creating metadata records to document changes, and storing backup versions of original data files following data governance processes and protocols; AND Working with a variety of scientific research teams and clients to identify problems related to climatic, atmospheric, hydrologic, forest mensuration, and/or geospatial data and conduct analyses of systems to determine nature of requirements and logical work and information flows. are accurate.

B. I do not meet or exceed the requirements as described above.

5. 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.

A. I have not completed any education at a foreign institution.

B. I have submitted a foreign credential evaluation as described above for any education needed to qualify for this position which was completed at a foreign institute.

6. Education is required for the job series advertised. To qualify, submit a copy of your 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.

A. I have read the above statement and have attached all pertinent transcripts.

B. I have not attached all my transcripts with the understanding that this omission may disqualify me for this position.

7. Your responses to the Announcement and Assessment Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Submitting false information or attempts to falsify information may be grounds for disqualifying you or for terminating you after you have been hired. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy.

A. Yes, 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, certifications, accomplishments, etc.). I understand that the information provided is subject to investigation. I understand that misrepresenting my experience or education, or providing false, fraudulent or inaccurate 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).

B. No, I do not certify, and I understand that by responding ?no? to this certification that I will not receive consideration for this position.

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