- Position Title
- Supervisory Ecologist
- Agency
- National Park Service
- Announcement Number
- MW-1543-NGPN-24-12552904-DE Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Tuesday, September 24, 2024 to Thursday, October 3, 2024
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 United States Citizen?
For more information, review Employment of U.S Citizens.
For more information, review Employment of U.S Citizens.
3.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
- you are located in the same local commuting area of 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.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
4.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a Federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
- you are located in the same local commuting area of 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.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
Assessment 1
Basic Requirement for Ecologist GS-0408
Thank you for your interest in the Ecologist position. This position may be filled in the following series: Ecologist, GS-0408. Your responses to this questionnaire in conjunction with other portions of your completed application will be evaluated to determine your qualifications. All of the information you provide may be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education presented on your resume, by checking references, and through other means such as the interview process. Please carefully follow all instructions before submitting your responses. You must select only ONE response for each item. If you change a response, be certain to erase (unclick) the incorrect response before you submit the application. Once you have submitted your application, items with more than one response or that are left blank will not receive credit.
YOUR RESUME AND THE OTHER APPLICATION MATERIALS THAT YOU SUBMIT MUST SUPPORT YOUR ANSWERS UNDER THIS AND OTHER QUESTIONS. IF NOT, YOU WILL BE FOUND UNQUALIFIED OR YOUR SCORE WILL BE LOWERED.
1.
From the descriptions below, select the one response that best describes how your background meets the basic requirements for Ecologist, GS-408. IMPORTANT - Please note: It is your responsibility to show how you satisfy the course requirements. If you do not provide information that clearly shows how your completed college course work meets all of the requirements above, you will be rated ineligible. Your rating will be based solely on the information you submit with your application. No attempts will be made to verify with you, or the school you attended, whether or not your course work meets all of the requirements above. YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS.
2.
Select the one response below that best describes how your background meets the specialized experience or education requirements for the Supervisory Ecologist, GS-12 position. If you leave this question blank, you may be rated ineligible at the GS-12 level.
Ecology - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of the interrelationships among organisms and their environment, including competition and predation, evolution and natural selection, population dynamics, and the impact of natural phenomena or human actions on natural systems, processes, and biota.
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
3.
Design, develop and implement inventory and monitoring programs and/or program's complex plant studies/projects that demonstrate knowledge of principles of plant ecology, such as plant community studies, ecological restoration studies/projects, fire effects studies, and studies of exotic plant invasions, which aim to maintain the integrity of native plant communities and habitat.
4.
Integrate studies, whenever possible, with those of other specialists in developing a more comprehensive understanding of ecosystem structure, function and the processes acting upon them.
5.
Synthesize and report on diverse data sets to draw inferences on status and trends of natural resources.
6.
Identify research needs, develops, and conducts scientifically credible studies to maintain the integrity of native plant communities and habitat.
7.
Analyze data and reports information from studies, which results in better knowledge of plant and soil resources and actual or potential threats to them.
8.
Provide guidance and expertise in all aspects of vegetation management.
Research
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
9.
Use R software for statistical data analyses in ecology.
10.
Use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze and interpret spatial data.
11.
Collect and manage tabular and spatial data following quality assurance/quality control requirements.
12.
Perform appropriate statistical analysis on complex data sets using statistical software for scientific data analysis and graphical display.
13.
Interpret statistical results for application to plant ecology projects and vegetation management.
14.
Develop and follow technical protocols for collection of vegetation data.
Written Communication
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
15.
Publish technical reports on biological topics for natural resources managers.
16.
Write articles, newsletters, and/or project updates and/or briefing documents on monitoring or research projects for the purpose of communicating complex scientific information to a variety of non-scientist audiences (i.e., natural resource managers, interpreters, and the general public).
17.
Author agency technical reports on ecological monitoring or research projects.
18.
Publish monitoring or research results in refereed professional journals or agency technical reports.
19.
Write briefing statements for use by land managers on sensitive topics.
20.
Lead staff meetings and interdisciplinary team meetings related to planning or operating complex natural resource projects or studies.
Project Management
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
21.
Develop and implement multi-year project plans and annual work plans for ecological monitoring or research projects.
22.
Communicate with and coordinate between park natural resource staff, park managers, and principal investigators to facilitate travel to and from field locations for extended independent operations (one day to two weeks).
23.
Hire and supervise permanent career seasonal and seasonal employees.
24.
Evaluate the work performance of subordinates and temporary crews in day-to-day field activities.
25.
Explore creative solutions to problem solving and challenge subordinate staff to participate in decision making processes.
26.
Delegate tasks to appropriate staff to carry out day-to-day operations, to ensure priorities are accomplished, and to ensure accountability.
Botany
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
27.
Identify 10 or more species of grasses using field identification or taxonomic keys and floras.
28.
Identify 4 or more species of sedges and rushes using field identification or taxonomic keys and floras.
29.
Use dichotomous plant keys to identify plants.
30.
Identify 50 or more native plant species of the Black Hills and Northern Great Plains by scientific name on sight.
31.
Identify native and nonnative plant species using plant keys and a knowledge of plant taxa of the Midwestern Prairies and Forests.
32.
Identify native and non-native plants in a field setting.
The second assessment questions below will be used to meet Executive Order 13932 and PB 20-21 2nd level review for permanent GS positions. This questionnaire will measure applicants' technical expertise and was developed in collaboration with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assess applicants' knowledge in a human resources field.
Please answer each of the following questions. Read all responses before making your selection and mark only one response. Do not leave any blank.
Technical Competence - Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters.
33.
TRUE or FALSE: Impacts of long-term climate change in grasslands are not relevant to the Northern Great Plains because the region is so dry.
34.
Ecological trends through time
35.
Which statement best applies to Northern Great Plains grassland ecology:
36.
Post-field season involves a number of tasks to complete in the lifecycle of the data. What order of operations is the best fit to get from field data to information to inform land management decisions?
37.
A protocol for a monitoring project is
38.
Your team is preparing for a week-long trip to one of the parks. You have a few plots that are in areas that are difficult to access due to their remoteness and terrain changes. What is the appropriate way to approach this?
39.
When seeking funding for a new monitoring project, you should….
40.
Community Types: What kinds of evergreen trees are common throughout the Northern Great Plains?
41.
What are some of the features used to identify grasses?