- Position Title
- ECOLOGIST / SOIL SCIENTIST
- Agency
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Announcement Number
- 25-IMP-12594887-AS Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Friday, December 13, 2024 to Friday, January 3, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS CAREFULLY. Your answers will be used to determine your eligibility to apply to this job opportunity announcement. You will be considered under the eligibility option(s) to which you answer YES. Select YES to all eligibility options for which you want to be considered. If you respond NO to meeting the criteria for all the eligibilities, you will not be considered for the position(s) under this announcement.
NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration for EACH selected eligibility. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration. Please refer to the announcement for additional information. If you still have questions concerning your eligibility for consideration, you may reach out to the contact in the announcement prior to the announcement closing. You must submit a complete application by the close of the announcement to be considered.
NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration for EACH selected eligibility. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration. Please refer to the announcement for additional information. If you still have questions concerning your eligibility for consideration, you may reach out to the contact in the announcement prior to the announcement closing. You must submit a complete application by the close of the announcement to be considered.
1.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
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.
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.
2.
Are you a current or former permanent Farm Service Agency County employee?
To verify your eligibility as a current or former permanent Farm Service Agency County employee, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your status.
To verify your eligibility as a current or former permanent Farm Service Agency County employee, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your status.
3.
Are you currently employed with the agency/department specified in the announcement as a Federal civilian employee in the Competitive Service AND can you respond "yes" to at least one of the two below statements?
- The grade level or at least one of the grade levels I am applying for is higher than I have previously held or currently hold?
- The stated full performance level of this position is at a higher grade level than any of my previous or current position's stated full performance level(s)?
- career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
- status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1).
4.
Are you currently employed with the agency/department specified in the announcement as a Federal civilian employee in the Competitive Service and you have held a permanent position at the same or higher grade level as this position with the same or higher promotion potential?
OR
Are you currently employed with the agency/department specified in the announcement as a Federal civilian employee in the Competitive Service and you have held the full performance level of this position on a permanent basis?
To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your SF-50 should document how you meet the above requirements including grade levels and full performance levels of current/past positions. You may need to submit more than one SF-50.Your SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must also reflect:
OR
Are you currently employed with the agency/department specified in the announcement as a Federal civilian employee in the Competitive Service and you have held the full performance level of this position on a permanent basis?
To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your SF-50 should document how you meet the above requirements including grade levels and full performance levels of current/past positions. You may need to submit more than one SF-50.Your SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must also reflect:
- career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
- status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1).
Preferences
1.
Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.
2.
Select the series you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one series.
3.
In the last five years, based on the closing date of this announcement, have you served or are you currently serving as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non-career SES appointee? You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed.
- A political appointee is an appointment made by the President without confirmation by the Senate (5 CFR 213.3102(c)) OR an assistant position to a top-level federal official if filled by a person designated by the President as a White House Fellow (5 CFR 213.3102(z)).
- A Schedule C appointee occupies a position excepted from the competitive service by the President, or by the Director of OPM, because of the confidential or policy-determining nature of the position duties (5 CFR 213.3301 and 5 CFR 213.3302).
- A Non-career SES appointee is approved by the White House and serves at the pleasure of the appointing official without time limitations (5 CFR 317 Subpart F).
Assessment 1
The following questions are designed to measure your education and experience in relation to the basic qualifications for this position. All applicants must supply transcripts or other supporting documentation that demonstrates how they meet the educational and experience requirements for the position. Failure to do so will result in your disqualification.
1.
From the descriptions below, select the letter that describes how you meet the basic requirement for this Ecologist, GS-0408 series. You MUST submit transcripts.
2.
From the descriptions below, select the letter that describes how you meet the basic requirement for this Soil Scientist GS-0470 series. You MUST submit transcripts.
3.
From the descriptions below, select the appropriate response based on your level of experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of an Interdisciplinary Ecologist/Soil Scientist at the GS-11 level.
4.
From the descriptions below, select the appropriate response based on your level of experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of an Interdisciplinary Ecologist/Soil Scientist at the GS-12 level.
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
5.
Review data from all phases of soil survey work for technical quality prior to submitting for quality assurance review and final approval by regional staff.
6.
Manage soil survey documentation related to classification, mapping, and interpretation of the soils in the survey area according to agency standards procedures and guidance.
7.
Examine existing soils geospatial information to identify areas where soil map units and landscapes are not associated correctly.
8.
Review the accuracy of information in national databases by utilizing database reports to evaluate data.
9.
Work with teams to evaluate technical needs, gaps, and deficiencies in existing soil survey data bases and reports.
10.
Participate in committees, interdisciplinary teams, and boards related to making and using soil surveys.
11.
Coordinate activities for planning and conducting studies and investigations needed to develop and refine soil survey interpretations.
12.
Assist in developing written material for procedure, technical standards, and other guidelines in coordination with existing handbooks and manuals.
13.
Develop and conduct training for staff in a variety of topics such as the use of new technologies, applications of soil surveys, and map unit concepts.
14.
Conduct field visits and approve for work such as soil survey map unit design, legend development, database maintenance, and soil investigations.
15.
Manage all phases of soil surveys including mapping, updating, maintaining, and producing surveys to achieve agency objectives.
16.
Perform technical inspections of soil landscape and geomorphic surfaces to ensure work plans and objects are met.
17.
Develop and implement ways to improve the efficiency, productivity, and quality of products and/or services for internal and external customers.
18.
Evaluate map units of survey area to plan updates to map units in alignment with current standards and agency objectives.
19.
Assign work to subordinates based on priorities, consideration of the assignment requirements, and subordinate capabilities.
20.
Oversee the development of performance standards and ratings of subordinate staff members.
21.
Provide on-the-job training to new employees and identify developmental needs for subordinate staff members.
22.
Give advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters.