Job opening: Range Technician
Salary: $18 per hour
Published at: Jul 27 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
This position is located within a National Forest. The primary purpose of this position is to perform technical work in support of the range function.
Duties
Assists specialists in planning rangeland management support projects that are without clear precedents or guides.
Checks range allotments to assess appropriate time to graze, compliance with management plans and operating instructions, number of livestock, herding procedures, salting, range improvement, and maintenance.
Checks range allotments to assess the need for additional range improvements such as fences or water development.
Inspects allotments before and after grazing for trespass stock and if found, gathers necessary brands, numbers, dates, and locations. Contacts range users to explain needed maintenance work and reports noncompliance to supervisor.
Inspects structural range improvements and notifies supervisor of needed maintenance. Recommends the construction or abandonment of range improvements such as fences, water developments, etc.
May lead small crews in construction and/or maintenance of range improvements. Participates in plant control or type conversion by flagging boundaries, operating equipment, carrying out kill studies, or reseeding.
Using accepted indicator plants, determines range readiness dates and advises supervisor.
Checks allotments before and after grazing season for trespass stock. If trespass stock is found, gathers necessary brands, numbers, dates, locations, etc., and may supervise a crew of riders in gathering and corralling such stock.
Performs a variety of computations and assessment of standard rangeland management data to prepare the data for interpretative use of inclusion in reports. Prepares charts, graphs, and/or reports using well-established specified procedures.
Notes and reports on conditions such as range utilization, grazing impact, soil erosion, violations, or needed maintenance. Makes a number of measurements using a variety of instruments.
Performs computations that require judgment and knowledge of the nature of the sources and use of the data. Estimates production and potential production of a site based on various sampling techniques.
Estimates the utilization of available forage by all grazing animals and determines as closely as possible the percent of use by each class of animal. Using accepted indicator plants determines range readiness and advises supervisor.
Participates in noxious plant control, seeding, or similar projects by flagging boundaries, operating equipment, and carrying out kill studies. Identifies plant specimens in the field and collects and prepares specimens.
Identifies plants and noxious weeds and determines how they grow. Applies the proper chemicals to control noxious weeds.
Requirements
- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
- Must be 18 years of age.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-Verify.
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
GS-05: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4); OR successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable); OR combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
Examples of specialized experience includes: Conducted routine tests and inspections using work methods and techniques that were well-established and common to rangeland management functions. Performed crew-based rangeland management support work such as the installation of boundary and drift fences, water developments, implementation of re-vegetation projects, or the treatment of noxious weeds. Performed procedural assignments in support of rangeland management programs or projects where methods and techniques were well-established.
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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Contacts
- Address USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US
- Name: HRM Contact Center
- Phone: 1-877-372-7248 X2
- Email: [email protected]