This position is located on the Pike and San Isabel National Forests in La Junta, CO. [Brief description of job Serves as a fully operating rangeland management specialist assisting in or independently administering an ecosystem based rangeland management program and related resource coordination. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Andrew Carrier at [email protected].

Duties

Participates by monitoring, gathering, analyzing, interpreting and evaluating data to determine if land management, economic, and social goals and objectives identified for the land involved are being achieved. Conducts short and long term monitoring of plant community change, trends, grazing impacts; precipitation; soil erosion hazards; and correlates other rangeland resource activities and uses. Individually, or as a team member, plans and carries out systematic ecosystem based rangeland surveys and inventories to identify and assess rangeland characteristics. Gathers and assembles data concerning rangeland health, trends, ecological status of vegetation communities, site potential and desired plant community. Prepares assigned portions of environmental assessments as a member of an interdisciplinary team. Prepares environmental analysis reports in assigned functional areas. Coordinates range and wildlife ecological management with other functional activities in harmony with the concept of multiple use management. Compiles material and supply estimates, or oversees compilation of estimates for facilities, construction, and maintenance of rangeland projects and prepares budgetary plans and controls for rangeland management functions. Makes recommendations for improved rangeland and livestock administration and provides input into the development of subsequent rangeland and livestock management decisions. Assists in the administration of grazing permits by consulting, coordinating and cooperating with permittees and other rangeland users. Prepares and/or revises annual rangeland user instructions. Receives, reviews, and acts on all livestock grazing applications. Determines rangeland readiness for various rangeland uses, inspects rangeland uses for compliance with permits, and monitors the results of the rangeland uses that are permitted or allowed. Determines permittee compliance with permits and makes recommendations to correct discrepancies. Prepares or initiates action on cooperative agreements for rangeland improvements. Prepares rangeland improvement maintenance schedules and keeps records of existing and proposed improvements, maintenance needs, and accomplishments. Maintains range allotment inspection books, livestock management strategies/practices, and compiles actual use information for various grazing areas. Processes any livestock grazing permit appeal. Investigates unauthorized livestock uses and takes direct action for removal of unauthorized/trespass livestock. Works closely with permittees and other livestock owners to prevent further unauthorized use.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov

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. Basic Requirement: GS-0454: Degree: range management; or a related discipline that included at least 42 semester hours in a combination of the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management, as follows: Range Management -- At least 18 semester hours of course work in range management, including courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning. Directly Related Plant, Animal, and Soil Sciences -- At least 15 semester hours of directly related courses in the plant, animal, and soil sciences, including at least one course in each of these three scientific areas, i.e., plant, animal, and soil sciences. Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or soil classification are acceptable. Related Resource Management Studies -- At least 9 semester hours of course work in related resource management subjects, including courses in such areas as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, and outdoor recreation management. OR Combination of education and experience: at least 42 semester hours of course work in the combination of plant, animal, and soil sciences and natural resources management shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-09: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as some of the following: Assisting senior specialists in performing scientific and technical analysis and/or providing technical advice concerning rangeland management topics and/or issues; Assisting in performing recurring, well-defined, and moderately difficult range improvement projects such as preparing allotment management plans, locating, designing, and placing fences, signs, cattle guards, determining stocking and rotation schemes and similar projects; and/or Assisting in preparing segments of conventional range use plans under multiple-use sustained yield concepts or developing simple activity plans. 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. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

See Qualifications section for Educational requirements.

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]