Three positions being filled in the Northern Region, Region 1 with duty locations of Bozeman, Billings, Philipsburg and Helena, MT. The incumbent serves as a fully operating professional Soil Scientist. For additional information about individual duty locations, please see the Education section below.

Duties

Supplies soil related information and technical expertise to the land management planning process. Determines resource potentials, suggests alternative management practices, predicts the effect of each management alternative, and assesses the resource trade-offs required to build an optimum program. Makes assigned soil management investigations of soil management problem areas, analyzes this data, and makes recommendations which are used in preparing integrated plans for resource management activities on the Forest. Advises land managers of capabilities and limitations of soils for a variety of contemplated uses and activities (e.g., timber sales, watershed rehabilitation projects, transportation planning, or recreation development). Serves on interdisciplinary teams conducting environmental analyses of proposed projects. Provides soil related information needed to develop and maintain the Forest Land Management Plan, compartment examination prescriptions, and other project proposals and environmental analyses. Participates in the preparation of input to the annual and long range program and budget process by recommending priorities of soil projects. Conducts training of personnel in the use and application of exploratory soil surveys and irrigation suitability surveys. Prepares technical papers and attends meetings of appropriate professional societies. Performs supervisory duties 20% or less of the time.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service 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.
• New supervisor training must be completed within your first year.

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 for Soil Science, 0470 Series: Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in soil science or a closely related discipline that included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility. OR Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a related discipline that included at least 30 semester hours in the biological, physical, or earth sciences. At least 15 of these semester hours must have been in the areas specified 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-11 level: You must have one-year (1) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level; Examples of specialized experience include performing one or more of the following: Collected, analyzed, and interpreted soils data for input into environmental reports; Participated as a member of an interdisciplinary team for natural resource/land management planning; Conducted field reconnaissance to prepare detailed soil surveys including field examination, description, classification, and mapping of soils; Managed soils projects, to include evaluating, developing, implementing, and monitoring projects; Provided written soils input into National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and other technical planning documents for natural resource management projects OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled); OR An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary, or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate, or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position. 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.

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying.

Contact Information
-Custer-Gallatin National Forest, Supervisors Office, Duty Location: Bozeman, MT or Billings, MT. Supervisor: Jake Chaffin, [email protected]

-Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Pintler Ranger District, Duty Location: Philipsburg, MT. Supervisor: Cameron Rasor, [email protected]

-Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Resources, Duty Location: Helena, MT. Supervisor: Scott Nagel, [email protected]

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]