This position is located in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Central National Technology Support Center (CNTSC), located in Fort Worth, Texas. The incumbent is responsible for providing technical expertise for conservation planning, design, installation of conservation agronomy practices. In addition, the incumbent executes the development and carries out of overall agronomic programs for states serviced by the CNTSC.

Duties

Manages, develops, and plans all technical aspects of practice standards and specifications for each state in the NTSC area on all agronomic practices. Serves as the technical leader in planning, coordinating, and directing wind and water erosion prediction responsibilities in the NTSC partnering with the cooperating scientists for wind and water erosion. Develops and/or recommends new or revised national agronomy standards for inclusion in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices and prepares appropriate draft material. Serves as a technical leader in agronomy appraisals of State Office operations and as a senior member of broader appraisals that include agronomy activities to ensure compliance with established policies and standards. Directs and chairs work groups which establish guidelines and policies affecting the agronomic program in the assigned NTSC program area(s).

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. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit--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 at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.
• Physical Demands: Work is mostly sedentary however at times requires long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, reaching and frequent lifting moderately heavy items.
• Work Environment: A significant portion of time is spent traveling to field locations, sometimes outside of normal working hours. Frequent exposure to various field conditions; the operation of agricultural equipment and adverse weather conditions.

Qualifications

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level. One year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level. (Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No Award or General Adjustment SF-50's will be accepted). Time-in-grade requirements also apply to VEOA applicants having held a GS position in the past year. See addition information. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Basic Education Requirement Degree: Must have a Bachelor's or higher degree in agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of education and experience: Must have a combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation. (You must submit transcripts.) In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying: GS-13 Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Making recommendations based on water and wind erosion prediction models; Assessing environmental effects of erosion to assist with developing plans for erosion mitigation; Communicating orally or in writing to deliver materials such as handbooks, training materials, or professional presentations; and Collaborating with scientists to assist with developing technical solutions for field work. GS-14 Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Making recommendations based on water and wind erosion prediction models; Assessing environmental effects of erosion to develop plans for erosion mitigation; Communicating orally or in writing to deliver materials such as draft policies, handbooks, training materials, or professional presentations; Collaborating with scientists to develop technical solutions for field work; and Using erosion prediction technology to analyst information such as soil characteristics, surface roughness, or vegetative cover. There is no education substitute for specialized experience at the GS-13 or GS-14 levels. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The OPM Qualification Standards for this position can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

Education

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Midwest Services Branch
• Phone: 8164265706
• Email: [email protected]