This permanent full-time position is located at the North Country National Scenic Trail headquarters in Lowell, Michigan. For information on the area or duties of the position contact [email protected] or 616-250-3160. This position is concurrently open to all U.S. Citizens under Announcement Number MW-1544-NOCO-23-12083926-DE

Duties

MAJOR DUTIES GS-9 Assists with trail planning activities for the North Country National Scenic Trail. Under direction from the Trail Manager, leads local-level trail planning studies. Collaborates with North Country Trail Association Regional Trail Coordinators (RTCs), state and federal agencies, partners, and volunteers to facilitate trail route planning studies, assist in planning long-term trail routes as well as short-term reroutes, and address a variety of trail planning challenges. Work includes: 1) under the direction of the Trail Manager, work with NPS partners, members of the public, and others to plan and conduct routine trail route studies and plans and prepare planning documents for supervisory review and approval; 2) with supervisory guidance, coordinate contracted trail studies and consult with local, state, and federal partners; 3) use a variety of methods, resources, and technology to collect data in support of trail planning, such as GIS, GPS, aerial imagery analysis, etc.; 4) other duties as assigned supporting trail and organizational operations and activities. MAJOR DUTIES GS-11 Serves as the Trail Planner for the North Country National Scenic Trail and the primary contact for trail planning activities. Independently directs and leads local, state, and regional-level route planning projects of increasing complexity with minimal supervisory guidance from the Trail Manager. This position regularly collaborates with North Country Trail Association Regional Trail Coordinators (RTCs), state and federal agencies, partners, and volunteers to facilitate trail route planning studies, conduct planning studies for long-term trail routes as well as short-term reroutes, and address a variety of trail planning challenges. Work includes: 1) independently develops strategies to work with NPS partners, members of the public, and others to plan and conduct advanced trail route studies and plans and prepare planning documents for supervisory review and approval; 2) independently coordinates contracted regional-level trail studies and consults with local, state, and federal partners; 3) independently organizes, facilitates, and leads meetings and other planning processes to support collaborative trail planning; 4) conducts advanced trail planning using a variety of methods, resources, and technology to collect data in support of trail planning, such as GIS, GPS, aerial imagery analysis, etc.; 5) other duties as assigned supporting trail and organizational operations and activities. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Physical Demands: Most work is sedentary, but incumbent is expected to travel when necessary and work in outdoor settings, which require hiking and enduring various, occasionally extreme, environmental conditions. Situations may arise with considerable time constraints and long hours. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in an office environment, meeting room, or similar setting. Travel may be frequent and involves the normal risks and discomforts of automobile, bus, rail, or air transportation travel. During periods of fieldwork the employee may be exposed to a variety of climates, altitudes, and other environmental factors. AREA INFORMATION Lowell Michigan is a small city of 4,044 persons, 15 miles east of Grand Rapids Michigan. All necessary amenities can be found in Lowell. Excellent public school system, groceries, pharmacies, restaurants, breweries, cultural organizations, and water and land-based recreation. Additional amenities can be found in Grand Rapids, the second most-populated city in Michigan. Situated a short 40-minute drive from Lake Michigan, Grand Rapids was named Lonely Planet's top U.S. travel destination for 2014. It has been voted "Beer City USA" in two nationwide polls, and the city's annual ArtPrize has been named one of Time magazine's top five festivals in the world.

Requirements

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/18/2023-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Draft and contribute to planning documents; Prepare materials for internal and external meetings including press releases, presentations, posters, and other relevant materials; Collaborate with team members to write components of planning documents and meet project objectives, milestones, and timelines; Consider outdoor recreation interests, habits, and needs of diversified groups, and the means for meeting those needs; Research and analyze data of current and future use, demographics, and natural, cultural, and recreation features related to park planning and compliance. Prepare or review final document results from those actions. You must include hours per week worked on your resume. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a master's or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in outdoor recreation planning or a related field such as: sociology, forestry, landscape architecture, economics, biological science, park administration, earth science, natural resource management and conservation, civil engineering, urban planning, or recreation OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating degree earned and credit hours in order to qualify based on education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating degree earned and credit hours in order to qualify based on education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: analysis and evaluation of outdoor recreation interests, habits, and needs of diversified groups, and the means for meeting those needs; evaluation of land or water areas for their recreation and related potential use, such as wildlife reserve; preparation and review of plans and programs for natural resource utilization and recreation area development. You must include hours per week worked on your resume. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. with a major study in outdoor recreation planning or a related field such as: sociology, forestry, landscape architecture, economics, biological science, park administration, earth science, natural resource management and conservation, civil engineering, urban planning, or recreation. Applicants who qualify based on graduate work in related disciplines must have one or more courses in outdoor recreation. You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating degree earned and credit hours in order to qualify based on education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating degree earned and credit hours in order to qualify based on education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected. Volunteer Experience: 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

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your 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.

Contacts

• Address North Country National Scenic Trail 318 East Main Street Suite K Lowell, MI 49331 US
• Name: Michele Hofer
• Email: [email protected]