This position is located at USDA Forest Service; Southern Research Station (SRS), in Durham, NC. This scientist is a Research Economist or Research Forester in the Economics and Policy unit. The unit studies the economics of forest disturbances, forest management, and markets. This position is focused on wildfire and other disturbances. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Jeffrey Prestemon at [email protected].

Duties

Lead the scientific advancement of wildfire economics in support of Unit, Station, and Agency missions through interdisciplinary collaboration. Support the USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy (WCS) and related policies and programs focused on public land management, including the intersection with state, private, and Tribal lands. Utilize theoretical and empirical economic and statistical analyses to answer critical economic and policy issues, ranging from local to global in scope. Applies sophisticated research methods, drawing from multiple disciplines to develop novel approaches to meeting the challenges of today's most pressing issues. Present concepts and research forecasts for both the USDA Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. Examine the spatial and temporal patterns, predictors of, and damages deriving from natural and human-caused wildfires. Evaluate how public and private forestland management is affected by government policies and how private sector institutions alter forest extent and condition when that management has implications for the occurrence and severity of wildfire. Facilitate internal and external collaborative relationships by seeking opportunities to add value and expertise to Station research studies. Seek and respond to requests for proposals that support Unit and Station priorities, and manage grants and agreements to leverage assistance, support, and funding of research programs. Present concepts and research results to diverse groups such as scientists, federal and state agency managers, tribal representatives, universities, and non-governmental organizations. Disseminate research findings and data products through technical reports, peer-reviewed journal publication, and other science delivery channels.

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.
• Completion of a three-year probationary period required in accordance with the USDA Demonstration Project Authority. During this time, employee's conduct and performance will be monitored to determine if employee will be retained.
• 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.

Qualifications

This is a research scientist position and is classified under the scientist career plan. Research scientists have open-ended promotion potential. Research accomplishments and their impact on the duties and responsibilities of positions are evaluated periodically. The grade level is limited only by the individual's demonstrated ability to perform research of recognized importance to science and technology. Final grade level will be determined by a peer review panel. The purpose of the initial review panel is to determine the grade level upon entry into a position. Candidates being considered for this research position should provide a list of publications for which you have been an author, co-author, or contributor. If providing curriculum vitae, please incorporate all resume requirements identified in the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this announcement, or submit a supplemental resume which includes all information required in addition to the curriculum vitae. 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 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. 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 university course descriptions to clarify content of coursework as necessary. Basic Education Requirements: Economics series (0110) https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/economist-series-0110/ Degree: Economics. that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Forestry series (0460): Degree: Forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas: Management of Renewable Resources--study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this are include silviculture, forest management operations, timer management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management. Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology. Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing. To qualify, you must also meet the requirements listed below. Minimum Qualifications Requirements: For the GS-12: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Specialized experience at this level is defined as: Conducting the full cycle of scientific research (including identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, demonstrations, manuscripts, and other appropriate technology transfer activities) in one or more of the following areas: Analyzing the effects of human and natural disturbances, including wildfire, on public and private forestland on humans and society; identifying the forces that drive such disturbances, and thereby informing potential policy and management strategies designed to achieve desired societal and environmental outcomes. Forming, leading, and participating in research teams, regional, and/or national importance. Securing funding for scientific research through a variety of external funding sources Disseminating research findings at conferences or scientific meetings and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals. OR Conferred Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree directly related to the work of the position. Acceptable fields of study include economics; wildfire natural resource economics; environmental economics; agricultural economics; behavioral economics; spatial/time series/Bayesian statistics; biostatistics; operations research; wildfire management. For the GS-13: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Specialized experience at this level is defined as: Conducting a diversity or body of research in wildfire economics. Served as a principal Investigator or project member on multiple studies that include the full cycle of scientific research (i.e. identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, demonstrations, manuscripts, and other appropriate technology transfer activities)as it pertains to: analyzing the effects of human and natural disturbances, including wildfire, on public and private forestland on humans and society, identifying the forces that drive such disturbances, and thereby informing potential policy and management strategies designed to achieve desired societal and environmental outcomes; developing new methods of fine spatial or temporal scale forecasting of fuel treatments and wildfire occurrence while recognizing the institutional and biophysical barriers to managing forests for wildfire risk reduction. Conducting novel scientific investigations, analyzing alternative methods for forecasting wildfire suppression expenditures, and working with other team members to provide such forecasts to the stakeholders and other federal agencies. Includes research that examines the spatial and temporal patterns, predictors of, and damages deriving from natural and human-caused wildfires. Developing and disseminating research findings in collaboration with resource managers and planners for presentation at conferences or scientific meetings, preparing suppression expenditure forecasts and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals.

Education

See Qualifications section. Graduate Education alone is not qualifying at the GS-13 grade level.

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.

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]