The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Current students who are scheduled to graduate within nine months may also apply to these positions. However, these students cannot be appointed until after graduation and the official degree has been awarded and conferred.

Duties

The duties listed are at the highest grade level advertised (GS-07): As an advanced trainee, performs duties of limited scope and complexity in all aspects of ecology activities. Combines productive work with learning a variety of advanced skills, techniques, and procedures in order to increase ability to perform higher level work and to assist employees at higher grade levels. Receives formal and on-the-job training in more advanced skills, techniques and procedures by performing a variety of productive ecology work, such as the following: Performs assignments in planning the approach and collecting data to carry out less complex ecological studies or portions of larger investigations. Performs data analysis and writes small reports to evaluate findings. Assists in ensuring completion of program objectives and associated documentation in accordance with established program directives. Performs limited analyses of program plans. Prepares a variety of samples, performs data analysis in an office or laboratory, and drafts assigned portions of reports.

Requirements

• Must be at least 16 years of age and meet education requirements.
• Must be suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National at the time of non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent position in the competitive service.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
• The incumbents of Recent Graduate positions may be reassigned/relocated to any geographical location where the employee's services are needed as determined by management. Mobility agreement may be required.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period.
• A signed participant agreement is required for employment under Pathways.
• Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE depending upon duty location.

Qualifications

You are required to meet the eligibility requirements of the Recent Graduate program, as described below in order to be considered for this position. You must meet all the eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, go to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0400/ecology-series-0408/. The minimum qualification requirements for each grade level of this vacancy announcement are described below: RECENT GRADUATES PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY To be eligible, you must meet one of the following requirements: Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two years; OR If you are a current student who is in the process of completing your degree, academic documentation must accompany your application package to validate your upcoming graduation date (you must complete all degree requirements within nine months of the application closing date to be considered a Recent Graduate); OR Due to military service obligation, you were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduate Program during any portion of the two-year eligibility period described above. This eligibility period cannot extend more than six years from the date on which the requirement for the academic degree or certificate was received. You must possess the qualifications requirements identified below to be considered qualified for this position. Your application or 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 the Ecologist, 0408 series: Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement as defined below. For more information on the qualifications for this position, go to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0400/ecology-series-0408/ 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 biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. 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-05 level: meeting the basic education requirement for the 0408 series is qualifying at the GS-05 grade level. For the GS-07 grade level: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as the two or more of the following: Served as an advanced trainee and applied academic theories and basic professional ecology principles to a variety of work situations; collected basic data from field investigations and made observations where ecological conditions were readily identifiable; assisted higher grade specialists in studying and preparing sections of reports on ecological investigations. OR one full year of graduate level education; OR an appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience; OR Superior Academic Achievement (to determine if you are eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp . The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. 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. Please note that Superior Academic Achievement can only be applied if you have graduated or completed (or expect to complete within 9 months) all the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Education

Education completed in foreign colleges and universities may be used if it has been accredited or evaluated by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Note regarding certificate programs: A certificate program is defined as a post-secondary education, in a qualifying education institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum. While recently graduating from a certificate program may afford you Recent Graduate Program eligibility, it may not be sufficient in terms of qualification standards for the series and/or the grade level.

This position has a positive education requirement, as outlined above under basic qualifications. The term positive education requirement refers to an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) determination that the duties of a scientific, technical, or professional position cannot be performed by an individual that does not have the prescribed minimum education. For additional information on the qualification standards for the 0408 series, visit the OPM Qualifications Standard found at: Ecology Series 0408 (opm.gov).

POSITION INFORMATION

This announcement is associated with the 2024 Society of Range Management (SRM) recruitment event. The target start date for these positions is Summer-Fall 2024. Please click this link to see the Career Map for these positions.

To see where these Forest Service offices are located, click here. Click each region name to see the different locations within the Forest Service.

If you have questions regarding duty locations in this announcement please email [email protected]. Please include the announcement number and the exact location(s) for which you have questions in your email.

The duty locations listed in this announcement include primary and alternate locations for available positions. You must select all duty locations for which you wish to be considered; final duty location for each position will be determined at the time of selection.

Selecting the "Location Negotiable after Selection" option in addition to selecting your preferred specific duty locations, implies your willingness to accept positions to alternative duty locations that may or may not have been indicated in this announcement. Selecting this duty location option may increase your chances of receiving an offer.

This position is being concurrently announced under Merit Promotion procedures as announcement number 24-NPT-SRM-408-57-FS-RB. Current federal employees may apply to both announcements. This position may be filled at the GS-05 or GS-07 grade level with promotion potential to the GS-09.

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]