This position is located within a National Forest. The primary purpose of this position is to perform a variety of tasks relating to native plants surveys and monitoring, invasive plant control and monitoring, native plant restoration, pollinator program support, or noxious weed control program.

Duties

Collects biological and vegetation specimens and samples. Is responsible for the accumulation, coding, transcription and processing of information; edits and corrects records; and provides quality control of automatic data processing entries. Assists in the design of new plant projects. Lays out experimental plots by taking measurements and marking corners and boundaries. Uses botanical key to identify plants encountered during field trips or surveys of forest areas. Lays out monitoring plots by taking measurements and marking corners and boundaries. Participates and conducts a variety of field studies of native and non-native botanical species and their habitats. Collects data for use in habitat and species condition analyses. Compiles and summarizes the data obtained from surveys, inventories, biological evaluations, and monitoring. Uses computer systems and associated software for recording, organizing, storing, and analyzing data. Performs native plant, pollinators, and phenology surveys. Carries out pollinator habitat enhancement, tends restoration gardens and other ecological restoration duties such as planting, seed collection and cleaning, weeding, irrigation of past plantings, or native plant nursery work. Performs the full range of standard technical assignments consisting of a variety of tasks involving invasive non-native plant treatment, management, inventory, and monitoring. Identifies invasive non-native plants using various field guides or botanical keys, surveys for target plants, collects and assesses data on infestation location and status, and treats invasive plant infestations. Collects and records data related to infestation location and status. Responsible for ensuring that data related to invasive non-native plant treatments is recorded accurately and legibly, and according to specific protocols. Performs highly physical labor and daily hiking often to remote locations in rugged terrain under possible adverse weather conditions. A portion of time may be dedicated to data entry and other duties in a laboratory or office setting. Applies herbicides using backpack sprayers or other equipment on a regular basis according to specific guidelines. Performs basic mathematical calculations related to herbicide mixing and applications. Uses appropriate personal protective equipment supplied by the Forest Service at all times. May identify, collect, and release appropriate insects (biological control) to achieve desired objectives. Conducts field inventories of invasive plant species, and uses integrated weed management techniques to control invasive species. Techniques include herbicide treatments using both motorized (including ATVs or UTVs) and non-motorized equipment (including horse support), biological controls, mowing, burning, re-seeding, and hand-pulling. Independently chooses the most effective herbicide or control method to be used to comply with Federal and State laws and Forest Service policy. May lead a small crew and/or works independently in weed control efforts along Forest roads and trails as well as off-road control efforts (including wilderness). Mixes chemicals to label specifications and instructs or monitors crewmembers on proper mixing and application techniques. Ensures the crew is aware of and carries out all environmental and safety requirements when using pesticides. May be trained as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and administer contracts as needed. Serves as a designated inspector for other CORs. Assists in the maintenance of insectaries for biological agents as well as field collection of insects. Assists in research projects including some that involve controlled burning.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check
• Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
• Must be 18 years of age
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-Verify
• Must obtain and show proof you have a valid herbicide applicators license.
• For duties involving noxious weed control, incumbent may have to obtain a state herbicide applicators license within 120 days of appointment and complete ongoing training to maintain the license.

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. GS-05: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 grade level; OR a bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school (120 semester/180 quarter hours) with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics and at least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position to be filled.; OR combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. Examples of specialized experience include: Participating in ecological management activities by assisting with biological/plant surveys, identification, treatment of invasive species, management and inventory; weeding, and irrigation of past plantings, or nursery work. Experience in the collection of data, record-keeping, and compiling and summarizing data. Selective Placement Factors For duties involving noxious weed control, incumbent may have to obtain a state herbicide applicator's license within 120 days of appointment and complete ongoing training to maintain the license. 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. To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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]