Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. This position is located in Fairbanks, Alaska. Information about Alaska and the surrounding area can be found at Alaska. We expect to fill 2 vacancies at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Duties

At the GS-9 level work will be conducted with direct supervisory support and assistance from more senior mining compliance staff. GS-11: Responsible for the day to day implementation of mineral materials and minerals surface management programs. Communicate with and provide assistance to permit applicants to develop and submit complete applications, address compliance issues, and share information through letters, phone calls, and in-person meetings. Conduct completeness reviews of applications for mining Notices of Exploration and Plans of Operations and ensure compliance with applicable federal laws, regulations, and policies. Initiate and lead the preparation of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for Plans of Operation. Coordinate with management and interdisciplinary staff to develop alternatives or mitigations to prevent unnecessary and undue degradation of federal lands. Conduct field inspections at mine sites to ensure operations are in compliance with the terms of the authorization and other federal laws, regulations, and policies.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• Direct Deposit Required.
• Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
• Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
• An applicant appointed to this position must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
• May require a one year probationary period.
• You may be required to carry a firearm or bear repellent spray in the performance of your duties. Any person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition.

Qualifications

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. For the GS-09: In addition to meeting the education requirement, you must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-07 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Collecting natural resource, geologic, or mining engineering data; assisting with the preparation of natural resource, geology, or mining engineering reports related to land and resource management regulations and policies; documenting the condition of natural resources and contributing to preparing reports on resource condition; reviewing proposals for development of natural resources. Examples of specialized experience could also include: experience in natural resource protection, mineral and mining plan development, production verification, reclamation planning, mine site investigations, and hydrology studies related to mine site development or reclamation. -OR- Education: have 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in natural resources, biological science, geology, physical science or engineering. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. -OR- If applying under series 0880 as a Mining Engineer only, and: Have at least 1 year of professional experience as a Mining Engineer and have a bachelor's degree in a related subject with at least one of the following: 1) placed in the upper third of my graduating class in the college, university or major subdivision; 2) a grade point average of 3.0 or higher based on 4 years of education or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum; 3) a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for all courses in my major field of study or in courses completed in the major field during the final 2 years of my undergraduate curriculum; 4) membership in a national scholastic honor society which meets the requirements of the Associate of College Honor Societies (other than freshman societies). The professional engineering experience is defined as non-routine engineering work that required and was characterized by (1) professional knowledge of engineering; (2) professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and (3) positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability. -OR- Have successfully completed a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering and 1 year of appropriate professional experience. The professional engineering experience is defined as non-routine engineering work that required and was characterized by (1) professional knowledge of engineering; (2) professional ability to apply such knowledge to engineering problems; and (3) positive and continuing development of professional knowledge and ability. For the GS-11: In addition to meeting the education requirement, you must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Collecting and analyzing natural resource, geologic, or mining engineering data; preparing natural resource, geology, or mining engineering reports related to land and resource management regulations and policies; assessing the condition of natural resources and preparing reports on resource conditions; evaluating proposals for development of natural resources. Examples of specialized experience could also include: experience in natural resource protection planning and implementation, mineral and mining plan development and implementation, production analysis and verification, reclamation planning and implementation, mine site investigations and developing corrective actions and recommendations, preparing and conducting hydrology studies related to mine site development or reclamation; assessing the condition of natural resources and preparing reports on resource condition; evaluating mining plans or proposals. -OR- Education: have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in natural resources, biological science, geology, physical science or engineering. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Physical Demands: You will conduct inspections and inventories in remote and isolated areas. This will involve strenuous off highway travel using ATVs or walking while carrying equipment up to 45 pounds over rough terrain. Work Environment: Most work is conducted in a typical office setting. Field work will require travel as indicated above, camping in primitive conditions, and will result in exposure to all types of weather conditions ranging from summer temperatures to -50 F in winter.

Education

This is an interdisciplinary position which may be filled under the 0401, 0880, or 1350 series. The final series will be determined based on the educational background of the selectee. Each series in this interdisciplinary position has a positive education requirement which requires that you have ONE of the following:

For GS-0401 - Natural Resources Specialist

• Have a degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

For GS-0880 - Mining Engineer

• Have a degree in professional engineering. The curriculum is: (1) in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) includes differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR
• Have a combination of education and experience-college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to mining engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by ONE of the following:
  • Professional registration - Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam or Puerto Rico.
  • Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration, by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam or Puerto Rico.
  • Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable towards meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A.
  • Related curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate professional field, e.g. engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided that applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

For GS-1350 - Geologist

• Have a Degree in geology, plus 20 additional semester hours in any combination of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, structural, chemical, civil, mining or petroleum engineering, computer science, planetary geology, comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography. OR
• Have a combination of education and experience--course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

Contacts

• Address BLM Alaska 222 West 7th Avenue Anchorage, AK 99513 US
• Name: Annyn Vanderlooven
• Phone: (907) 271-2455
• Email: [email protected]