This position is located in Big Bend National Park, in the Division of Science & Resource Management. Open to the first 50 applicants or until 05/09/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

The supervisory physical scientist serves as a senior principal advisor in the physical sciences for Big Bend National Park (BIBE) and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River (RIGR). The supervisory physical scientist is responsible for program development and implementation related to geology, soils, hydrology, air quality, acoustics, paleontology, caves and karst formations, and related fields and activities. The incumbent is the Branch Chief for Natural Resources within the Division of Science & Resource Management, supervising professional staff and providing program oversight for the vegetation and wildlife management programs. Serves as acting Division Chief on a regular basis, when the chief is unavailable. Develops and implements long range plans for the inventory, evaluation, documentation, preservation, research, and interpretation of physical sciences and other natural resources within the 801,000 acres of BIBE and within 245 miles of the Rio Grande River. Develops guidelines to deal with the more complex or unusual problems, or with novel, undeveloped or controversial aspects of physical sciences and other natural resources and their management. One example is water quality and quantity in the Rio Grande River along the international border with Mexico. Incumbent coordinates the park's physical science and natural resource management strategies and programs with those on adjacent lands for the purposes of achieving broad ecosystem protection strategies and preventing human impacts. Negotiates cooperative and interagency agreements and other cooperative instruments needed to effectively carry out resource stewardship goals. Identifies research needs, prepares requests for proposals or statements of work, and provides oversight for research projects. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative and Agreements Technical Representative (ATR) for projects conducted through contracts, interagency agreements, and cooperative agreements. In cooperation with appropriate staff, researchers, and partners, the supervisory physical scientist designs, develops, tests, and implements scientific programs and monitoring protocols for the long-term monitoring of physical resources. Writes new monitoring documents that define monitoring techniques and develops methods for future refinements of protocols. Incumbent provides oversight on the collection of qualitative and quantitative data to monitor geomorphic conditions, sediment and flow dynamics in the Rio Grande River and tributaries. Incumbent supervises a variety of projects related to landscape restoration and its impacts on erosion, sediment dynamics, and channel morphology. Prepares management and scientific reports regarding the results of protection, mitigation, restoration, inventory, monitoring, and research activities. Summarizes new and conventional information for use by scientists, managers, park staff, cooperators, and partners. Incorporates appropriate Geographic Information System (GIS) technology into job to provide comprehensive and scientifically sound answers to inquiries from managers and others. Incumbent manages the overall operation of the park's air quality program. Provides supervision and guidance on the operation and maintenance of multiple instruments for a variety of national air quality monitoring programs. Area Info: Big Bend National Park encompasses 801,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert. The park community consists of 250 people, including employees of the NPS, Concession, Border Patrol, Postal Service, School, and their families living in 4 housing areas: Panther Junction (PJ), Chisos Basin, Castalon, and Rio Grande Village. A state-accredited elementary school (K-8) is located at Panther Junction. The park has a post office, gas stations, camper stores, restaurant, and lodge. Please visit our website for more information at: https://go.nps.gov/bigbendareainfo Daycare and School Information: The San Vicente Independent School District (SVISD) and SVISD Early Learning Center (ELC), are located in Panther Junction and serve those that live in Big Bend National Park. SVISD ELC, is a state-accredited daycare facility for children ages 18 months to 4 years of age. Daycare services are currently free of charge (subject to change). The SVISD elementary school, located in Panther Junction, is a Texas Education Agency, A-Rated, elementary school (K-8). Terlingua (30 miles) has a state-accredited high school, rich in academics, extracurricular, and athletic opportunities for students in grades 9-12. For more information about the Daycare and Schooling, contact Jessi Milam, Ed.D. Superintendent, Cell: (830) 333-1074 or SVISD School Office: (432) 244-3131. Alpine, TX (100 miles) has a four-year university with in-person and online graduate programs."

Requirements

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-05/09/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. Basic Requirement: Four years or higher degree in physical science, engineering or mathematics that includes 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. -OR- Possess an equivalent combination of education and experience - education equivalent to one of the majors shown above, that has included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education to total four years. - AND - To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level, you must possess at least 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-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: work developing and preparing major portions of resource management plans; preparation of specific action plans; identifying research needs, preparation of proposals, and oversight of research; design, develop, test, and implement scientific monitoring protocols; developing scientifically credible protection, mitigation, and restoration projects; or developing and carrying out statistically valid data collection protocols. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in physical science, physics, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to this position. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, I have one half year of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 45 semester hours or 68 quarter hours of directly-related graduate level education in an accredited educational institution (50% of the qualifying education). 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.

Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

Contacts

• Address Big Bend National Park Big Bend National Park Big Bend National Park, TX 79834 US
• Name: Vicki Duran
• Email: [email protected]