This position is located in the Alaska State Office located in Palmer, AK The primary purpose of the position is to serve as the Alaska Native Liaison and coordinate between the tribes and tribal entities and the NRCS-leadership to address challenges relating to implementation of NRCS conservation programs on tribal lands and identify partnership opportunities. There are 229 federally recognized tribes in Alaska.

Duties

Provides information on USDA policies, regulations, and programs that may contain specific reference to Tribal benefits, such as USDA Departmental Regulations, Farm Bill, National Environmental Justice, and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) process. Facilitates government-to-government meetings between Tribes and NRCS leadership, identifying problems, establishing agendas, and arranging logistics for the meetings. Provides leadership in establishing NRCS presence on Alaska Native Lands by developing a relationship of trust between the Tribes and NRCS-leadership. Through networking with other state Tribal Liaisons and examining what has been successful in other areas, advises leadership on actions needed to implement. Provides oversight and supervision to assigned staff. Assigns and monitors work progress. Gives advice and/or instruction to employees on both assignments and administrative matters. Provides training and technical guidance to NRCS staff.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Subject to 1-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. Must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• Direct Deposit--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 at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• This position is designated for random drug testing under Departmental—Regulation DR 4430-7922-2 dated April 2011. This position must complete and pass Pre-Employment Drug Testing before entrance on duty (EOD).
• Incumbents of this position will be required to submit to a pre-employment or pre-assignment urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use and on an ongoing basis after appointment, as directed.
• In addition, the applicant will be notified that appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative drug test result.
• Work is mostly sedentary but travel is required to attend conferences and/or meetings with landowners at their place of business or farms. Physical activity during site visits may include walking over rough terrain/tundra, bending, and light lifting.
• Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in both office and field environments. Performs duties in a variety of areas with adverse conditions. Travel may be by unconventional means such as helicopter, small aircraft, snow machine or riverboat.
• Use of firearms for protection from bears is required. Remote areas that require a high degree of knowledge on survival safety techniques for sub arctic climates are often visited.

Qualifications

If you are a current career or career-conditional Federal employee with NRCS who has a designated place of residence in the lower 48 continental United States or the District of Columbia (CONUS): the initial tour of duty in Alaska is for 3 years. An employee may elect to serve an additional 2-year tour with the approval of the Alaska State Conservationist. Guaranteed return rights are forfeited once management accepts an employee's request to extend his/her tour beyond the 5-year period. In addition to salary, compensation also includes a Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA) of 1.69% (subject to change). COLA is not subject to Federal income tax & is not calculated as salary for retirement. This allowance is to offset the cost of goods and services, housing, transportation and miscellaneous expenses. For more information visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-systems/nonforeign-areas/ Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. (Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No Award or General Adjustment SF-50's will be accepted). Time-in-grade requirements also apply to VEOA applicants having held a GS position in the past year. See addition information. Basic Requirements: Degree: Bachelor's or higher degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation. (You must submit transcripts.) In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, you must meet the following: Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Assessing resource conservation needs and formulate plans and strategies to provide needed services; Liaising with American Indian Tribal governments on programs and policies as they relate to activities affecting American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal rights and trust resources; Providing coordination on of conservation services and assistance programs to help tribal governments and underserved groups obtain assistance; Utilizing computers and software including Microsoft Outlook, Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Internet Explorer, and various databases in order to complete analysis and produce reports and spreadsheets; and Providing guidance and assistance to staff and/or leadership to develop local plans to address needs and ways to improve program delivery to Native tribes. Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 level. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The OPM Qualification Standards for this position can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series This position requires field work in areas where bears and other dangerous wildlife are common. Passing a course in bear safety and firearms handling skills on an annual basis, and legal ability to carry a firearm, are required for this position. Must maintain annual Firearms Certification and Bear Safety Training. This position requires that the incumbent meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. Certification of compliance with 18 U.S.C. 922 (g) and (n) National Rifle Association Shotgun Safety and handling certification. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.

Education

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the 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. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Midwest Services Branch
• Phone: 8164265706
• Email: [email protected]