This position is located at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Operating Officers, Director Capitol Grounds and Arboretum, Gardening Division. The incumbent serves as an Urban Forester and works closely with the Tree Care Section. The Urban Forester plans, organizes, coordinates and implements urban forestry programs for the AOC. 

Duties

This position serves as an Urban Forester and works closely with the Tree Care Section. The Urban Forester plans, organizes, coordinates and implements urban forestry programs for the AOC. To apply pesticides in the District of Columbia (D.C.), the incumbent must possess a valid D.C. pesticide applicator’s license in categories (3A) exterior ornamental plants, (3B) interior plant-scapes and/or (3C) turf grass, dependent upon the pesticides used.Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.It is desirable that the selectee be an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist and must be able to obtain a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) certification.Major DutiesForestry OperationsResponsible to develop and lead the overall urban forest program for the Capitol arboretum including plant records, tree canopy assessment and planning, environmental benefits and impacts, oversee arboriculture contracts, public outreach and education and protection of trees during construction and special event activities. Creates plant record information in the living collection management system. Obtains, enters, tracks and maintains current object information and memorial tree data. Resolves conflicts or solves problems with the database. Serves as liaison and contact for management on matters related to plant records.Coordinates day-to-day departmental administrative tasks as they relate to assigned plant records. Works with Tree Care Branch to schedule, perform and record periodic tree care programs including, but not limited to, tree inventories, level 1, 2 and 3 tree risk assessments, cable and lightning protection inspections. Collaborates with Tree Care Branch to make recommendations for removals, hazard mitigations and plantings.Keeps up to date with any changes to administrative procedures, database management, correspondence format, equipment, software and related matters.Supports the administration in particular the management of information related to living collection assets to a variety of entities inside and outside of the Capitol Grounds Arboretum.Prepares and/or proofreads texts such as plant display and accession labels, interpretative texts, brochures, promotional materials and catalogues, as assigned.Prepares reports, in proper formats utilized by the AOC, for funding and asset management.Develops public outreach and education programs in accordance with arboretum accreditation.Determines and implements a succession plan for memorial, historic and other noteworthy trees of the Capitol arboretum. Propagates select species to ensure the progeny of the historic trees of the U.S. Capitol arboretum survive for future generations. Cares for propagules and grows seedlings for succession plan.Conducts studies related to the preservation of the historic cultural landscape and urban canopy of the arboretum.Works with agency representatives to provide protective measures to landscape during planning processes for events and construction projects. Monitors tree protection zones during construction projects and ensures compliance.Monitors tree health, recommends and applies chemical and biological applications as part of an IPM program. Investigates and utilizes sustainable approaches to arboriculture management and investigates new methods.ProcurementManages financial obligations to the urban forestry program through development of budget justifications, monitoring spending and tracking accountable property.Develops Scopes of Work (SOW) and serves as Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR) for various arboretum contracts including, but not limited to, soil management, pest and disease control and emergency tree removal.Follows all relevant safety rules, regulations and standard operating procedures. The incumbent must utilize knowledge of and must comply with all OSHA safety rules and regulations to ensure that work progresses in a safe manner. Provides or receives training, either on-the-job or through classroom training, to ensure that all safety practices and equipment are fully utilized. Uses required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must be able to pass a drug test
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs
• You must meet the education requirement
• You must possess and maintain a valid, unexpired State driver's license

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, you must have specialized experience, directly related education OR a combination of experience and education as described below.GS-13 Qualifications: Applicants must possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector.  Specialized experience is defined as experience in the management of a forestry program to include performing tree care, monitoring tree health, managing a Geographic Information system (GIS), developing outreach materials, serving as contract representative, and applying state-of-the-art methods and techniques in the care of complex and historic tree species.

Education

Basic Education Requirements:

Degree: Forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas:

• Management of Renewable Resources-- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management.
• Forest Biology-- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology.
• Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory-- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing.

OR

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: 
Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment.

Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must provide sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.

Applicants must possess and maintain a valid and unexpired State driver's license at the time of application.

To apply pesticides in the District of Columbia Applicants must possess a valid and unexpired D.C. Pesticide Applicator’s License or a valid, unexpired State pesticide license with D.C. reciprocity in categories 3A, 3B, 3C.                                        

Contacts

• Address Architect of the Capitol 2nd and D Street, S.W. Washington, District of Columbia 20515 United States
• Name: Paulette Dixon-Ellis
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]