This position is in the Resource Assessment Branch of the Soil Science and Resource Assessment Deputy Area. The incumbent will serve as the Supervisory Natural Resource Modeling Specialist for the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) Modeling Team. The team models the impacts of conservation practices on natural resource concerns, including water quality, soil erosion, and carbon dynamics. A recruitment/relocation incentive up to $35,000 may be authorized.

Duties

Supervises the Conservation Effects Assessment Project Modeling Team, builds their modeling skills and knowledge of agriculture and conservation, and strengthens connections and the team's impact within NRCS and the conservation community. Builds and expands partnerships with academic institutions and other federal agencies to strengthen the scientific foundation for modeling the impacts of conservation practices. Provides leadership and technical expertise for assessing, developing and utilizing analytical techniques to lead natural resource assessments that inform future conservation investments and improve outcomes reporting capabilities. Develops and oversees outcomes projects for Farm Bill implementation activities that help measure and demonstrate conservation program accomplishments and inform program policy. Provides national leadership and policy expertise to develop highly complex natural resource analyses and assessments that are needed to meet Agency requirements mandated under the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act and other authorities.

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. If selected you will be sent instruction on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Must possess a 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 Must possess a combination of education and experience. This includes courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A 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. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS AND BE REFLECTED IN RESUME.) In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying: Must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. My experience includes but is not limited to: 1) Providing national leadership and technical policy expertise to develop highly complex natural resource analyses and assessments; 2) Making recommendations to leadership regarding effective conservation of natural resources; 3) Developing, enhancing or using statistical or physical process models; and 4) Coordinating with internal and external technical specialists to leverage datasets, models, and tools to improve agency ability to measure and articulate conservation outcomes. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.) 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=0400-ndx

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. 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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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.

Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.

Failure to provide all of the required documents/information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Herbert Brooks
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]