This position is located in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Alaska Offices. This is a time-limited appointment not to exceed 3 years with possibility for extension of an addition 2 years upon approval. - There are Return Rights/Tour Renewal Travel with the merit announcement if a current federal employee is hired from the 48 contiguous states. See Additional Information for more text.

Duties

Collects hydro-meteorological data within the boundaries of the jurisdiction. Performs data collection, verification, processing and archival of data to include snow, precipitation, stream flow, reservoir, soil moisture, wind, solar, humidity, etc. Prepares Basin Outlook Report (on a monthly basis) through the winter. Responsibilities include data collection and entry into databases, data validation, arranges printing and mailing. Performs snow surveys on snow machine and on foot. Utilizes Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to develop and disseminate snow survey and water supply products to water users, the research community, other government entities, and the public.

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 instructions 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 E-Verify at 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.
• 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.
• The incumbent must pass an annual physical exam including a baseline treadmill cardiovascular stress test upon employment.

Qualifications

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-05 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-07 level. One year at the GS-07 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-09 level. One year at the GS-09 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 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 Education Requirement: Degree: Bachelor degree (or higher degree) in physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Course work, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 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: GS-07 Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Gathering hydrologic data to be distributed to staff and stakeholders; Assisting in the preparation of reports, graphs, or data profiles; AND Working with hydrologic field personnel on data collection site installation. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) GS-09 Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Gathering hydrologic data to be distributed to staff and stakeholders; Assisting senior hydrologists by carrying out routine projects; Responding to routine questions concerning water flow or circulation; AND Working with hydrologic field personnel on data collection site installation. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) GS-11 Specialized Experience: One or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Gathering hydrologic data to be distributed to staff and stakeholders; Providing technical assistance for stream flow or reservoir data analysis; Developing snow survey products; AND Working with hydrologic field personnel on data collection site installation. (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=List-by-Occupational-Series Additional Information About This Position: This position may be eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. 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. (Per USDA policy): 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. If you are a current career/career-conditional Federal employee who has a place of residence in the continental United States or the District of Columbia (CONUS): This initial tour of duty in Alaska is 3 years. An employee may serve 2 more years with State Conservationist approval. At the end of the tour the employee has guaranteed return rights to a position of grade/pay equivalent to employee's current position, whether or not position is the product of one or more competitive promotions earned during the tour. Guaranteed return rights are forfeited once management accepts employee's request to extend his/her tour beyond the 5-year period. If an employee decides to return to CONUS, he/she must locate a position through normal merit promotion procedures. 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. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. This position is being concurrently announced under Delegated Examining Announcement Number 24-DE-12533126-SH. This announcement is open to all qualified candidates. Applying to both announcements may expand the possibilities of consideration since different referral criteria apply to each type of announcement. See the above announcement for more information.

Education

GS-07

Substitution of Education in Lieu of Specialized Experience: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: hydrology or other directly related discipline. (You must submit transcripts.)

OR

Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR(2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR(3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/).(You must submit transcripts.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages. (You must submit transcripts.)

GS-09

Substitution of Education in Lieu of Specialized Experience: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as hydrology or other directly related discipline. (You must submit transcripts.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. (You must submit transcripts.)

GS-11

Substitution of Education in Lieu of Specialized Experience: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: hydrology or other directly related discipline. (You must submit transcripts.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. (You must submit transcripts.)

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]