You will serve as a Soil Conservationist assisting Conservation Districts within the unit, consisting of one or more counties or districts, in the development of a natural resources conservation program. You will perform professional duties to achieve an integrated system of sound land use and conservation treatment in harmony with the capability and needs of the land/landowner.

Duties

Provide leadership with conservation planning of natural resources and other activities in cooperation with the Conservation District, tribes, and conservation partners to address resource concerns on private lands. Inform and educate the landowner of conservation technical assistance and financial assistance to consider for conservation system and practice implementation. This includes oversight, management, and administration for Farm Bill programs. Management, operation, and maintenance of the planned conservation system and practices according to the Field Office Technical Guide standards and specifications, as well as comply with all federal, state, and local regulations. Work in collaboration with landowners to provide detailed conservation system and practice implementation including conservation practice design, layout, construction, inspection, and certification. Coordinate interagency delivery of conservation assistance to private landowners and others to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the state's natural resources. Partner with other conservation entities to provide long-term commitment to the local, state, and federal government conservation delivery system to help private landowners, communities, and others conserve natural resources within the state. Responsible for supervision of federal employees located in multiple field offices and liaison between state and district employees. Independently ensure quality and quantity of work, review work of subordinates, and accept, revise, or reject work.

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.
• 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.
• The incumbent is required to obtain and maintain Conservation Planning Certification in accordance with the guidelines in General Manual 180 Part 409.3.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience, and education, as defined below. Time-in-grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled (e.g., one year at the GS-11 grade level for consideration for the GS-12 grade level). Basic Education Requirement: Degree: Must have a bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering. The study must have included 30 semester hours in a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: Must have at least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as shown in A above, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science. (You must submit transcripts.) In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must have the specialized experience below: Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include knowledge of the principles and theories of soil and water conservation and related sciences such as biology, agronomy, and forestry, in identifying conservation related problems. Specialized experience must include: Analyzing workloads, developing, and implementing annual work or business plans, and establishing goals within the constraints of funding and staff availability. Directing technical guidance and assistance to groups and individuals on topics such as soil interpretations, erosion control measures, pest and invasive species control, water quality improvements, livestock management, wildlife habitat, and forest management. Preparing complex conservation or resource management plans and providing financial or implementation assistance. Communicating and sharing technical information and explaining issues related to natural resource conservation, problems, and solutions to landowners, residents, and land managers. Implementing or managing natural resources programs and practices which involve exercising initiative and resourcefulness. Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 level. Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience above in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualifications requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: Professional and Scientific Positions 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 experiences, including volunteer experience.

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. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. 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.

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Valerie Moses
• Email: [email protected]