This position supports the Forest Service Southern Reseach Station in Asheville, NC and is responsible for performing a variety of professional work in the field of forest ecology. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Albert Mayfield at [email protected].

Duties

Duties listed below are at the full performance level, GS-11. Manage ecological research programs to evaluate forest restoration approaches in degraded ecosystems. Provide recommendations for ecological investigations that address local land management needs, resource concerns, and key management issues. Apply quantitative and system analysis techniques to predict the effects of planned or natural changes in ecosystems. Prepare ecological samples and gather scientific data using standard laboratory analyses. Develop project work plans which include selecting the methods for collection, identification, evaluation, and pilot testing. Provide advice, counsel, or instruction on administrative and work matters. Establish and communicate guidelines and performance requirements to employees 20% or less of the time.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or 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.
• 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.gov

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Basic Requirement for the 0408 Ecologist Series: Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-9 level: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in federal service. Specialized experience at this level is defined as having two or more of the following: Adapting, designing, planning and executing ecology-based field and laboratory projects. Training and directing crews in collecting ecological field data and samples for analyses, including establishing test and control plots. Compiling, summarizing and analyzing data, and managing datasets using standard software and web-based computer programs. OR 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree, directly related to the work of the position. Applicable degrees include: Ecology; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Forestry, Forest Resources, and Forest Management. OR An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. For the GS-11 level: Applicant must have at least one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in federal service. Specialized experience at this level is defined as 3 or more of the following: Conducting an ecological study of vegetation, insects and environmental characteristics of an area and produce forest management guidance. Conducting invasive forest insect or disease surveys to acquire information for predicting present and future resource conditions and health. Reviewing, analyzing and coordinating the preparation research permits for the release of biological control agents. Applying and assessing the impact of insecticides or silvicultural treatments on insect populations and tree performance. OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled). OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). 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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.

Contacts

• Address USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Albuquerque, NM 87109 US
• Name: HRM Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-372-7248 X2
• Email: [email protected]