This position serves the Natural Resources Conservation Service in a designated Field Office assisting offices to be successful in the planning and implementation of conservation practices and delivery of Farm Bill programs according to NRCS policy. This is an interdisciplinary position description and may be filled in one or a combination of both of the following occupations/series; Soil Conservationist (0457), Natural Resources (401).

Duties

Actively supports and demonstrates awareness of EO/CR policies and responsibilities of the Agency and the Department goals of valuing a diverse yet unified workforce, while ensuring equitable and program delivery of clientele. Assists the field staff to market farm bill programs. Farm Bill marketing efforts may include assisting with outreach efforts, field tours and presenting information at meetings. The position focuses on assisting the field offices to be successful in the implementation of Farm Bill programs to include conservation planning and implementation use of NRCS automated tools and processing producer payments according to NRCS policy Works closely with area specialists and conservation partner leaders to determine the most efficient methods for implementation of technology tools, identifying new tools that may increase efficiency, effectiveness or accuracy of core work products. Provides guidance and expertise on the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA), Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA), and other NRCS programs and services.

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.
• 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.

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: 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-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level). Basic Education Requirement: For the Natural Resource Specialist (0401) - Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. For the Soil Conservationist (0457) - Degree: 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. OR Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as shown in 1 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. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: Specialized Experience for GS-9: To qualify for the GS-09 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include: Utilizing technical tools, systems, and databases (such as Geographic Information Systems) and other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tools in support of conservation activities. Providing technical support and training to others on the use and implementation of a USDA Farm Bill program. OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience: 2 year(s) of progressively higher-level graduate educationleading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized Experience for GS-11: To qualify for this position, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-9 level or higher, that has equipped you with the necessary competencies to successfully perform the duties of this position. For this position, examples of specialized experience include: Providing leadership developing and implementing comprehensive conservation methodologies with an emphasis on multiple farm bill programs. ???????OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF 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.

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]