Job Summary

This position is located in an area or field office within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and serves as a Wetland Conservationist in the provision of direct wetland determination assistance to Field Offices and Producers.

Major Duties

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, and specialized experience as defined below. Time-in-grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade {e.g. one year at the GS-9 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level; one year at the GS-11 grade level for consideration at the GS-12 grade level. Basic Education Requirement:

Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to major, as shown 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: Specialized Experience (GS-11 level): To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-09 or higher in the Federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service that has equipped you with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as: Services Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification requests, quality assurance of wetland determinations, review and oversight of consultant­ provided documentation, and reviews reports of possible wetland non-compliance. Develops and reviews wetland mitigation and restoration plans. Provides assistance to producers and field offices on Wetland Conservation Compliance activities associated with the Swampbuster provisions of the Food Security Act, as amended. Wetland determinations and related activities are the major portion of the duties. Gathers the necessary data and works in the field with producers, producer-contracted consultants, and other personnel, to conduct on-site/off-site investigations for certified wetland determinations and wetland restoration/mitigation. Education Substitution: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering; 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. 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.

Pay Range

$64,009.00 - $83,210.00

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