SOCIAL, BIOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL SCIENCE INFORMATION SPECIALIST

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Department of Agriculture

Job Summary

This position is located on the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests in Rutland, VT. Incumbent is responsible for supporting managers and resource specialists in the use of geospatial technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for land, natural resources and ecosystem management. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Dan McKinley at 802-747-6738 or at daniel.mckinley@usda.gov or Diane Burbank at 802-747-6721 or diane.burbank@usda.gov

Major Duties

  • Works with managers and resource specialists to determine type, amount and level of geospatial information required to develop and analyze ecosystem management alternatives.
  • Assists with developing data dictionaries, data models, and metadata for multi-disciplinary information and geospatial applications.
  • Manipulates and analyzes geospatial data using ESRI's ArcGIS and ArcGIS Pro software to support multiple resource management across a range of scales.
  • Compiles natural resource, topographic, and cartographic data using established procedures to produce detailed maps, graphics, web maps, and web apps in support of a wide variety of Forest resource programs and plans.
  • Provides advice and recommendations on sources, standards, integrity, compatibility, and cost efficiency of natural resource and socio-economic geospatial information.
  • Develops, implements, and supports mobile, web, and desktop applications using ESRI?s ArcGIS Online, Collector, and Survey123 software for geospatial data collection, mapping, visualization, and analysis.
  • Applies applicable principles to facilitate geospatial model design and analysis procedures related to natural resource and relevant socio-economic data and products.
  • Provides training and technical assistance to GIS users in the collection, development, storage, retrieval, analysis, and display of geospatial data.

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. This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series listed below. Basic Requirement:

GS-0101:

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 behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. GS-0401:

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 biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.

OR

Combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field needed to perform the work of the occupation. GS-1301:

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: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 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: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as some of the following: Participated in developing data dictionaries, data models, and metadata for multi-disciplinary information and geospatial applications; Participated in development of story maps in ArcGIS Online for an organization or entity to tell a geographically based story; Participated in the development and/or refinement of mobile field inventory forms using Collector or Survey123 for the purpose of natural resource data collection; Participated in the manipulation and analysis of geospatial data linking a variety of resources such as land, air, water, timber, recreation, wildlife, fisheries and/or special management areas; Created increasingly more complex thematic map products and presentation materials using established cartographic techniques and tools in ArcGIS/ArcGIS Pro; Applied basic geographic and cartographic principles to the resolution of more complicated issues in geospatial database construction and map compilation. OR

A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

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. 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.

Pay Range

$52,905.00 - $68,777.00

More information...

End Date: 

Monday, February 24, 2020