Summary This position is a Natural Resource Specialist, GS-0401-09 with the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Prairie Pothole Joint Venture. Responsibilities This position is located within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 6, Prairie Pothole Joint Venture duty stationed in Bismarck, North Dakota or Great Falls, Montana. At the full performance level (GS-09) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Serve Joint Venture (JV) partners, particularly the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), by working closely with partners to understand priorities and develop products that communicate complex scientific information in clear, accessible formats to strengthen support and funding for JV and partner initiatives. 2. Interpret and translate technical information developed by the JV Science Coordinator and the Habitat and Population Evaluation Team, collaborating with the JV Communications Coordinator to produce clear and compelling materials for partners, decision makers, and the public. 3. Promote, establish, and maintain cooperative working relationships with partners, including government agencies, tribal entities, conservation organizations, agribusiness organizations, local community groups, and individual farmers and ranchers. 4. Compile data and information and assist in the preparation of reports and other documents required by the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Coordinator, including input into state and national accomplishment tracking systems. 5. Obtain input from agencies and conservation entities on proposed actions, coordinating and corresponding with all necessary agencies, organizations, and individuals associated with each project. Salary Range Information (Per Annum): *First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level. GS-09: $61,722 - $80,243 Travel: You may be expected to travel for meetings, or to inspect potential or ongoing projects. Telework: This position is suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster. Physical Demands: Work is performed in office and outdoor settings, and requires frequent long distance automobile travel for meetings, or to inspect potential or ongoing projects. The work requires some physical exertion such as walking in uneven or wet terrain, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, and reaching. Work requires average to moderate agility and dexterity. Work Environment: The work requires both office and outdoor activity. The office is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Temperature and weather extremes may be encountered in the performance of the outdoor work. The incumbent is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow workers, or property with which entrusted. This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/. Qualifications Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience or a Qualifying education substitution for Specialized Experience for the series/grade to which you are applying. Natural Resources Management and Biological Series, 0401:Individual Occupational Requirements (1) Basic Educational Requirements To be eligible for this position, you must meet either (A) or (B) below: A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in (A) above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Please Note: This position requires specific educational coursework to qualify. You MUST provide transcripts (Unofficial okay) in order to verify that the educational requirements have been met. This information must be received by the closing date of the announcement. Failure to provide this information may result in you receiving an "INELIGIBLE" rating. -AND- (2) Specialized Experience To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1. Experience applying biological and ecological principles to support wildlife and habitat conservation using appropriate field, analytical, and technical methods. 2. Experience analyzing natural resource or ecological data and communicating findings to government agencies (local, county, state, or federal), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and/or private landowners in support of habitat restoration and/or bird conservation. 3. Experience using modern computer and geospatial technologies-such as word processing software, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), presentation tools, email, hybrid-meeting platforms, and virtual file-sharing systems-to contribute effectively as part of an interdisciplinary conservation team. 4. Experience assisting with the preparation of reports, planning documents, and accomplishment-tracking materials, including contributions to state or national Joint Venture reporting systems or other conservation tracking frameworks. If qualifying on experience, you MUST MEET 3 of the 4 statements above to be found qualified. -OR- Education: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. (Degree must be related to advertised position to qualify) -OR- Combination of Education/Experience: Have a combination of specialized experience and education that equals 100% of the requirement for the GS-09 level. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.aspAll qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Volunteer Experience: 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. Education Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements. Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 Additional Information Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361. Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process. NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.
