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This job has expired

Soil Scientist

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington D.C.
Closing date
Mar 20, 2019
TRAVEL REQUIRED:

25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.


RELOCATION AUTHORIZED:
Relocation expenses reimbursed No


KEY REQUIREMENTS:
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  • Must be suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • A mobility agreement may be required. You may be reassigned or relocated to any geographical location where your services are needed as determined by management.
  • 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.

    You must possess the Basic Requirements identified below to be considered qualified for this position, which includes all positive education requirements if applicable. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. When using previous work experience to qualify for the position, your resume must clearly detail the appropriate experience requirements.

    Basic Qualification Requirements for the GS-05 and GS-07:

    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 soil science or a closely related discipline that included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility.

    OR

    Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a related discipline that included at least 30 semester hours in the biological, physical, or earth sciences. At least 15 of these semester hours must have been in the areas specified above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional education and/or experience are required for the grade(s) specified.

    Specialized Experience Requirement:

    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.

    For the GS-07: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level; OR one full year of graduate level education; OR an appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience; OR Superior Academic Achievement (to determine if you are eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

    Examples of specialized experience are: Worked under the guidance of higher level specialists, collected soil samples for analysis, assisted with soil inventories and surveys, and/or assisted in preparing interpretive material.

    Please note that Superior Academic Achievement cannot be applied unless you have graduated and have been awarded the degree (the final GPA is required). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

    TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT GS-07 ONLY: 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.

    This position has a positive education requirement, as outlined above under basic qualifications. The term positive education requirement refers to an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) determination that the duties of a scientific, technical, or professional position cannot be performed by an individual that does not have the prescribed minimum education. For additional information on the qualification standards for the 0470 series, visit the OPM Qualifications Standard found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0400/soil-science-series-0470/

    For additional information, please email intern@fs.fed.us

    Salary wage as shown is for Rest of the U.S. For more information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Salary and Wages web page.

    Selecting the "Location Negotiable after Selection" option when selecting your preferred duty locations, implies your willingness to accept positions in any duty location or surrounding area on the announcement that you may not have listed as a preferred location. Selecting this duty location is encouraged as it increases your chances of receiving an offer.

    Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP):To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

    Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary and term employees the opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years and the last temporary or term appointment must have been with the Forest Service. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better.

    Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA)

    For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Resource Assistant Program (RAP) and Public Land Corps (PLC), explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website

    GOVERNMENT HOUSING: May beavailable.

    DAYCARE AVAILABILITY: Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

    PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

    Read more

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:

    • Manages and Organizes Information
    • Reasoning
    • Soil Science


    Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

    If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

    Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.

    To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10439562

    Read more Security clearance Other

    Drug test required No


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