Natural Resources Specialist

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD workforce to recruit into competitive service. About the Position: At full performance - Serves as a Natural Resources Specialist for the district office, responsible for several multiple-purpose Project Offices located throughout the district. Exercises knowledge of all Corps of Engineers Natural Resource Management (NRM) Programs and serves as a subject matter expert.

Duties

• Prepares assists and/or reviews natural resource plans and programs pertaining to silviculture, range management, soil conservation, and agriculture leases, environmental compliance, wildlife habitat, and public use.
• Prepares documentation in support of Master Plan Updates/Supplements and assists field project/lake manager in preparation of Operational Management Plans.
• Monitors project administration of land use permits, surveillance of lands and water and encroachment prevention.
• Advise field projects on natural resource management of land and waters; conserve resources via ecosystem management and environmental stewardship, compliance, protection, and restoration practices.
• Oversee aquatic and terrestrial invasive species program.
• Partner with Real Estate and field staff to ensure compliance with policies for resource protection, development, aesthetics, safety, and mission success at Corps managed and out-granted lands.
• Assist with the recreation program in visitor assistance training and it user fee program.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Minimum Qualifications for the GS-07 grade level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: (1) participate in field inspections to collect data on natural resource conditions and public use OR (2) assist senior specialists by performing routine tasks such as conducting habitat inventories, sampling vegetation, and documenting findings for inclusion in larger reports. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05). OR Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on: (1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR (3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/). (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages. Minimum Qualifications for the GS-09 grade level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes (1) apply established policies and guidelines to carry out assignments in various resource areas, such as shoreline management, visitor safety, or aquatic plant control AND (2) assist in the preparation or review of natural resource plans and conducting planning studies to gather data on habitat inventory and site analysis. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07). OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) Minimum Qualifications for the GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes(1) reviewing land use applications, preparing environmental assessments, or providing authoritative guidance on all aspects of natural resource management, AND (2) conduct studies to analyze the environmental and public impact of project operations or developing new guidelines and standards for resource management. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09). OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as:biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/