Natural Resource Specialist / Ecologist / Soil Conservationist (Climate Change Fellow Program)

SummaryClimate Change Fellows will support the implementation of the agency's climate strategy under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) statute for better understanding and measuring the climate impacts of conservation and management practices and for improving carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas (GHG) estimations. NRCS's mission is to deliver conservation solutions to agricultural producers for protecting natural resources while maintaining and enhancing agricultural land productivity. Learn more about this agency Help DutiesReview and develop conservation and management activity data for agroecosystem (e.g., watershed, farm) assessment projects.Assist with development of agroecosystem assessment plans and reports and provide support to agency's program leaders.Serve as a technical expert for supporting agroecosystem assessment by evaluating biogeochemical processes and outcomes based on sound application of interdisciplinary sciences.Provide improvement to agency-supported agroecosystem models or tools with measurement and improved activity data to address and reduce the environmental consequences of production agriculture.Serve as technical expert liaison with NRCS institute specialists and scientists to support and coordinate science-based agroecosystem conservation and climate assessment.Provide technical support on new agroecosystem modeling approaches and decision support tools.Develop technical and informational reports, handbooks, and papers on multi-scale agroecosystem modeling and assessment.Provide technical support and training on decision support tools related to large scale and site- specific natural resource and conservation planning.Develop metadata and training courses and conducts workshops and training. Help RequirementsConditions of EmploymentYou must be a US Citizen; US National; or non-US citizen who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence as evidenced by a Permanent Resident Card.Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exemptSubject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institutionSuccessfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.QualificationsApplicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.Basic Education Requirement: 0401Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.; ORCombination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.Basic Education Requirement: 0408Degree: biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.Basic Education Requirement: 0457Degree: soil conservation or a related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering. The study must have included 30 semester hours in a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science ORCombination of Education and Experience: of at least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines shown above, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science, plus appropriate experience or education comparable to a 4 year degree. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science.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: To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as:Compiling field measurement data or management activity data (e.g., tillage, cover crop, irrigation, fertilization, or livestock) for agroecosystem modeling.Assist in evaluating and improving ecosystem biogeochemical processes related to carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling pools (e.g., soil organic C, biomass C, CO2-N2O-CH4 fluxes).Conducting modeling and assessment using field, watershed, or farm scale agroecosystem models (e.g., EPIC, DayCent, DNDC, APEX, SWAT, or RuFaS).Experienced in using computer languages (e.g., Fortran, C/C++, Python, or others) and assisting in tool documentation and training.Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-13 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as:Compiling field measurement data or management activity data (e.g., tillage, cover crop, irrigation, fertilization, or livestock) for agroecosystem modeling.Evaluating and improving ecosystem biogeochemical processes related to carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling pools (e.g., soil organic C, biomass C, CO2-N2O-CH4 fluxes).Conducting modeling and assessment using field, watershed, or farm scale agroecosystem models (e.g., EPIC, DayCent, DNDC, APEX, SWAT, or RuFaS).Developing programs or tools using computer languages (e.g., Fortran, C/C++, Python, or others), documenting tools, and conducting tool training.Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-13 or GS-12 level.For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Group-StandardsExperience 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.EducationYou must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration.Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.Additional information The USDA Climate Change Fellows Program (CCFP) offers a time limited appointment in the Excepted Service under "Schedule A" hiring authority, as specified in 5 CFR 213.3102(r). Initial appointments for candidates may be for up to a 2 year period. Additional 1 year extensions may be made; however, the appointment cannot exceed a total of 4 years. Please note that an appointment in the CCFP confers no rights to further Federal employment in either the competitive or excepted service upon expiration of the appointment. Fellows interested in remaining with USDA at the end of their fellowship must compete and be selected for competitive service vacancies.Locality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables may be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/.Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. 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.Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary and performed at a desk or in travel status. There may be some intermittent physical activities, such as walking over rough terrain when making on-site data collection trips. Also required are periods of standing and carrying of source materials.Work Environment: Work is usually in an office setting where normal temperatures, humidity adequate lighting and control of noise levels is maintained. During infrequent visits to sites and facilities, there is regular and recurring exposure to discomforts and unpleasantness.PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following:If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted.If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.Read more Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.Natural Resources Conservation Service1400 Independence Ave SWWashington, DC 20250US