Ecologist/Botanist – Vegetation Management Specialist GS

Ecologist/Botanist - Vegetation Management Specialist GS-12

Experience your America and build a fulfilling career by joining the National Park Service. Become a part of our mission to unite the past, our cultures and our special places, to establish important connections to the present and build a rich and lasting legacy for future generations. This is a Career/Career-Conditional full-time appointment. Note: This position is concurrently open under Announcement Number WO-COAB-12-625804-MP under merit promotion procedures. Number of Vacancies: We expect to fill 1 vacancy at this time; however, this announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies. Full Performance Level: GS-12 Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid if the person selected for the position is from outside the local commuting area and is otherwise eligible for reimbursement of relocation expenses under the Federal Travel Regulations. Please read the entire announcement before you apply. To view the full announcement, select "Print Preview" at the right hand side of this screen. KEY REQUIREMENTS U.S. Citizenship is required. Background and/or security investigation is required. All documents must be received by closing date. DUTIES: Back to top Position is located in the Washington Service Office (WASO), within the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science (NRSS) Directorate in the Biological Resource Management Division (BRMD). The incumbent serves as a senior advisor and practitioner in plant ecology/botany to apply a systems approach to the study, analysis and conservation of plant organisms, species, communities and ecological relationships. The incumbent is responsible for program development and implementation. The individual directs an intricate program of botany and related activities that involve sensitive and complex issues that may impact a wide variety of park issues. Represents the Biological Resource Management Division's Restoration and Adaptation Branch when working with others on botanical/ecological matters. Develops and maintains liaisons and effective working relations with related groups and individuals, agencies, and the public in order to encourage and facilitate cooperative regional management strategies. Provides operational assistance and botanical expertise to the service-wide Exotic Plant Management Team (EPMT) Program. Coordinates EPMT strategies with those on adjacent lands to advance ecosystem approaches to the control and treatment of invasive plant species. Assists vegetation inventory program staff with critical review of proposed vegetation classifications, sampling designs, and accuracy assessments. Develops interpretation of vegetation inventory products to increase adoption, use, and maintenance of deliverables. Provides critical input on native and non-native vegetation management concerns raised in planning documents and those recommended in emerging service-wide initiatives. Assists Branch restoration ecologist to incorporate plant conservation and vegetation management considerations in addressing technical assistance requests and other project needs. Identifies service-wide plant and vegetation management research, conservation and program needs, prepares requests for research/funding proposals or scopes of work, and provides oversight of research and other projects. Provides expertise on issues related to Rare, Threatened and Endangered plants; including federal, tribal, and state listed. Develops and prepares major sections of resources management plans dealing with plant conservation, vegetation management and ecological principles. Prepares specific action plans needed to manage the flora component of natural systems and managed landscapes, and controversial, sensitive, endangered or exotic species. Based on results of inventories, in-depth studies, and monitoring, the incumbent develops and conducts scientifically credible protection, mitigation, and restoration projects needed to prevent resource damage, restore and/or maintain critical habitats, plant and animal communities, managed landscapes, and minimize human impacts. Prepares environmental assessments (EAs) related to park projects in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Evaluates EAs and environmental impact statements prepared by other federal agencies for projects that may affect park resources. Works closely with education staff to incorporate new information into park, regional, WASO and partner education programs. Provides technical support to parks for herbariums. Maintains records of park collections Works with partners on plant specimen collections - works on national plant conservation goals. For specific area and housing information, or information directly pertaining to vacancy status, contact: Peter Budde, Branch Chief - Restoration Adaptation, Biological Resource Management Division, 970-225-3559 QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Back to top GS-0408 Ecologist: Basic Requirements Bachelor degree: 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. GS-0430 Botanist: Basic Requirements: Bachelor degree: botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany. OR Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Specialized expereince: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: participating in the planning, organizing and implementation of botanical and ecological investigations/studies; performing data gathering and analyses on major portions of large scientific studies/investigations; or performing established, standardized tests and analyses on a broad range of botanical samples. OR Successful completion of at least three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree in biology or a related field of science underlying ecological research. OR An equivalent combination of such education and experience. For example, I have six months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 45 semester hours or 68 quarter hours of directly-related graduate level education in an accredited educational institution (50% of the qualifying education). FACTOR: SELECTIVE FACTOR: (Mandatory) Applicant must enter the position with: Demonstrated experience in design and implementation of plant conservation projects based upon the theory and principles of botany and plant ecology. AND Demonstrated experience in evaluating distribution and abundance of invasive plants, identifying priorities for control of invasive, exotic plants, and developing and implementing collaborative plans to execute control of invasive, exotic plants. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements can be viewed on the OPM web site at: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications Applicants are responsible for providing documentation that the applicable educational provisions have been met. To qualify based on education you must submit a legible copy of transcripts or list of college courses with your name, school name, credit or semester hours, major(s), and a grade-point average or class ranking. Official transcripts are required upon selection if you qualified based on education. Education must have been obtained from an accredited or pre-accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the a