Job Information
Forest Service Program Specialist in Libby, Montana
Summary This position is located in Region 1, on the Kootenai National Forest, with a duty station of Libby, MT. The incumbent is responsible for guiding land use planning and environmental analysis processes and collaboration with inter-disciplinary teams in the preparation of complex planning and environmental documents. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Chadwick Benson at Chadwick.Benson@usda.gov. Responsibilities Duties listed at the full performance level GS-12. Responsible for environmental land use planning and compliance programs, including overseeing the adequacy and timeliness of documentation and activities related to those programs and plans. Serve as the team leader for collaboration and public involvement efforts to complete individual Forest Plan amendments, Environmental Impact Statements (EIS's), and major Environmental Assessments (EA's). Provide support in the preparation of related documents which are particularly over-arching or complex. Formulate and maintain land use planning components of Forest or Regional annual work plans. Work with Regional personnel on developing new policy guidelines and teaching aids. Participate in Region and/or statewide special projects or studies needed to properly manage planning and environmental programs. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications 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. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-11: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as meeting THREE (3) or more of the following: Serves as a point of contact regarding environmental laws for the unit in the development and processing of environmental compliance documents. Supports team leader with work planning by tracking the progress of environmental compliance documents including meeting timelines. Assesses and documents environmental impacts on social, economic, environmental, and other resources and makes recommendations regarding the management of specific natural resources. Evaluates comments received from other Federal, state, public agencies, tribes, etc. to determine how best to respond to their concerns in accordance with environmental laws, regulations and policies. -OR- A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related -OR- An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.) For the GS-12: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as meeting all of the following: Serves as a point of contact regarding environmental laws for the unit in the development and processing of environmental compliance documents. Experience writing, preparing, and evaluating formal and informal correspondence, reports, statistics, and analytical documents for senior level officials, regarding the progress of environmental compliance documents. Evaluates comments received from other Federal, state, public agencies, tribes, etc. to determine how best to respond to their concerns in accordance with environmental laws, regulations and policies. Provides expert analytical and technical advice and recommendations on matters pertaining to organizational processes, procedures, and policies regarding the management of specific natural resources. Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position. 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. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: 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. Education See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP 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 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 Kootenai National Forest of the FS. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met. 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 not guaranteed. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE. Forest Service daycare facilities are not available. Government Housing is not available. 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. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.