Soil Scientist (Direct Hire)

Company: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Location: Temple
Posted on: June 6, 2021

Job Description:

Summary This vacancy will be filled using the Office of Personnel Management's Direct-Hire Authority. Veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this announcement. For more information on OPM's authorization of Direct Hire Authority, please visit, Responsibilities Utilizes soil-landscape relationships to systematically map and describe the way soils occur in the landscape. Identifies and acquires the appropriate spatial data layers necessary to create and maintain a digitally-based soils map. Determines and applies principles, practices, and methods to apply plant species identification and the use of plants as indicators of soil type, ecological sites, and soil-site and topographic relationships. Assists Soil Scientist and/or the MLRA Soil Survey Leader to document soil-plant relationships, collect production estimates for crops, trees and grasses and develop/gather other information for ecological site descriptions. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Basic Requirement for Soil Scientist: Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with 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 comparable to a 4 year degree. For the GS-05 grade level: Applicants who meet the basic requirements described above are fully qualified for the specified entry grade (GS-5). In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualification requirement to be considered for the following grade levels: For the GS-07 grade level: Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-07 grade level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in the Federal service (or private sector equivalent). Examples of specialized experience include: applying routine principles, concepts and methodology associated with soil science, gaining practical experience working directly with other soil scientists. OR Superior academic achievement in a bachelor's degree a curriculum directly related to the work of the position. To qualify for superior academic achievement, you must have ONE of the following: (1) Class Standing - You 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.) - You 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 - You may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies ((NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts and/or verification of class standing for further verification.) OR Education Substitution: one year of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in soil science or a directly related discipline; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education in excess of 18 hours (total semester hours minus 18) by 9. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) For the GS-09 grade level Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in the Federal service (or private sector equivalent). Examples of specialized experience include advanced-trainee level experience such as: conducting standard soil resource inventories and watershed restoration needs inventories; collecting soil samples for laboratory analysis to determine physical, chemical, and morphological characteristics; classifying soil properties according to appropriate standards; assisting in writing watershed restoration plans, erosion control plans, soil resources improvement plans, soil management reports, soil survey reports; OR Education Substitution: 2 or more years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in soil science or a directly related discipline (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.). OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education in excess of 18 hours (total semester hours minus 18) by 9. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here:Soil Science Series 0470 (opm.gov) Experience Note: 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. Education If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. 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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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. If you have not yet conferred your degree or certificate, but will within 180 days of the closing date of this announcement, a letter from the school documenting current standing, degree being obtained and expected graduation date must be submitted with your application. 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. Failure to provide all of the required documents/information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. Additional Information Locality Pay: may be found at 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. 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. 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. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Throughout the duration of this vacancy announcement, applications that are received will be referred to the selecting official every 30 days after the opening date. This announcement will close at the end of the open period or when a selection is made, whichever comes first. Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given a new appointment to the civil service. 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. THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. This type of announcement provides NRCS the with a readily available source of applicants when vacancies occur. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified when there is a vacancy for the location and grade for which you applied. This is a direct hire solicitation, open continuous announcement; This Posting will close on July 15th 2021, or when all positions are filled. The first cut-off date is within 14 days of the open date of this public notice. Other certificates may be issued as needed. This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Relocation/Recruitment incentives may be authorized (Tentative selectees will be asked to sign a mobility agreement prior to final selection.)

Keywords: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Temple , Soil Scientist (Direct Hire), Other , Temple, Texas