Overview

  • Accepting applications
  • Open & closing dates

     04/13/2021 to 04/19/2021

  • Service

    Competitive

  • Pay scale & grade

    GS 13 – 14

  • Salary

    $79,468 to $122,077 per year

    Salary range is an approximation and dependent upon location.

  • Appointment type

    Permanent

  • Work schedule

    Full-time

  • Apply Here: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/598146500

Duties

Summary

This position is in the Soil Science and Resource Assessment, Soil and Plant Science Division, Soil Services and Information Branch.

The incumbent serves as a national technical expert in Soil Science by providing senior technical leadership in the following areas of responsibility: dynamic soil properties and soil quality and soil health. Incumbent serves as a member of a national team of senior soil scientists who support all aspects of the soil survey program.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

  • Providing technical oversight in the development of soils data collection focused on dynamic soil properties, soil data analysis, and soil information development procedures.
  • Applying data analysis, information development, and visualization techniques and tools in support of Agency and Departmental programs.
  • Serving as the Soil and Plant Science Division’s primary contact and lead national technical expert in dynamic soil properties and other areas of expertise.
  • Integrating soils information and applied information products and systems into NRCS, FPAC, USDA, and other federal agency functions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
  • Direct Deposit–Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully 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.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Time In Grade Requirement: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level. One year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level.(Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No Award or General Adjustment SF-50’s will be accepted).

Basic Education Requirement:
A. Degree: Bachelor’s or higher degree 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. (You must submit transcripts)
OR
B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a major 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 in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation. (You must submit transcripts)

In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirements for the grade level(s) in which they apply in order to be considered:

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. This experience must include:

  • Coordinating the collection, population, review and update of soils and related data, including dynamic soil properties data, in national databases
  • Applying soils and related data and information to inform and assist conservation planning activities and other core agency business processes;
  • Participating as an active member on a team to design and develop a soil information product or products; and
  • Providing formal or informal training and assistance to others on soils data and the appropriate use of soils and related information.

Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-13 level.

Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-14 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS- 13 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include:

  • Overseeing the collection, review, and update of soils and related data, including dynamic soil properties data, in national soils databases;
  • Coordinating the application of soils and related data and information to inform and assist conservation planning activities and other core business processes at the area, state, regional, or national level;
  • Providing formal and informal training and assistance to NRCS staff, cooperators, and the general public related to soils data and information;
  • Leading a team that focuses on the design and development of data-driven soil information products; and
  • Presenting information to internal and external stakeholders on soil information applications and systems development.

Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-14 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=GS-PROF

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 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

You 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.