Summary As the State Resource Conservationist, the incumbent will formulate, recommend, and implement policy and procedures applicable to resource conservation planning activities and various program activities, and performs an active role in developing and implementing a comprehensive soil, water, and resource conservation program for the state. Responsibilities Provides state leadership for the development, improvement, and maintenance of technical data, standards, guides, and manuals related to resource conservation planning, biology, recreation, plant technology, and resource development. Provides guidance and direction for the use of automated programs such as: Customer Service Toolkit, nutrient management planning, erosion prediction, grazing lands spatial analysis took, energy tools, and soil tillage intensity rating. Serves as a consultant and adviser to the State Conservationist and staff in developing state policy concerning resource conservation planning, management practice implementation and vegetative phases of conservation programs. Provides supervision to staff, which may include Rangeland Management Specialists, Agronomists, Foresters, Biologists and Soil Conservationist. Provide overall leadership of program activities, making work assignments, evaluating performance, interviewing candidates and making selections; determines training needs for direct reports and provides training to NRCS personnel. Serve as Chair of the State Technical Guide Committee. Represents NRCS on state and federal committees that set data standards and warehouse data. Develops and maintains close working relations with resource conservation planning, plant sciences, environment-related agencies and other natural resource related agencies and organizations in the state. Helps keep conservation district officials informed of NRCS programs in resource conservation planning and serves as primary POC with groups such as colleges and universities and other organizations to address their technical issues. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. (e.g. one year at the GS-13 grade level for consideration for the GS-12 grade level). Basic Education Requirement: Degree: soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, agricultural engineering. The study must have included 30 semester hours in 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; OR Combination of Education and Experience: At least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as shown above, 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. Evaluation of Education: Education that provided specialized knowledge and skills in soil and water conservation is more valuable than education that imparted broad but general knowledge and skills. Courses in soil fertility, soil chemistry, soil genesis, plant physiology, plant science, and field crops are examples of specialized courses that contribute toward meeting the required 12 semester hours as described above. Courses in the physical sciences or engineering such as geology, civil engineering, and hydrology also meet the soils, crops, or plant sciences course requirements where such courses included a complete introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Evaluation of Experience: Experience that included the application of techniques, principles, and methods from a variety of agricultural and natural resource fields is appropriate, given the interdisciplinary character of the soil conservation occupation. For example, experience gained in a specialized field such as soil science, forestry, or agronomy is as fully acceptable as experience directly obtained in soil conservation work. 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-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: Providing Technical leadership to carry out various types of complex natural resource conservation programs; providing direction to landowners and operators, individually and in groups to develop a variety of conservation plans; Representing the agency on county committees and/or task forces and at conservation district meetings and serves as an adviser to district committees; Provides expertise in program management, training and quality control for NRCS Farm Bill Programs, which may include the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Agricultural Land Easement Program Conservation Stewardship Program, as well as Agricultural Management Assistance, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and other programs as they are legislated to the technical and field offices; Conducting area reviews; and, providing training to the field staff for technical practices Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-13 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/0400/soil-conservation-series-0457/ 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. Additional Information 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) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL eligible. 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. 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. Physical Demands: Work takes place in both office and field environments. The office work includes demands typical of an office such as sitting, carrying light objects such as books or papers. The field work includes physical exertion related to conservation work requiring walking on rough terrain, jumping ditches and furrows, but not on a regular or sustained basis. Work Environment: Work is usually performed in an office environment and includes usual lighting and temperature controlled work area usually associated with office work. Occasional field work may include exposure to adverse weather conditions and poisonous or irritating insects and plants. Work may require protective clothing associated with outdoors work or construction sites. 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. 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 workday, 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. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.