Summary

This position serves as a Program Leader on a headquarters staff within the Office of the Deputy Chief for Research in the Forest Service's national headquarters.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Wendy Zirngibl at [redacted].

Duties

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• Provides the leadership and direction for major divisions of an important program of national and international scope and impact.
• Provides leadership and guidance for research of great importance, significance, and difficulty which is often undertaken to solve urgent and practical problems.
• Creates and develops strategic alliances and networks.
• Furnishes advice and counsel on important action decisions, from the planning and execution of policy to the drafting of proposed legislation.
• Serves as an authoritative, nationally recognized professional, scientific, or technical expert for the program.
• Exercises the full range of leadership responsibilities for the assigned program.
• Performs supervisory duties 20% or less of the time.

Requirements

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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.

This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series listed below.

Basic Requirement:

GS-0101 Series:

Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

GS-0401 Series:

Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major.

OR

A combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that 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 needed to perform the work of the position.

GS-1301 Series:

Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR

Combination of education and experience education equivalent to one of the majors shown above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

For the GS-15 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level.

Qualifying specialized experience is defined as three or more of the following:

• Provided national level leadership and expertise for a complex scientific or technical program;
• Led strategic national program development and planning, including assessing existing activities, identifying emerging issues, anticipating knowledge needs, and coordinating across mission areas;
• Advised senior Forest Service and USDA leaders on strategic and technical program matters;
• Led national program planning, coordination, and integration across mission areas;
• Developed, justified, and managed program budgets and evaluated program performance;
• Worked as a team leader or team member to support interdisciplinary, interagency collaboration and ensure accountability for integrated policy, communication, and customer service.

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

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience.

Additional information

This is a Detail/Temporary Promotion not to exceed 1 year but may be extended an additional 4 years for a total of 5 years or may be made permanent without further competition. If the position is not made permanent, at the end of the detail/temporary promotion, you will be returned to the position from which detailed/temporarily promoted or to a different position of equivalent grade and pay in the Forest Service, with the same geographic location, if possible. Your salary will be adjusted to the grade level and step that you would normally have been in had you remained in your position.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Forest Service daycare facilities may be available.

Government Housing may be available.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional Information is available on the OPM Website.

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.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.