Interdisciplinary Ecologist/Botanist

In order to qualify, you must meet (1) BASIC Requirement *AND* the ADDITIONAL Requirement described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application. BASIC REQUIREMENT GS-0408 (Ecologist) Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree or higher in biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. This education must have been completed in an accredited college or university. BASIC REQUIREMENT GS-0430 (Botanist) A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s or higher in botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, from an accredited college or university. Courses in basic botany, plant anatomy or morphology, cytology, histology, genetics, taxonomy or systematics, algology, mycology, ethnobotany, and those dealing with specific problems of a botanical nature or with specific groups of plants are qualifying. OR, B. Have a combination of education and experience that includes courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. AND, Additional Qualification Requirements- To be considered minimally qualified for this position, in addition to the Basic Requirement above, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education below for the grade level (s) for which you are applying. Specialized Experience GS-07: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05 level in the Federal Service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) collecting and reviewing botany, plant ecology, and/or restoration ecology data for accuracy and any discrepancies; 2) reviewing requests for access and use of public lands and assisting with the processing of permit applications to ensure compliance with appropriate Federal law; 3) providing assistance to specialists and senior staff in the analysis or computation of data in support of botany, soils, watershed, rangeland, or wildlife programs. OR, Education GS-07: Successful completion of one year of graduate-level education which included a major study in fields such as botany, related plant sciences, ecology, biological sciences, physical sciences, or directly related fields which demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct the work of this position. OR, Combination of Education/Specialized Experience GS-07: Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as described above, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. OR, Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) GS-07: Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for this position as described above from an accredited college or university, and meets one of the requirements for Superior Academic Achievement based on the following: (1) class standing (upper third standing in the graduating class of a college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses); (2) grade-point average (3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0) as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or (3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0) 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; (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. (NOTE: You must submit a transcript that shows a confer/completion date) Specialized Experience GS-09: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07 grade level in the Federal Service(obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) conducting inventories or surveys of plant communities and sites of rare species; 2) monitoring land management programs to identify impacts on various ecosystem components; 3) working with other offices, resource specialists, professionals, and other interested groups in planning and accomplishing plant species monitoring, conservation project implementation and management; 4) analyzing and synthesizing scientific information for inclusion in reports and planning/environmental documents. OR, Education GS-09: Successful completion of two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master’s degree, or master’s or equivalent graduate degree in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct the work of this position. Such fields include botany, related plant sciences, ecology, biological sciences, physical sciences, or directly related fields. OR, Combination of Education/Specialized Experience GS-09: Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as described above, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. Please note only graduate education in excess of one year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify under this option. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Specialized Experience GS-11: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 grade level in the Federal Service(obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: 1) developing and conducting investigations or studies of botanical/plant ecology related projects and activities affecting natural resource management; 2) analyzing problems or issues which may be affecting botany, plant ecology, and/or restoration ecology programs to identify source and develop solutions; 3) providing consultation on development of strategies for overcoming botanical, plant ecology resources or environmental issues, conditions or problems; 4) providing technical advice on proper collection and preservation of specimens; performance of tests and non-routine procedures; and organization of field data. OR, Education GS-11: Successful completion of three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct the work of this position. Such fields include botany, related plant sciences, ecology, biological sciences, physical sciences, or directly related fields. OR, Combination of Education/Specialized Experience GS-11: Have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as described above, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. Please note only graduate education in excess of two years (36 semester hours) may be used to qualify under this option. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. *Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.*
This position is located in the BLM Colorado, Southwest District Gunnison Field Office. Salary Range Per Grade Level: GS-07 $49,025 to $63,733 GS-09 $59,966 to $77,955 GS-11 $72,553 to $94,317