Soil Conservationist / Agronomist

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Basic Requirement for the Agronomy 0471 series: Degree: Must have a Bachelor’s or higher degree in agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of education and experience: Must have a combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (You must submit transcripts.) Basic Requirement for the Soil Conservationist 0457 series: Degree: Must have a Bachelor’s or higher degree in soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering. The study must have included 30 semester hours in a 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. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of education and experience: Must have a 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, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 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. (You must submit transcripts.) In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying: GS-09 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Delivering conservation training by presenting in meetings, tours, and demonstrations; Assisting with preparing various reports to capture work methods and results; and Conducting scientific tests or experiments to gather plant science data. OR Education: Must have successfully completed at least two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master’s degree or master’s or equivalent graduate degree in a field such as agronomy or soil conservation or natural resource discipline such as, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering or in a closely related field. Major course of study must be in a field directly related to the work of this position. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination: Must have a percentage of the education and experience as described above that totals 100% when combined. When combining education with experience, first determine total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify an applicant for that grade level. (Note: Only education in excess of one year (18 semester hours) is qualifying when calculating education percentage). (You must submit transcripts.) GS-11 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Delivering conservation training by presenting in workshops, webinars, or demonstrations; Assisting with preparing various reports to capture work methods and results; Conducting scientific tests or experiments to gather information related to plant material or agronomic needs; and Recommending plant science solutions, information, and technology to field staff and other customers. OR Education: Must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such as agronomy or soil conservation or natural resource discipline such as, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering or in a closely related field. Major course of study must be in a field directly related to the work of this position. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination: Must have a percentage of the education and experience as described above that totals 100% when combined. When combining education with experience, first determine total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify an applicant for that grade level. (Note: Only education in excess of two years (36 semester hours) is qualifying when calculating education percentage). (You must submit transcripts.) IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). 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. The OPM Qualification Standards for this position can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series
This position is located at the Plant Materials Center, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in Fallon, NV. The incumbent will provide plant science solutions to water quality concerns, control erosion on cropland and critical areas, improve forage production and quality on pasture and rangelands, and improve wildlife habitat. An incentive of up to $10,000 per year for 3 years may be offered if determined eligible at the time of selection. Total: $30,000.00