Vegetation and Fire Ecologist, GS-408-12
To apply for this positions, go to the USA jobs website at:
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/
Search for USA Jobs announcement number: ADS11-R5-ELDR-03224DP (non-government
employees) or ADS11-R5-ELDR-03224G (government employees) Application period open until February 2, 2011 To your application, please attach a curriculum vitae/resume and a statement of you experience under each of the KSAs listed below
The Central Sierra Province of the Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region is hiring the Central Sierra Nevada Province Ecologist, to be stationed in Placerville, CA. The position is for permanent, full-time employment with a starting salary of $63,417 to $82,446, and will serve the Stanislaus, Eldorado and Tahoe National Forests.
DUTIES: The Central Sierra Province Ecologist is the Province expert in vegetation and fire ecology, and is professionally involved in addressing a wide range of ecological issues across the Eldorado, Stanislaus and Tahoe National Forests. Major duties will include:
Coordinates with the Regional Ecologist and the Forests comprising the Province with respect to all facets of the Province Ecologist’s program of work
Provides ecological expertise and technical assistance for Forest Service projects and planning efforts. Incorporates ecological principles into decision making.
Develops and implements ecological monitoring programs to collect, analyze, and interpret data to help guide Forest Service activities through an adaptive management framework.
Assesses the impacts of global change, including climate change, invasive species, and increasing human populations, on Province Forests and ecosystems
Evaluates the effect of forest management practices including grazing, prescribed burning, and silvicultural treatments on a diverse range of ecosystems.
Integrates information from separate disciplines such as botany, hydrology, geology, soils, and wildlife, including historic and legacy data, for use in assessing current conditions, detecting trends, developing reference conditions, and developing desired future conditions for use in planning and implementing forest projects.
Conducts fire monitoring and modeling, including evaluations of fire behavior, fuel loading, fire effects, and patterns of fire severity.
Provides ecological input into fuels treatment planning.
Conducts classification and mapping of vegetation types, fire regimes, and potential natural vegetation.
Uses statistically sound sampling and analytical methods, including multivariate techniques, modeling approaches and geospatial analyses, to evaluate complex environmental and biological patterns across large landscapes.
Coordinates with district, forest, and regional staff to conduct integrated ecological monitoring and reporting programs. Develops field guides, brochures, GIS products, presentations, workshops, and other materials to facilitate the transfer of ecological knowledge. Where appropriate, publishes findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Provides technical assistance with NEPA planning and implementation.
Is active in raising funds to support the Ecology Program program of work, from internal and external partners and granting agencies
Supervises an assistant and/or one or more field crews
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION:
Education: a Master’s degree or higher in an ecological field of study involving vegetation and/or fire, or such long-term experience in the field of ecology that the applicant’s level of knowledge is equivalent to that level of expertise.
An ability to conduct practical, applied field and laboratory investigations of direct relevance to Forest Service managers, and to communicate findings in simple, straightforward terms to a wide variety of audiences.
Broad knowledge of ecology and its application to management, including silviculture, range management, fuels and fire management, wildlife management and soils management. Must be able to apply the latest developments in ecology to solutions of a novel or controversial nature for which accepted or proven methods are not available.
Must have an excellent background in, and strong facility with GIS software, multivariate statistics, fire and forest growth modeling, and database design and management.
Knowledge of Federal, State and Agency laws and regulations pertaining to forest resource management.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including demonstrated success at grant writing and publishing papers in peer-reviewed journals.
Wildland firefighting experience beneficial.
KSAs: KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES CATEGORIES (these are not included in the non-government employee announcement, but it is highly recommended that you attach a statement to your application detailing your experience under each
category)
Knowledge of the theories, principles, and concepts of ecology.
Applied knowledge of the theories, principles, and concepts of ecology in order to perform quantitative analyses, ecological assessments, and ecology program management work.
Ability to carry out quantitative analysis of natural resource management issues and problems, including complex statistical analysis and modeling.
Used quantitative methodologies to analyze natural resource management issues.
Identified, considered, and resolved a variety of natural resource-related questions and problems.
Knowledge of natural resource science to plan, conduct, and evaluate natural resource management studies and to develop work plans and project plans.
Conceived and completed studies in natural resources, including development of protocols, evaluation of the progress of studies, projects, or investigations, and the preparation of technical reports on the results of the studies.
Ability to communicate in writing.
Produced written products such as study or work plans, reports, technical papers, environmental analyses, and/or environmental impact statements.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
Communicated in both formal and informal settings with those inside and outside the agency, other government agencies, tribal governments, state or local governments, private institutions, members of the general public, and special users such as landowners, permittees, or contractors.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Field and office work are about equally divided in a year; May-October is normally spent largely in the field. During this period the incumbent may be away from the duty station for extended periods. Working conditions may sometimes be difficult, including hiking over rough terrain in steep, rugged areas with exposure to heat, poison oak, poisonous snakes and insects.
AREA DESCRIPTION:
This position is stationed in Placerville, California.
COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREA:
The Eldorado National Forest is recognized as a desirable place to work.
Elevations range from 2000 ft in the foothills to more than 10,000 ft along the Sierra Crest. A Mediterranean climate extends over most of the Forest, with warm, dry summers, and cold, wet winters. Average precipitation ranges from 40 to 70 inches, occurring mainly from October to April. There is significant snowfall above 3000 feet elevation.
The Forest and surrounding communities offer a wide variety of recreational activities. There are lakes, reservoirs, several cross-country and downhill ski areas, two unique wilderness areas, over 40 developed campgrounds, several resort areas, golf courses, and outstanding local wineries and fruit orchards.
Opportunities abound for water skiing, white water sports (Class II to Class V), mountain biking, OHV travel, rock climbing, fishing, hunting and hiking. Local community theatres offer stage plays and a variety of musical entertainment.
Although El Dorado County makes up the largest segment of the Forest, portions of Alpine, Amador, and Placer counties lie within the Forest Boundary. In close proximity to the forest are the communities of South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento, which offer additional recreational and cultural activities including professional and semi-professional sports.
Rental houses and apartments generally range from $1000-$1600 per month.
Purchase prices for 2-3 bedroom homes range from $200,000 to $450,000+.
Land and/or lots are available as well.
There are several elementary and high schools within El Dorado County. For more information on schools in El Dorado County visit this website:
http://www.edcoe.k12.ca.us. Community colleges in the area include Folsom Lake College (El Dorado Center in Placerville), Sierra College In Rocklin, American River College and Sacramento City College in Sacramento and Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe. Four-year colleges and universities include California State University-Sacramento and University of California at Davis.
Marshall Hospital, located in Placerville, is the closest well-equipped medical center. There are many local doctor and dentist offices in Placerville. There are several major hospitals in the Sacramento area including Kaiser Hospitals in Sacramento and Roseville.
For more community information check the Following websites:
El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce http://www.eldoradocounty.org City of Placerville http://www.ci.placerville.ca.us Eldorado National Forest http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado
CONTACT: If you have any further questions about the position or the application process, please email or call: Hugh Safford, Regional Ecologist, hughsafford@fs.fed.us (707-562-8934)