OUTREACH ANNOUNCEMENT

USDA Forest Service

Ashley National Forest              

Hydrologist, GS-1315-11

Vernal, Utah

The Ashley National Forest is expecting to advertise the following position: Hydrologist (Two Positions), GS-1315-11.   The purpose of this Outreach Notice is to determine the potential applicant pool for these positions and to establish the appropriate recruitment method, series, and area of consideration for the advertisement.  Responses received from this outreach notice will be relied upon to make this determination.  For more information please contact: Dustin Bambrough, Ecosystems Staff Officer, 435-781-5175, or email at dbambrough@fs.fed.us or Chris Plunkett, Soil/Water/Air Program Manager, 435-781-5140, or email cplunkett@fs.fed.us.

A vacancy announcement for these positions is expected to be posted in USAJOBS around the end of November 2014, with a duty station of Vernal, Utah.

POSITION:  Hydrologist, GS-1315-11 (Two Positions) 

POSITION DESCRIPTION:  The incumbents serve as watershed specialists for the Forest and on interdisciplinary teams for vegetation management, range allotment management, watershed restoration, oil and gas development, and other types of projects for the Ashley National Forest.  The ideal candidate will have a working knowledge of principles and practices of both hydrology and soils. The position:

• Provides technical expertise to maintain and restore watershed health and function.
• Conducts and interprets hydrologic surveys and corresponding analysis.
• Develops timely and complete professional level input to environmental planning documents.
• Works closely with Forest/District vegetation, timber, fuels, range, wildlife/fisheries, engineering/minerals, and recreation personnel to accomplish Forest priorities in a manner compatible with watershed health, restoration, and air quality.
• Works with various local government and non-government watershed organizations on watershed restoration programs.
• Works with State governments to maintain water rights for permitted uses.
• Implements Forest components of National BMP monitoring and implementation of Watershed Condition Framework.
• Uses national databases to plan and report watershed accomplishments and track water and soil resource inventory and monitoring activities.

Both positions are located in the Supervisor’s Office and are supervised by the Soil/Water/Air Program Manager.

DUTY STATION:   Supervisor’s Office

Ashley National Forest

355 North Vernal Avenue

Vernal, Utah 84078

OUTREACH REPLY DUE DATE IS:  November 21, 2014

The Ashley National Forest

http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/ashley/

The Ashley National Forest encompasses about a million and a half acres in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming.  The Forest lies in three geographical areas:  the east-west range of the Uinta Mountains, the Green River Basin, and the Tavaputs Plateau.  Elevations range from 6,000 feet to 13,528 feet.

Steep canyons, high mountain peaks, glaciated basins, large open meadows, and desert badlands produce a rich diversity of vegetation and wildlife.  The grasses and shrubs of the high mountain desert are replaced by pinyon and juniper as the elevation rises.  In mid-elevation areas, aspen dominates and becomes mixed with conifer.  Higher up, the vegetation changes to conifer forest composed of ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, fir, and spruce. Wildlife is abundant.  Larger species include black bear, mountain lion, moose, elk, mule deer, pronghorn, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep.

Neighboring lands include the Uinta and Ouray Indian Reservation to the south, the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest to the west and north, and a mixture of Bureau of Land Management, State of Utah, and private lands to the east and southeast.  Compared with other National Forests, relatively few small tracts of private land lie within the Ashley’s boundary.

The High Uintas Wilderness, established by Congress in 1984, comprises nearly one-half million acres in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache and Ashley National Forests.  Within the wilderness, elevations range from 8,000 feet to 13,582 feet at the top of Kings Peak, the highest mountain in Utah.  The Uinta Mountain range runs east to west, from the Wasatch Mountains into Colorado.  Pre-Cambrian rock formed from sediments laid down 600 million years ago makes up the core of the range.  Glacial activity carved deep canyons and left a spectacular landscape of rolling, treeless peaks and stratified ridges interspersed with broad meadows and numerous lakes.

The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area lies in the northeast part of the Forest.  Flaming Gorge Reservoir extends almost 90 miles into Wyoming, and offers outstanding fishing and boating opportunities.  Record-breaking German brown trout and large lake and rainbow trout have been taken from its waters. The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area has three marinas and many campgrounds, some of which are open year-round.

The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam is a world-famous blue-ribbon trout stream.  The Little Hole National Recreation Trail parallels the river 7.3 miles from the Dam to the Little Hole Recreation Complex.

About Vernal, Utah

Vernal is situated in northeast Utah south of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area and west of Dinosaur National Monument, and is the county seat of Uintah County. Vernal has a population of approximately 10,000 people.  When combined with the residents of surrounding communities, the population of the Ashley Valley is approximately 15,000.  Vernal is 180 miles east of Salt Lake City and 300 miles west of Denver.

http://www.vernalchamber.com/         http://www.city-data.com/city/Vernal-Utah.html

Climate

Vernal sits at approximately 5,000 feet above sea level.  Vernal enjoys four beautiful temperate seasons; the climate is semi-arid with low humidity.  Annual precipitation averages 15-20”, mostly in the form of winter snow and spring/fall rain.  Winter temperatures usually hover in the 20s-30s during the day, but will occasionally drop to sub-zero.  Mid-summer temperatures can reach 100 degrees, but generally average in the low-mid 90s, dipping into the 50s at night.

Schools

Vernal has six elementary schools, one middle school, one junior high, one high school, and a private Christian school.  The Uintah District Learning Center provides education opportunities for children with special needs.  Child day-care centers and preschools are also available.

Utah State University-Uintah Basin (with branch campuses in Vernal and Roosevelt) employs about 25 resident faculty and offers 2 Associates Degrees, 23 Bachelor’s Degrees, 12 Masters Degrees, and 1 doctorate degree. Uintah Basin Applied Technology College offers Certificates of Competency for technical entry-level work.

Health Care

The Ashley Valley Regional Medical Center is a 39-bed acute care facility with an emergency room and trauma care facility with 34 affiliated physicians. Specialties include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, radiology, pathology, orthopedics, ENT, general surgery, urology, OB/GYN, podiatry, ophthalmology and physiatry. Physicians from Salt Lake City also provide specialized, part-time services in the area.  Major hospitals are located in Salt Lake City and Provo. The community also has several dentists, two optometrists, and five chiropractors.  A variety of mental health professionals have practices in the community.

For extended medical care, Uintah Care Center is a 50-bed nursing home, with additional facilities to provide outpatient care on a daily basis.

Three veterinary clinics provide care for both large and small animals.

Housing

The average apartment rental is around $750.00 to $900.00 a month.  Rental homes are not readily available. Average purchase price for a basic three-bedroom home ranges from $185,000 to $290,000. Government housing is not available.

Economic Base

Oil and gas exploration and production, along with oil shale, tar sands, gilsonite, and phosphate, are the major components of the local economy.  Tourism is also a growing industry.  Several government offices are located in Vernal and include the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Farmers Home Administration, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and city, county, and state offices.

Recreation Opportunities

Vernal has parks, a bowling alley, movie theaters, a water slide, and an 18-hole golf course.  Tennis courts, baseball and softball fields are also available.  In addition, the Uintah Community Center offers an array of recreational opportunities for all ages including indoor lap pool, indoor leisure pool with slides and water toys, a climbing wall, two full-size gyms, indoor running track, cardio balcony, an aerobic dance area, a strength area, on-site child care, three party rooms, classrooms, a public meeting area, and conference rooms.

Basketball, volleyball, and baseball leagues are available for adults.  Locally sponsored children’s’ activities include Little League football, baseball, basketball, soccer, wrestling and a swim team. Several dance schools instructing ballet, jazz, clogging, and tap as well as gymnastic classes for children are also available.  The Uintah Recreation District also sponsors several “fun runs” and a triathlon (the Dino-Tri) each year. 

Several nearby rivers and lakes offer excellent fishing and boating opportunities, and white-water raft trips are available through local guides.  Mountain biking is a popular activity and there is a growing network of biking trails on public lands. Cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing are popular winter sports.

Civic and Service Organizations

Active community and service clubs in Vernal include the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce, Lions, Elks, Toastmasters, Rotary, Boy Scouts, 4-H, Masonic Lodge, Search and Rescue, Cultural Arts, and American Legion, to name a few.  The Utah Field House of Natural History is a state park facility located in downtown Vernal, and is a popular destination for tourists and area residents alike. The Golden Age Senior Center provides activities, luncheons, transportation, and dances for area senior citizens. A new, 30,000 square foot county library was recently completed and features a children’s library, teen library, community room, public use computers, two small group study rooms,  library classroom, and a reading area with a fireplace, study tables, and comfortable chairs.

Churches

A wide range of religious services are available in the area.

Cultural Events

Several cultural events occur throughout the year, including the annual Outlaw Trail Festival, Festival of the Arts, Uintah County Fair, Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo, Dinosaur Days, Dino-Soar Hot Air Balloon Festival, a fall story-telling festival, and the annual Christmas Fair.  The Uintah Arts Council sponsors several musical and other cultural events.  Vernal also hosts a small Farmer’s Market every Saturday from July through September.  In addition to fresh fruit and other produce, a variety of crafts, locally produced meats, and artwork is offered for sale.

OUTREACH RESPONSE FORM

I am interested in this Position: Hydrologist, GS-1315-11   

PLEASE REPLY BY Friday, November 21^st, 2014

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Name:                                                                                      Date:

Address:                                                                                                                                             

Phone:                                                 Email address:

Are you currently a Federal Employee?                                 Yes                     No

If YES, CURRENT REGION/FOREST/DISTRICT:

CURRENT SERIES AND GRADE:

CURRENT POSITION TITLE:

YEARS AND TYPE OF TIMBER RESOURCE SPECIALIST DUTIES (attach separate sheet if necessary):                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

AGENCY EMPLOYED WITH:        ______USFS   _____BLM      ______OTHER:

TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: ______ PERMANENT           _____ TEMPORARY            ______ TERM

______ VRA               _____ PWD                ______ OTHER

IF NOT A CURRENT PERMANENT EMPLOYEE (CAREER OR CAREER CONDITIONAL) ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO BE HIRED UNDER ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL AUTHORITIES:

______ PERSON WITH DISABILITIES

______ VETERANS RECRUITMENT ACT

______ DISABLED VETERANS W/30% COMPENSABLE DISABILITY

______ VETERANS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACT OF 1998

______ FORMER PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER

______ STUDENT CAREER EXPERIENCE PROGRAM

______ OTHER

For more information please contact Dustin Bambrough, Ecosystems Staff Officer at 435-781-5175.  Please return the Outreach Response Form via email to dbambrough@fs.fed.us