Shawnee National Forest

“Caring for the Land and Serving People”

OUTREACH NOTICE

SOIL SCIENTIST

Temporary NTE 1 year GS-0470-7
The Shawnee National Forest will soon be advertising a GS-0470-7 Soil Scientist position. The position is a Temporary NTE 1 year appointment, which may be extended 1 additional year. The position will be located on the Hidden Springs/Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District in Murphysboro, Illinois. Pending facilities analysis of Shawnee administrative sites the duty station may change to Jonesboro, IL. The purpose of this Outreach Notice is to inform prospective applicants of this opportunity.

Anyone interested is encouraged to complete the attached

Outreach Response Form. Respondents will be notified via email when the vacancy announcement becomes available. You will still need to apply for the job separately.

Please reply to this outreach by May 1, 2015.

Position:

This position serves as a soil scientist responsible for conducting surveys of soil erosion problem areas on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Major Duties: Conducts standard forest and rangeland soil resource inventories and watershed restoration needs inventories of assigned areas. Collects soil samples for laboratory analysis to determine physical, chemical, and morphological characteristics. Selects, describes, and classifies soil properties according to the National Cooperative Soil Survey standards. Analyzes soils and related information and prepares interpretative material which characterizes watershed conditions as they relate to management opportunities. Assists in writing watershed restoration plans, erosion control plans, soil resources improvement plans, soil management reports, soil survey reports, and special project reports for planners, designers, managers, and other users. Provides soil management services to other resources in carrying out the goal of maintaining and improving soil productivity to provide sustained yields of renewable resources. Performs other related work as assigned for the purpose of broadening knowledge of Forest Service activities, such as timber cruising, marking, and fire suppression.

Description of the Forest:

The Shawnee National Forest includes about 280,000 acres of National Forest System land and is the single largest publicly owned body of land in the State of Illinois. Within those lands, one can find the following:

• Seven Congressionally-designated Wilderness Areas (about 10% of the Forest)
• Six candidate Wild and Scenic Rivers
• Four National Natural Landmarks
• Four heritage resource sites on the National Register of Historic Places
• Two National Scenic Byways (NSB)
  • Great River Road NSB, extending along the Mississippi River
  • Ohio River NSB, along the Ohio, where it begins in Pennsylvania, traveling to Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio meets the mighty Mississippi
• 80 designated Natural Areas considered important for botanical, ecological, geological or zoological reasons (about 5% of the Forest). Ten of these natural areas are designated by the Forest Service as Research Natural Areas (9 ecological areas and 1 botanical area) to focus research on these high value ecological sites.
  • 56 ecological areas
  • 14 botanical areas
  • 3 geological areas
  • 7 zoological areas

The Forest sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and is rich in history, reflecting the pioneer movement of Americans into the west. Although predominantly oak-hickory, pine was planted in many areas in the past. Swamps contain tupelo and cypress communities. Razorback ridges associated with the Ozark upthrust are found on the west side of the Forest; the broader ridges associated with the Shawnee hills are found on the east side of the Forest. The Wisconsin glacier stopped north of the Shawnee, so the Grand Prairie (and its corn fields) most associated with the state of Illinois starts 40 miles north of the Forest.

The Shawnee is located within a day’s drive (350 miles) of more than 45 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 7-1-97 estimate). Additional information about the Forest may be found at the Shawnee National Forestwebsite.

Climate:

One can experience all four seasons in the southern Illinois region with an average of 3” of snow per year and temperatures rarely below 0 degrees. Summer days are sunny and humid with highs in the 80’s – 90’s, occasionally topping 100. Spring weather can occur in March, and fall weather can extend into November. During the spring and fall seasons, the climate and beauty of the area is especially compelling. Spring brings an abundance of blooming dogwoods, redbuds and wildflowers. The fall is saturated with color, as the leaves turn brilliant reds, gold and yellows. Garden of the Gods, the most visited site on the Forest, is a must-see during the fall color season. The unusual rock formations, coupled with the surrounding Garden of the Gods Wilderness, portray the beauty of southern Illinois at its finest.

Education:

Pre-schools through high schools can be found in most communities and rank high in the state. There are several community colleges in the area offering quite reasonable in-district tuition. Southern Illinois University, located in Carbondale, IL, offers a full range of baccalaureate through doctoral programs. Day care facilities also are available in most communities.

Churches:

Churches representing all major denominations can be found in communities across the region.

Economy:

Real estate in the area is moderately priced. The median price for purchasing a home is approximately $120,000, and house rentals begin at approximately $450 per month. Utilities are also priced moderately. Tourism is a developing economic force in the area. In recent years, several wineries have opened, offering two outstanding wine trails. Local breweries are also starting to emerge, adding to the tourism opportunities in the region.

With a mix of communities and towns, varying in population, Southern Illinois offers a rural environment with easy access to all possible amenities. Both shopping and entertainment opportunities are abundant within the area. Marion and Carbondale, IL along with Paducah, KY, offer shopping malls, movie theaters and several locally owned and operated restaurants along with major chain and fast-food restaurants. Additional information on local employment opportunities can be found at the following links:

Harrisburg, IL – Companies and Businesses

Marion, IL – Companies and Businesses

Carbondale, IL – Companies and Business
Healthcare:

Healthcare facilities serving the area include full facility Harrisburg Medical Center (Hospital), Carbondale Doctor’s Memorial Hospital and Marion Memorial Hospital. Services at these hospitals include cardiac units, oncology and neonatal units. Other hospitals providing care are Lourdes and Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, KY and Deaconess in Evansville, IN. All the hospitals provide 24-hour emergency room physician coverage and specialists.

Recreational and Cultural Activities:

Whether you’re a barbecue fan, blues lover, outdoor recreational enthusiast, lover of small town life or big city adventurer, southern Illinois truly provides something for everyone in terms of social engagement opportunities and overall choice of recreational/cultural type activities.

With the perfect mix of small to mid-sized towns across the region coupled with easy access to bigger cities, including St. Louis, MO (located about 2 hours from Harrisburg, IL), Nashville, TN (located about 2.5 hours from Harrisburg, IL) and Chicago, IL (located about 6 hours from Harrisburg, IL), residents will find the ability to immerse themselves in the rich cultural and natural heritage encompassed in the area while also being able to easily travel and explore larger metropolitan areas nearby.

Festivals, fairs, artisan type craft events and more abound annually, and from more traditional American fare to Cuban, Thai, Japanese and more, a variety of restaurants representing global cuisine choices can be found across the region. Other opportunities, including concerts, theater engagements, etc, can also be discovered at a variety of events and locations, offering easy access to diverse recreational and cultural activities while also offering a beautiful, predominantly agricultural based area to call home.

To learn more about the area, please visit the following:

Marion, IL Chamber of Commerce

Saline County, IL Chamber of Commerce

Saline County, IL Tourism

Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau

Williamson County, IL Tourism Bureau

Non-Discrimination Statement

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

Outreach Response Form

If you are interested in these positions, be sure to respond to this outreach by May 1, 2015 in one of three ways:

E-mail:             dkirtley@fs.fed.us                                         Fax: (618) 658-1300

Mail:                Daryl Kirtley

Shawnee National Forest

602 North First Street

Vienna, IL 62995

For additional details on the position, you may call Leonard Pitcher, Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist, at 618-658-1302

By completing this form, you are indicating that you are interested in the following position:

• Temporary NTE 1 year GS-0470-7 Soil Scientist

Location:

•     Region 9, Shawnee National Forest, Murphysboro, Illinois

PERSONAL INFORMATION: