Geospatial Systems Specialist

Department of Agriculture

Forest Service

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Overview

  • Open & closing dates

    01/24/2018 to 02/06/2018

  • Salary

    $61,218 to $79,586 per year

  • Pay scale & grade

    GS 11

  • Work schedule

    Full-Time

  • Appointment type

    Permanent

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Locations

5 vacancies in the following locations:

  • Baker City, OR
  • Bend, OR
  • Chemult, OR
  • Detroit, OR
  • Show more locations (27)
  • Dufur, OR
  • Estacada, OR
  • Grants Pass, OR
  • Hood River, OR
  • Jacksonville, OR
  • John Day, OR
  • Joseph, OR
  • Klamath Falls, OR
  • Lakeview, OR
  • Medford, OR
  • Newport, OR
  • Pendleton, OR
  • Roseburg, OR
  • Sandy, OR
  • Springfield, OR
  • Waldport, OR
  • Cle Elum, WA
  • Colville, WA
  • Entiat, WA
  • Everett, WA
  • Leavenworth, WA
  • Naches, WA
  • Olympia, WA
  • Tonasket, WA
  • Walla Walla, WA
  • Wenatchee, WA
  • Winthrop, WA
Relocation expenses reimbursed

Yes Entitlements for payment of basic mving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. Additional relocation benefits are not available.

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    Duties

    Summary

    This announcement is for positions within the Pacific NW Region with duty locations in Oregon and Washington.  Up to five positions will be filled.  These positions are located at a Forest Service unit with responsibility for supporting managers and resource specialists in the use of geospatial technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for land, natural resources and ecosystem management.

    The duty stations for these positions will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement.  Final determination of duty stations will be made by the selecting official at the time of job offer.

    Salary range as shown is the locality pay area of Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary depending on location and may be higher than the amount shown. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management’s website for additional information on pay rates.

    For additional information on these positions, please contact  Katy Madrid, 541-426-5686 or kathrynmadrid@fs.fed.us.

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    Responsibilities

    • Data Management:  Assess quality, compatibility and limitations of various data used in a wide array of land management and planning efforts.  Develops data dictionaries, data models, and metadata for multi-disciplinary information and geospatial applications.
    • Geospatial Analysis:  Provides expertise and makes recommendations on the development and application of geospatial analysis processes, protocols and solutions to mission critical resource management issues.  Applies knowledge of geospatial technology to facilitate geospatial model design and analysis procedures.
    • Cartography and Map Design/Production: Compiles natural resource, topographic and cartographic data for creation of thematic map products and presentation materials for multi-disciplinary resource management planning.  Operates complex computer systems and software packages and develops procedures to produce intricately detailed maps and graphics for the many varied Forest resource programs and planning documents.

    Travel Required

    Occasional travel – Occasional overnight travel to other districts or forests to attend meetings and/or training.

    Supervisory status

    No

    Promotion Potential

    11

    Who May Apply

    This job is open to…

    Permanent Forest Service agency employees with competitive status, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibles, and USDA CTAP/RPL eligibles.Questions? This job is open to 2 groups.

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    Requirements

    Conditions of Employment

    • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
    • Males born after 12/31/59 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
    • Successful completion of a one-year probationary or trail period.

    Additional Requirements:  None.

    Qualifications

    Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement as defined below.  For more information on the qualifications for this position, go to:  http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/group-stds/gs-admin.asp

    BASIC REQUIREMENTS:  

    One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, OR three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M, if related.  Education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work.  Related education should provide a focus in areas such as Geography, Cartography, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Map Projections/Design and Geographic Information Systems.

    Examples of specialized experience are:  Using the ArcGIS Platform (ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Desktop, Collector, Survey123, ArcGIS Enterprise) and in assisting with the management and maintenance of geospatial data to facilitate analysis across multiple disciplines; experience in performing multi-scale and/or multi-resource analysis in support of planning, analysis, and monitoring activities; knowledge of Web GIS technology and established GIS procedures to produce maps; and experience in providing technical briefings and presentations to forest staff, program managers and leadership.

    Work Experience:  Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, series and grade, if applicable; and description of duties performed.  This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time.  Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes.  This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

    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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

    To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

    TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

    Education

    See above for education requirements for this position.

    Additional information

    Direct Deposit – Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.

    E-Verify: Federal law requires agencies to use the E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. If you are selected as a newly hired employee, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS ‘E-VERIFY’ system. Under the system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.

    BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND FINGERPRINT CHECK: Selection and retention in this position is contingent on a successfully adjudicated FBI National Criminal History Check (fingerprint check) and a background investigation.

    We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

    Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

    Government housing may be available dependent on duty location.

    This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements.

    This is a bargaining unit position represented by the National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW.

    Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better.

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    How You Will Be Evaluated

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below:

      • Knowledge of geospatial systems and technology.
      • Ability to manage and analyze spatial and related data.
      • Ability to create maps and graphics for a variety of resource programs.
      • Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

    Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need to meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

    Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

    Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the “Apply Online” button to the right.

    To view the application form, visit: https://fs.usda.ntis.gov/cp/?event=jobs.previewApplication&jobid=A4A9F619-611A-423C-8056-A848011312CF

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    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance

    Other

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    Required Documents

    The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

    • Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) supervisor’s phone number and whether or not the supervisor may be contacted for a reference check; 5) other qualifications.
    • If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit: a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service.  All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

    In addition to the above, you must submit the documents below if you claim any of the following:

    • Current and former Federal employees: 1) Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND 2) Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan.
    • Surplus or displaced employees eligible for USDA CTAP or RPL priority: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
    • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Eligible Applicants: Notification of Personnel Actions (SF-50s) showing you have served in appropriate appointment(s) for a period/periods that total more than 24 months without a break in service of two or more years. You must include the initial hire actions, extensions, conversions and termination/separation SF-50s for each period of work; AND Performance Rating(s) or other evidence showing acceptable performance for ALL periods counted toward the more than 24 months of service. You must provide: 1) Performance Rating(s) showing an acceptable level of performance for period(s) of employment counted towards your eligibility, signed by your supervisor(s); or 2) If documentation of a rating does not exist for one or more periods, a statement from your supervisor(s) or other individual in the chain of command indicating an acceptable level of performance for the period(s) of employment counted towards your eligibility; or 3) If you do not have a Performance Rating or other performance documentation (outlined in 1 and 2 above) for any period that you are using to qualify for eligibility under the LMWFA, you must provide: A stated reason as to why the appraisal/documentation is not available, and a statement that your performance for all periods was at an acceptable level, your most recent separation was for reasons other than misconduct or performance, and you were never notified that you were not eligible for rehire based on performance. (This shall be accepted in lieu of providing copies of the performance appraisals).

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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    Benefits

    A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.

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    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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    How to Apply

    Please view Tips for Applicants – a guide to the Forest Service application process.
    Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

    Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m., Monday – Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.

    This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.

    To begin, click “Apply Online” and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.

    NOTE: You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency’s staffing system. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g., all SF-50s) into one or more files and scan for uploading into the application. Each file must not exceed 3MB. Grouping like documents into files will simplify the application process. Documents must be in one of the following formats: GIF, JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG, RTF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). Uploaded documents may not require a password, digital signature, or other encryption to open.

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    Agency contact information

    HRM Contact Center

    Phone

    877-372-7248, option 2

    TDD

    800-877-8339

    Fax

    866-338-4063

    Email

    fsjobs@fs.fed.us

    Address
    USDA Forest Service
    Do not mail applications, see instructions on the How to Apply tab.
    Albuquerque, NM,
    United States

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    Next steps