Soil Conservationist (Grazing Land Specialist)

at Natural Resources Conservation Service in Charleston, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Summary This position is in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Illinois. The incumbent serves as the Area Grazing Specialist; provides NRCS staff and partners in the state grazing technical leadership; develops grazing plans; develops and updates grazing conservation practice documents; works with partners to advance grazing technologies for pasture, forest land, and other land uses. Responsibilities Serves as a state-wide technical team member and coordinates activities with grazing networks, agencies, and non-profit organizations to provide training and promotion of grazing within the area. Provides technical assistance, and quality assurance on the establishment and management of grazing and animal science issues, including livestock nutrition and health. Provides grazing technical assistance to field personnel, provides formal and on-the-job training on implementing grazing plans on grasslands to improve environmental performance. Coordinates implementation of grazing plans with the Technical Service Provider (TSP) and other contracted individuals with local NRCS staff to achieve the plans required of USDA conservation programs. Participates in quality assurance reviews at the area level and takes the lead in the Grazing aspects of reviews at the Area level, including evaluation of planning and installation of grazing practices. Provides area and field office staff with direct assistance and training in the development of forage inventories, grazing schedules, seeding recommendations, stocking rate guidelines, pasture facilities design, and livestock feed management. Assists in writing technical and timely feature articles dealing with conservation systems on grazing lands for publication in local newsletters, newspapers, or other publications. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Basic Education Requirement: Degree: 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; OR 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 comparable to a 4-year degree. 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. Evaluation of Education: Education that provided specialized knowledge and skills in soil and water conservation is more valuable than education that imparted broad but general knowledge and skills. Courses in soil fertility, soil chemistry, soil genesis, plant physiology, plant science, and field crops are examples of specialized courses that contribute towards meeting the required 12 semester hours as described above. Courses in the physical sciences or engineering such as geology, civil engineering, and hydrology also meet the soils, crops, or plant science course requirements where such courses included a complete introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Evaluation of Experience: Experience that included the application of techniques, principles, and methods from a variety of agricultural and natural resource fields is appropriate, given the interdisciplinary character of the soil conservation occupation. For example, experience gained in a specialized field such as soil science, forestry, or agronomy is as fully acceptable as experience directly obtained in soil conservation work. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered for the GS-11 level: Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level or higher in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through federal service. This experience requires the knowledge of a wide range of principles, concepts, and theories sufficient to perform duties concerning the development and implementation of multiple-use grazing management plans. Specialized experience is defined as: Developing and reviewing multiple-use conservation plans on grazing lands. Providing guidance and assistance to landowners and operators, as well as field office staff, on the identification of resource concerns on grazing lands to ensure that conservation plans provide for the application of technically accurate and adequate practices. Following up with landowners to implement grazing management plans, evaluate problems, and propose land improvement alternatives. Conducting onsite measurement, monitoring, collection, and analysis of data regarding land use and natural resources conditions and trends. OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience for the GS-11 level: 3 year(s) of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related discipline; OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF 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. Education If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. 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. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g., special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabus and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information. Failure to provide