Natural Resources Specialist (Pathways Recent Graduate)

Recent Graduate Requirement: You must apply for a Recent Graduate position within two (2) years of completing a qualifying educational program, i.e., within the previous two (2) years, the Recent Graduate must have completed a qualifying associate, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.

Except as provided for in the bullet below, an application will be considered only if it is received no later than two (2) years from the date all requirements for a qualifying degree or certificate were met. Exceptions are made for veterans, as defined in 5 USC 2108, who, due to military service obligations, were precluded from applying to the Program during the two-year eligibility period described above.

These individuals have a full two-year period of eligibility upon their release or discharge from active duty. In no event, however, may their eligibility period extend beyond six years from the date on which they completed their academic requirements.

In addition to being a Recent Graduate, to qualify for this position, you must meet the following Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience/Education: Basic Educational Requirements: To be considered, you must meet at least one of the following education requirement: A. Degree: A degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR- B.

Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the above, to qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level you must meet one of the below requirements: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: assisting with environmental compliance activities or preparing environmental documentation; collecting, compiling, or analyzing natural resource data; conducting field surveys or monitoring land, water, or wildlife resources; and assisting with natural resource management or environmental restoration activities. -OR- Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate-level education in a field directly related to the position, such as biological sciences, environmental science, natural resource management, or a closely related discipline -OR- Combination of education and experience: A combination of qualifying graduate-level education and specialized experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): You may qualify based on a bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the position and Superior Academic Achievement. S.A.A. may be demonstrated by one of the following: Class standing: Graduated in the upper one-third of your college, university, or major subdivision.

Grade-point average: A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years.

Note: GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9 Honor society membership: Membership in a qualifying national scholastic honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. Freshman honor society membership does not qualify. See OPM for a list of eligible societies.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Volunteer Experience: 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. All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/23/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Assist in preparing and reviewing environmental documents and supporting compliance with NEPA, ESA, and other applicable environmental laws. Coordinate with federal, state, and local agencies on environmental planning, Section 7 consultations, and resource management activities. Conduct field inspections, collect and analyze resource data, and monitor land and water areas to identify environmental impacts and compliance issues.

Assist in planning and implementing restoration and enhancement projects involving erosion control, wildlife habitats, wetlands, and riparian areas. Provide technical support for environmental permits, resource management contracts, pest management activities, and environmental compliance.