Forester

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Basic Requirement: GS-0460: Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry.

The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas: Management of Renewable Resources -- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results.

Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management. Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment.

Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology. Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources.

Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing; OR Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry.

The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-11 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-09 grade level in forestry management; or a related subject-matter field.

Examples of specialized experience include meeting one or more of the following: Assisted in analyzing technical issues and/or providing advice and assistance on forestry resource management policies and practices; assisted in reviewing or developing standard plans for well-established programs or projects or recommending short-range plans for a component of a forestry resource management program; assisted in evaluating programs and performing well-established forestry land use improvement projects; conducted cruises of timber stands to determine volume of merchantable timber, species composition, accessibility, and environmental constraints; OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in degree program areas such Forestry, Natural Resources Management, or Forest Resource Management; OR a combination of graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.) and specialized experience that is directly related to the position being filled.

For the GS-12 level: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-11 level in forestry management; or a related subject-matter field.

Examples of specialized experience include meeting one or more of the following: Participated in the management, planning and oversight of all of timber sale planning/preparation and/or silviculture programs; assisted in gathering information for use in long-range resource management plans and programs, including formulation of policies, objectives, and priorities; assisted both presale and sale administration personnel in timber removal techniques; and supporting higher level personnel in all facets of sale preparation, reforestation and timber stand improvement techniques.

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.

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.

The duties are at the GS-12 grade level.,Serves as the program manager and supervisor for the multi-Forest Zone Timber Organization.,Reviews and approves natural resource programs for compliance with policy, guidelines and standards for timber sale administration.,Reviews and approves overall appraisal of the forest area timber resource to determine the area’s capacity to meet allowable cut and future needs as well as the protection and regeneration of the resource.,Performs as a Certified Timber Sale Contracting Officer with responsibility for administering contracts for commercial timber sales and other timber use.,Supervises less than 20% of the time.