Summary You will be responsible for maintenance, interpretation, and distribution of soil survey information, conducting information and education activities, providing training, providing support to uses of soil survey information, and perform other duties as assigned. One position will be filled at either Boise, ID or Twin Falls, ID. Amended vacancy announcement to extend the closing date. Responsibilities Provides technical expertise in the application of Farm Bill programs. Serves as a technical soil specialist for highly erodible land (HEL), wetland conservation, and conservation compliance. Provides on-site technical assistance to agency personnel and the public on the interpretation and application of soil survey information related to specific soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources concerns. Provides leadership and guidance to field offices in soils-related activities and assists in the provision of training and technical soil services. Plans, develops, and provides training in soil science and the use of soil survey information. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time-in-grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled (e.g., one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level; AND one year at the GS-11 grade level for consideration for the GS-12 grade level). Basic Requirements: Degree: Bachelor's or higher degree in soil science or a closely related discipline that included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility. (You must submit transcripts.) or Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a related discipline that included at least 30 semester hours in the biological, physical, or earth sciences. At least 15 of these semester hours must have been in the areas specified above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation. (You must submit transcripts.) In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: To qualify for the GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include: Assisting in the collecting soil field data. Assisting in the distribution of soil information (e.g., fact sheets, job sheets, and other publications). Updating databases to maintain soil databases and create reports. OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience: You must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in soil science or other directly related discipline. (You MUST submit supporting academic transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: Combination of the above-described education and specialized experience such that they total 100% when combined. To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed above; then determine your education as a percentage of the education listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent. (Only graduate level education in excess of two years (36 semester hours) may be combined with specialized experience. (You MUST submit supporting academic transcripts.) (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) To qualify for the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. This experience must include Assisting in soil investigations by applying soil survey information. Assisting in managing database and information systems to monitor and extract soil data and create reports. Advising others regarding soil survey information. Assisting in reviewing or updating training materials related to soil science or soil surveys. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 level. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: Professional and Scientific Positions. 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 You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). 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 syllabi 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. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. 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. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. 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. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Physical Demands: The work occurs in both outside and office environments. Outside activities involve strenuous walking over rough terrain, frequent bending/stooping, and lifting and carrying of moderately heavy soil samples, tools, and specialized scientific equipment. The incumbent must be able to operate four-wheel drive vehicles and other motorized equipment. Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring exposure to operation of soil survey equipment, adverse weather such as snow, extreme heat, icy or wet field conditions, and unimproved roads. Work requires special safety precautions and/or protective clothing and equipment. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline. This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8-hour workday, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.