Horticulturist

Summary This position is located in the U.S. Department of War (DoW) Washington Headquarters Services (WHS), Facilities Services Directorate (FSD). The FOSD is responsible for the administration and operation of facilities and services owned or operated by the DoW in the National Capital Region (NCR). The incumbent of this position serves as natural resource management specialist and works under the general administrative supervision of the RES Branch Manager. Responsibilities This is a Direct Hire Public Notice, under this recruitment, applications will be accepted for each location and/or installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application. This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection. This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 9905, as amended by P.L. 116-92, SEC 1109, further amended by P.L. 116-283, SEC 1117 and further amended by P.L.118-31, SEC 1104 and SEC 1250B. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration. Incumbents typical work assignments may include the following: Plans, develops, and administers a comprehensive, environmentally sound horticultural program, ensuring the wise use and management of natural resources on both improved and unimproved land. Ensures compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, the Clean Water Act (NPDES), and the Endangered Species Act, by conducting studies, identifying deficiencies, and recommending improvements to resource management plans. Provides expert technical guidance for all phases of landscape design, site development, and beautification projects; develops technical specifications and cost estimates and administers contracts to ensure work complies with horticultural and environmental standards. Conducts daily on-site surveys and inspections to ensure landscape maintenance contractors adhere to contract standards, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, and safety protocols, exercising judgment to approve work for payment. Serves as a subject matter expert on ornamental plant pathology, pest infestations, and environmental stress; provides diagnostic recommendations and ensures the safe and responsible use of chemicals and pesticides in coordination with relevant agencies. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below. Basic Requirements Degree: horticulture; or a related discipline of basic plant science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, of which at least 16 semester hours were in horticultural subjects such as those dealing with the breeding, care, management, production, and post-harvest handling of horticultural crops. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in horticulture or a related discipline of basic plant science that included course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Education: Courses in botany, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant pathology, genetics, agronomy, horticulture, and similar courses may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in basic plant sciences. The 16-semester-hour requirement in horticulture includes course work in basic horticulture and course work related to any of the recognized subject-matter fields of horticulture, i.e., fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, nursery work, seed production, or course work in related areas of science, such as micro-biology, entomology, plant pathology, plant physiology, or genetics that is directly related to horticultural work. AND You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal Service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) which has given me the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties related to the position being filled. Specialized experience is defined as: 1) Developing technical specifications for landscape projects- administering contracts by evaluating contractor performance against quality standards; 2) Implementing integrated pest management (IPM) strategies; and 3) Analyzing environmental compliance requirements to provide technical recommendations that ensure adherence to regulations such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave. Education Education cannot be substituted for experience. Additional Information Probationary Periods: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: Your performance and conduct; The needs and interests of the agency; Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing an online application, you may request an alternative application. Please send an email to the following address for information on how to obtain an alternative application: View email address on click.appcast.io Reemployed Annuitants: Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. / Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative. Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.