Summary

This position is located in the Division of Lands and Resources, Branch of Life and Physical Sciences. This position serves as the Program Lead for Forestry for NM/OK/TX/KS.

This position is concurrently open to all U.S. Citizens under Announcement Number BLM-NM-24-12403945-DE-OPM.

This job is open to

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Family of overseas employees
Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Individuals with disabilities
Land & base management
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Military spouses
Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
Veterans

Clarification from the agency

Status Candidates (Merit Promotion, Land Management, and VEOA Eligibles) and Non-Competitive Authority Eligibles

This job is also open in another announcement to:

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
The public

This job is also open in another announcement to:

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
The public

Duties

A state program lead for the forestry program in a public domain state.
Ensure the compliance of forest and woodland management objectives and supporting activities.
Maintain professional excellence in the technical and operational functions of the forest and woodland management program in the State.
Serve as program lead to provide policy interpretation and guidance to the State Director and other management officials.
Provide guidance to other foresters regarding developing and writing project prospectus, solicitation, and advertisement on forestry projects (i.e. timber sale, service contract solicitation, stewardship, etc.)
Perform on-the-ground technical evaluations of timber sale program activities to determine compliance with established policies, standards and procedures, and program objectives and priorities.
Lead meetings on forestry program proposals for public review of projects and impact assessment for NEPA compliance.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship required
May be required to complete background investigation and drug screening.
Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents).
You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
This is a bargaining unit position represented by the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 340 for the Santa Fe location.
The Bureau of Land Management has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
You will be required to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license.
Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the Bureau of Land Management uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this Forester position, you must meet the Basic Requirement AND the Additional Specialized Experience and/or Education requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree 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 was 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 (You must submit copies of your transcripts).

OR, An equivalent combination of education and experience that includes 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. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts and your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience.)

-AND-
Specialized Experience GS-12: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) providing solutions for technical, budgetary, staffing, and customer service needs related to forest management; (2) utilizing reforestation methods, forest stand improvement principles and techniques, and harvesting systems to devise solutions to complex problems on biologically and physically varied units in a forest area; (3) supporting multiple-use land management programs in forest and woodlands ecosystems; (4) incorporating considerations from hydrology, soil science, wildlife habitat management, fire ecology and/or entomology fields in the forest management planning and fuel reduction processes and plans.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS : Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-11 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. (Must submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No award SF-50 will be accepted).

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-12 grade levelof this announcement; however, you must meet the education requirements to meet the basic requirements.

Additional information

Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Physical Demands:

The work is primarily sedentary. However, occasional air and vehicular travel is required to field offices, including field locations, for on-site review of forest management operations, and harvest operations at sites that can require physical capability and stamina to negotiate steep, forested terrain.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed generally in an office setting, with occasional field trips to forest locations. Office work is performed in a well-lighted and ventilated room, with personal phone service.

Travel, when required dictates that the employees drive government vehicles to and from district offices during all kinds of weather conditions. Field examination of specific sites will occasionally involve strenuous walking and climbing in areas of steep topography, under potentially hazardous footing conditions, due to downed trees, logs, brush, or debris where rain or snow conditions may compound these hazardous conditions. Safety precautions on these occasions will require use of protective equipment.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible see To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 90 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact San Antonio Services Branch at SASBMailbox@opm.gov or 816-541-8101.

Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including a subject matter expert resume review.These assessments measure the critical competencies listed below that are required to successfully perform the job.

Candidates who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

Administration and Management
Forest Management
Organizational Awareness
Planning and Evaluating

Performance Appraisals: In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

Recruitment incentive awards: Applicants that have received recruitment incentive awards during the last two years, must list them on their resume.

Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/18/2024.
1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
3. College transcripts.
4. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
- Current/Former Federal employees: Your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, as well as the highest grade (or promotion potential) held, on a permanent basis and containing information which shows you meet time-in-grade (e.g., STEP increase, etc.) You must submit an SF-50(s) that shows permanent (career/career/conditional tenure) and competitive service eligibility to be considered. No award SF-50 will be accepted.
- Former Federal Employees separated from Federal Government over a year ago : Your separation Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing your permanent, competitive status and your last Federal performance appraisal plan/rating. You must submit an SF-50(s) that shows permanent career or career conditional tenure and competitive service eligibility to be considered (No award SF-50 will be accepted). Your last Federal performance appraisal plan must reflect a rating of Fully Successful or equivalent.
- Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligibility, which includes ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment as well as ALL performance evaluations, for each qualifying period of temporary employment claimed.
- Veterans Preference Documentation:
  - If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran , you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
  - If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge , you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
  - If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran , you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
- Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified 90 or above on the rating criteria for this position.
- Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment Eligibles: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation or benefits office citing disability - eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
- Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible: Documentation of eligibility as listed in each individual interchange agreement.
- Other noncompetitive or special appointing authorities (e.g., Peace Corps, VISTA, Public Land Corp, Military Spouse, VRA, 30% Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas Employees, Foreign Service, Boren Fellows, etc.) must provide substantiating documentation as required.
- Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/18/2024. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.
1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  - Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
  - To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link:
3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
4. Select documents you want included in this application.
5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
  - Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
10. Review and Submit Application.
11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
  - To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
  - Note: When you click Update Application , you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
13. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit:
Agency contact information
San Antonio Services Branch
Phone
816-541-8101
Email
SASBMailbox@opm.gov
Address
BLM New Mexico State Office
BLM New Mexico, NM-951
301 Dinosaur Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87508
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Criminal history inquiries
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Financial suitability
- New employee probationary period
- Privacy Act
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Selective Service
- Signature and false statements
- Social security number request

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/18/2024.

Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
A complete Occupational Questionnaire
College transcripts.
Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:

Current/Former Federal employees: Your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing that you are/were in the competitive service, as well as the highest grade (or promotion potential) held, on a permanent basis and containing information which shows you meet time-in-grade (e.g., STEP increase, etc.) You must submit an SF-50(s) that shows permanent (career/career/conditional tenure) and competitive service eligibility to be considered. No award SF-50 will be accepted.
Former Federal Employees separated from Federal Government over a year ago : Your separation Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent) showing your permanent, competitive status and your last Federal performance appraisal plan/rating. You must submit an SF-50(s) that shows permanent career or career conditional tenure and competitive service eligibility to be considered (No award SF-50 will be accepted). Your last Federal performance appraisal plan must reflect a rating of Fully Successful or equivalent.
Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligibility, which includes ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment as well as ALL performance evaluations, for each qualifying period of temporary employment claimed.
Veterans Preference Documentation:
- If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran , you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
- If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge , you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
- If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran , you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified 90