Summary This position is located in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This is a term position (more than 1 year) with an initial appointment to last at least 13 months but may be extended up to a total of 10-years. Term positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service. Open to the first 50 applicants or until 01/31/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Need more info? Contact Kirk: [email protected] Responsibilities You will serve as a crew member as part of the Vegetation program's forest health team. Duties will include identifying trees; surveying for target invasive pests and pathogens; treating invasive pests and pathogens using hand tools, chainsaws, and chemical pesticides; collecting field data and recording the data into established or new databases; collecting GPS and GIS data; working on forest restoration planting projects; and assisting with other duties as assigned. Pesticide use and some overnight backcountry camping can be expected. Global positioning systems, aerial photographs, topographic maps, and/or compass may be used in navigation. A portion of time will be dedicated to project logistics and preparatory ground work, data entry, preparation of Field and Project Reports, and other duties in the laboratory/office setting. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You will be required to complete a one-year trial period. You may be required to travel overnight (backcountry camping) away from home up to 4 nights per month; if so, you may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/31/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as performing forest pest surveys and treatments; safely utilizing chemical pesticides and tools such as chainsaws; summarizing and providing data for long-term planning efforts; implementing site restoration plans including tree planting, etc. You must include start/end month and hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year (18 semester hours or equivalent) of graduate level study that directly applies to the position such as forestry, botany, ecology, environmental science, natural resource management, etc. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. Internships not completed as a part of your educational curriculum, and recorded on your transcript, will not be considered qualifying as education. However, it may be considered qualifying for specialized education. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. You must include transcripts. You must include start/end month and hours per week worked. 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. 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. Additional Information A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Physical Demands: These positions involve strenuous outdoor activity. You must be able to perform strenuous work under all conditions (cold, heat, wet, deep sand, steep terrain). Duties of the position require hiking off trail in forest environment where terrain is uneven, steep at times, and covered with thick, tangled vegetation, possible stinging insects, and various other hazards where climatic conditions are variable. You must be in excellent physical condition (able to hike 10 or more miles in various terrain, able to carry a pack of 50 lbs.), have the ability to use a compass and read topographic maps, be prepared to camp overnight for several days in the backcountry, and be physically fit to hike long distances while alone or on various crews. Use of chemical pesticides are a requirement of the position so the ability to carry fully loaded backpack sprayers several miles across rough terrain and steep bluffs will be necessary. Excellent driving skills are desired. Field work will involve hiking long distances carrying backpacks, tools, and other equipment. Work may include standing and walking for long periods of time; lifting of moderately heavy items, such as backpacks, chainsaws, fencing, etc.; exposure to harsh weather conditions such as temperature extremes, rain, snow, wind and direct sunlight for long periods of time; occasional sedentary work. Work will include walking on uneven, rocky and sandy surfaces and camping overnight in a tent in remote locations for extended periods up to 4 nights. Working Conditions: Work may be performed throughout the Lakeshore including the Manitou Islands. You must be willing to work throughout the Lakeshore including the islands for periods up to 5 days at a time. Office work may involve hours of computer and/or equipment use. Persons who wish to be considered for plant positions must be willing to become certified in Michigan and to apply approved pesticides. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather and terrain conditions, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, snakes, and wild animals. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals.. Some assignments will require being prepared to camp overnight for several days in the backcountry. Weather conditions may vary from cold (5-20 degrees F), snowy, rainy and windy in the winter and fall to sunny, hot (85-90 degrees F) and humid in the summer. Pesticide use and some overnight backcountry camping can be expected.