Summary This position is located in the BLM Oregon/Washington State Office. The primary purpose is to support the Forest Resources Section by analyzing policy issues related to a wide variety of forest ecosystems and management contexts, to include producing reports, briefings, directives, and informational materials on these issues, and guiding the development of new or improved data systems for managing forest ecosystems and forest products. . Responsibilities Major duties include, but are not limited to: Developing policy, providing assistance and guidance to staff implementing the forestry program, informing the development of forestry information technology (IT) systems, and training staff on how to use these IT systems. Developing BLM OR/WA policy by analyzing data and practices to inform policy changes; and preparing drafts or updating policy documents such as manuals, handbooks, or other directives. Assisting field staff with multi-faceted forest management issues by interpreting policy and providing suggestions for resolving problems, to include implementing state-wide efforts. Developing and maintaining several IT systems to improve the quality and efficiency of the forestry programs. Providing subject matter expertise to ensure IT systems meet forestry program needs and providing training and user support to field personnel of these IT systems. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/. Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents) prior to the closing date of this announcement. You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands. You may be required to occasionally travel overnight away from home. You must be eligible to obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. BLM may use certain incentives, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract high quality applicants. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating. Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. When using education, a copy of your unofficial or official transcripts must be provided with your application. Basic Requirement, 0460 Series: Degree: 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. When combining education with experience, first determine your total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine your experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. AND Minimum Qualification Requirement, GS-12: In addition to meeting at least one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must also have specialized experience to meet the minimum qualifications described below for the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience: Have one full 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) Analyzing forest management issues to provide recommendations; (2) Using IT systems to resolve forest management problems; and (3) Managing databases and using software applications to summarize data and produce reports on forest resources. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. VEOA candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Education Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements. Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 Additional Information Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361. Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process. NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary. Some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items is required. Occasional travel to the field where physical activity involving walking long distances, bending, or climbing over rough, steep, and/or rocky terrain could occur. The work does not require any special physical effort. Working Conditions: The work is primarily performed in an office setting and normally involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of offices or meeting and training rooms. There are occasional trips to the field, possibly in inclement weather such as rain, cold or heat, and/or with dangers such as falling tree limbs and trees which are typical in forested areas. Telework: 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.