Easter Seals Jobs

Summary This position is located in Region 6, on the Deschutes National Forest in Bend, OR. This position is located at a Forest Service Nursery/Seed Extractory. The incumbent is responsible for implementing seed operations and managing seed stores for reforestation and vegetation restoration activities. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact William Munro at 541-383-5547 or william.munro@usda.gov. Responsibilities Responsibilities listed are at the full performance level of GS-9. Monitors for insects and diseases, determining and applying appropriate treatments based on integrated pest management practices. Uses appropriate propagation techniques including seed scarification, seed stratification, and rooted cuttings, for a wide variety of native plants and conifers. Participates in the planning, programming, and budgeting for current and long-term management of greenhouse, bareroot, or seed operations at the nursery. Provides daily operational direction to nursery crew to meet biological deadlines. Assesses and recommends maintenance of all physical facilities in greenhouse, seed, or bareroot operations. Serves as a crew leader in the preparation and implementation of production schedules to ensure crop targets are met and revises those plans as changing conditions require. Independently analyzes, evaluates, and selects an appropriate course of action from many known alternatives that impact the value of various practices. May research and modify techniques that have been developed on similar species for new species for which limited information is available. Communicates with botanists, silviculturists, and other natural resource specialists on the timing of collections of seed and other vegetative plant material, inventory status, seedling handling, and seedling planting. Work involves a full range of duties associated with seed extraction and cleaning and/or seedling and native plant material production that follow an annual cycle of nursery activities. Work requires considerable and strenuous physical activity and mental and physical stamina, including to perform standing, crawling, walking, and climbing on rough terrain performed in an office, greenhouse, or outdoor environment. Work requires driving motor vehicles for extended periods of time; pulling or carrying heavy loads; exposure to hazardous chemicals. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience: the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary, or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate, or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position. Basic Requirement GS-0401: Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience. Courses equivalent to a major as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-7: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 in the Federal service. Qualifying Specialized experience is defined as meeting at least three of the following, indicated in your resume: (1) Performed a variety of routine technical tasks to prevent and control noxious weeds; (2) assisted with field preparation, seed sowing, irrigation, and applied fertilizers and pesticides; (3) assisted with monitoring growing environments to maximize conditions; (4) assisted with monitoring insect and disease conditions and took corrective measures; (5) assisted with cone/native seed collection to extract, clean, and store seed; (6) participated in seed orchard maintenance, cone/seed crop harvesting, grounds, facilities, and equipment maintenance; OR one full year of graduate level education; OR an appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience; OR Superior Academic Achievement (to determine if you are eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. For the GS-9: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Qualifying Specialized experience is defined as meeting at least three of the following, indicated in your resume: (1) Implemented fertilization practices to maximize cone/seed production; (2) implemented cultural practices to stimulate flower and seed production; (3) coordinated seed orchard maintenance, cone/seed crop harvesting, grounds, facilities, and equipment maintenance; (4) used phenology records to plan cone/seed harvesting; (5) participated in the planning and scheduling of seed sowing and propagation in greenhouses or bareroot beds; (6) used appropriate propagation techniques for a wide variety of conifer and native plant crops, tracked and maintained information on individual crops reporting that information to a database; (7) assisted the nursery horticulturist/biologist or nursery manager with routine assignments. OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related; OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. 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. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Education See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level. Additional Information Condition of Employment for position located at the Bend Seed Extractory must adhere to the Respiratory Protection Program and safety requirements. Personal protective equipment, such as wearing a respirator in accordance with program requirements at all times when working on and/or around machinery that generates plumes of dust and/or debris, as well as, when working with baby powder. All costs associated with eligibility and participation in the Hearing Conservation and Respiratory Protection Programs will be covered by the Deschutes National Forest. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP 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/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met. PROMOTION POTENTIAL: Full performance level of this position is GS-09. 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 or guaranteed. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.