Environmental Specialist

Environmental Specialist; Junction City (OR); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Federal benefits package

Job summary

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking an Environmental Specialist to develop and implement complex natural resource management programs.

You will prepare planning documents, scopes of work, budgets, and schedules, and lead teams to ensure ecological and cultural resource protection on projects. This role involves coordinating with real estate and shoreline programs and interfacing with public entities.

Qualifications

• Basic requirement for Environmental Specialist: degree in biological sciences or related field.
• Specialized experience: applying environmental principles to civil works projects and developing scopes of work, budgets, and schedules.
• Experience protecting ecological conditions and managing natural resources, including endangered species protection.

Responsibilities

• Develop scopes of work, budgets, and schedules for natural resource projects.
• Act as COR or Technical Lead for contract actions and cooperative agreements.
• Prepare technical reports and land management plans.
• Coordinate environmental planning on project delivery teams.
• Identify restoration opportunities and mitigate resource impacts on public lands.
• Interface with entities holding real estate agreements and adjacent landowners.
• Support Real Estate and Shoreline programs through permits and compliance tracking.
• Assist in annual workplan execution and budget development for environmental programs.
• Serve as Operations POC for permits and compliance.
• Lead small teams to implement natural resources projects while protecting ecological and cultural resources.

Education

Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education

Job description

Summary

You are responsible for the development and implementation of complex natural resource management and protection programs. You will develop planning documents, scopes of work, budgets and schedules in support of natural and cultural resources management; and implement a management program including environmental stewardship, protection of endangered flora and fauna, resolution of encroachments on public lands, soil conservation, forestry, recreation, and water quality.

Duties

• Develop scopes of work, budgets, and schedules for natural resource management projects.
• Act as Contracting Officers Representative (COR) or Technical Lead (TL) for contract actions and cooperative agreements.
• Prepare technical reports and land management plans.
• Serve on project delivery teams to coordinate environmental planning and represent Operational goals.
• Identify restoration opportunities or projects that align with Corps mission areas. Develop recommendations to resolve public land encroachment, mitigate resource impacts, and manage critical habitat.
• Interface with public and private entities who hold Corps real estate agreements/shoreline use permits and adjacent landowners to Corps-managed lands.
• Support the Real Estate and Shoreline Management programs by preparing memos, providing briefings, tracking applications/permits, preparing permits packets, participating in compliance inspections.
• Support natural resource management annual workplan execution and budget development for the Environmental Stewardship and Recreation programs.
• Act as an Operations Point of Contact to applicants and permittees for agreement/permit issuance, compliance, and management.
• Lead small teams to implement natural resources management projects within Operations. Ensure natural, ecological, cultural and biological conditions are protected as project work is performed.

Requirements

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Environmental Specialist:

A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) Applying environmental principles and regulations to civil works projects (such as hydropower, flood risk management, fish and wildlife enhancement, or recreation) to develop scopes of work, quality control plans, budgets, and schedules; 2) Reviewing project designs and construction plans to protect natural ecological conditions (such as vegetation, wetlands, soil, and cultural resources); and 3) Developing, evaluating, and implementing natural resource management and protection programs (including fish and wildlife management, forestry, soil conservation, and endangered species protection). This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• This is a Engineers and Scientists (Resources and Construction) Career Program position aligned under the Construction, Analysis, Science, Infrastructure & Engineers (CASIE) Career Management Directorate.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.htm for more information.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
• Advanced-in-Hire, Enhanced Leave Accrual, Student Loan Repayment, and/or Recruitment/Relocation incentive MAY be authorized if determined to be in the best interest of the government.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

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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.