Range Technician Bureau of Land Management

Fremont Economic Development Corporation; Colorado; On-site; USD 34,000 - 47,000; Part time

Job summary

A regional economic development organization in Colorado seeks a Range Technician to collect data, monitor compliance, and perform administrative work associated with grazing management. The position involves working outdoors in varying physical and environmental conditions, requiring both specialized experience and education in relevant fields. Candidates must be U.S. citizens and possess a valid driver's license. This is a temporary position lasting up to 1039 hours.

Qualifications

• Must possess six months of specialized experience at GS-03 level.
• Experience must demonstrate ability to monitor livestock and conduct range studies.
• Completion of training in agriculture or related fields is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Collects and records data for range management.
• Conducts monitoring of allotments for compliance.
• Operates vehicles and utility-terrain vehicles for fieldwork.

Skills

Data collection

Monitoring compliance

Vehicle operation

Education

Two years of study above high school

Tools

Automated programs for billing

GPS devices

Job description

Locations

• Monte Vista, CO
• Canon City, CO
• Grand Junction, CO
• Montrose, CO

We expect to fill 7 vacancies at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year.

All U.S. Citizens – No previous Federal Service is required. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

• Collects information from records or in the field to be used in the development and revision of a variety of planning and other documents.
• Performs on the ground monitoring of allotments to determine compliance, range condition, and required maintenance.
• Collects data in the field such as available forage, stubble height, status/condition of range improvement projects, type and location of weeds, livestock trespass, and unauthorized use.
• Performs administrative work associated with range administration such as grazing transfers, permit and lease renewals, and applications. Utilizes automated programs to prepare grazing bills. Maintains electronic case files.
• Collects and records data in range studies such as condition and trend reasons for use, utilization, actual use, and climatological data.
• May be required to ride a horse to carry out various duties of the position including working with wild horses and cattle.
• Safely operates 2- and 4-wheel drive vehicles (up to 1 ton) off-road and utility-terrain vehicles (UTVs) to perform job duties.

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Be sure to read the ‘How to Apply’ and ‘Required Documents’ sections.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• Direct deposit required.
• Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
• Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
• Some locations may require that you possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver’s license while employed in this position.

Qualifications

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements – please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

To qualify at the GS‑04 level you must meet the following:

• General and Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess six (6) months of general AND six (6) months of specialized work experience at or equivalent to the GS‑03 level comparable in difficulty and complexity to perform the duties of a Range Technician. Qualifying general experience includes: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of a Range Aid, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with Range or processes of the broad subject area of Range Management. Qualifying specialized experience includes: monitoring inventories of livestock within a grazing area; assisting in roundup of trespass livestock; using instruments to make rough measurements; and counting vegetation from small plots to determine observations.
• Training: Completion of appropriate training such as in-service training programs, training acquired while serving in the Armed Forces, and government-sponsored developmental training programs applicable to Range will be allowed credit on a month-for-month basis. Completion of an intensive, specialized course of study of less than one year may meet in full the experience requirements. Courses of this type normally require completion of up to 40 hours per week of instruction rather than the usual 20 hours per week, and are usually of at least 3 months duration. Such courses may have been obtained through a variety of programs such as those offered by technical schools and military training programs. To be creditable, such a course must have been designed specifically as career preparation for work related to Range Management, and must have provided you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work.
• Education: To qualify based on education you must have two (2) years (60 semester hours) of study above high school that included 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources, outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering or wildland fire science. No more than 3 semester hours in math is creditable.
• Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate undergraduate education.

To qualify at the GS‑05 level you must meet the following:

• Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS‑04 level comparable in difficulty and complexity to perform the duties of a Range Technician. Qualifying specialized experience includes: conducting inventories of livestock within a grazing area; collecting, compiling, and/or recording vegetation data on range inventories; performing routine and recurring weed management activities; and making observations of range conditions and wildlife use.
• Education: To qualify based on education you must have four (4) years (120 semester hours) of education above high school, leading to a bachelor’s degree with (a) a major forestry, range management, agriculture or a subject‑matter field directly related to the position or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following courses: forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources, outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering or wildland fire science. No more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable.
• Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate undergraduate education.

To qualify at the GS‑06 level you must meet the following:

• One year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS‑5 level. Examples of specialized experience may include overseeing and performing maintenance work in connection with range improvements; assisting in enforcement of range rules and regulations; assisting in locating conservation and range improvement projects; keeping cost account records with responsibility for construction supplies, materials and the maintenance of warehouses.
• Successful completion of one full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position.
• A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

To qualify at the GS‑07 level you must meet the following:

• One year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS‑6 level. Examples of specialized experience may include assisting in the management of public range resources of a district or other specified area; assisting with range studies such as condition and trend, utilization, actual use, climatologist, and other studies for the purpose of allotment evaluation; identifying range improvement projects, planning and supervising conservation and range improvement projects, or serving as a crew lead; planning and conducting range inventories.
• Successful completion of one full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position.
• A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations. 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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: The work ranges from sedentary when completing duties in the office to frequent field work requiring a considerable amount of walking, riding, stooping, bending, and lifting.

Work Environment: Office work is performed in adequately lighted, heated, and air-conditioned offices. Much of the time is spent in the field where exposure to extremes of heat and cold, rough terrain, insects, snakes, and other hazards are common. The incumbent carefully adheres to all safety procedures to mitigate hazards encountered.

Education

Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.

Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS‑05 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS‑07.

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

Additional Information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Intraagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP.

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service.

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment.

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.

Disclaimer: The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee, time to time; the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands. Click “View Application” below for more detail on this specific job.