Supervisory Natural Resource Conservationist / General Engineer (State Conservationist)

Natural Resources Conservation Service; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Natural Resources Conservation Service in Des Moines, IA seeks a State Conservationist to oversee soil, water, and natural resource conservation stewardship, setting state policy and standards to address resource concerns.

The role leads and develops programs, collaborates with federal, state, and local partners, and directs engineering and science-based practices to implement innovative conservation solutions nationwide.

Qualifications

• Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
• OR Combination of Education and Experience as described above.
• GS-0801 Series requires Engineering degree or equivalent with specified coursework or experience.

Responsibilities

• Defines clear performance goals and objectives aligned with agency direction and program mission.
• Supervises the work of area and field office staff, including up to 100 administrative, technical and supervisory staff.
• Ensures conservationists and engineers utilize current science-based tools and incorporate innovative technology into conservation practice standards and business tools.
• Service programs with other Federal agencies, State and local government officials, public and private agencies, and other groups and individuals.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Policy development

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

GS-0401 Series

GS-0801 Series

Job description

Summary

This position is located in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), State Conservationist Office. The State Conservationist is responsible for overseeing the provision of state-wide soil, water, and natural resource conservation stewardship including establishment of state-specific policy, standards, practices and procedures to address and resolve natural resource concerns.

Duties

• Defines clear performance goals and objectives aligned with agency direction and program mission.
• Supervises the work of area and field office staff, including up to 100 administrative, technical and supervisory staff.
• Ensures conservationists and engineers utilize current science-based tools and incorporate innovative technology into conservation practice standards and business tools.
• Service programs with other Federal agencies, State and local government officials, public and private agencies, and other groups and individuals.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected, you may be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are unable to reimburse for any fees incurred.
• Probationary and Trial Period – Successful completion of a 1‑year probationary period or 2‑year trial period unless previous federal service is creditable. Refer to Next Steps for more information.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104‑134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E‑Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E‑Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e‑verify.gov.
• Subject to one year supervisory probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New FPAC supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.
• Required to submit Confidential Financial Disclosure Report Form OGE‑450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts. This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series listed below.

Basic Requirement: GS‑0401 Series:

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.

GS‑0801 Series:

Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor’s degree be in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first‑year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress‑strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: college‑level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. Professional registration or licensure
2. Written Test
3. Specified academic courses
4. Related curriculum

Specialized Experience Requirement

• Revises existing conservation practice standards, activities, and technical guidance to incorporate new or emerging technologies and methods and to remove obsolete criteria and considerations.
• Through partnerships, apply principles of natural and social sciences to coordinate conservation strategies, expand frameworks, and adapt or establish new protocols for addressing diverse natural resource challenges.
• Responsible for coordinating appropriate activities and issues with State technical staff as it relates to conservation practices.
• Develops and establishes guidelines for State‑specific strategic planning implementation which results in the establishment of immediate and long‑range objectives.

For the GS‑15 grade level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS‑14 grade level in federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as:

• Revises existing conservation practice standards, activities, and technical guidance to incorporate new or emerging technologies and methods and to remove obsolete criteria and considerations. AND
• Through partnerships, apply principles of natural and social sciences to coordinate conservation strategies, expand frameworks, and adapt or establish new protocols for addressing diverse natural resource challenges. AND
• Responsible for coordinating appropriate activities and issues with State technical staff as it relates to conservation practices. AND
• Develops and establishes guidelines for State‑specific strategic planning implementation which results in the establishment of immediate and long‑range objectives.

For the GS‑14 grade level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS‑13 grade level in federal service or comparable experience not gained through federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as:

• Defines clear performance goals and objectives aligned with agency direction and program mission; AND
• Establishes standard operating procedures (SOPs) for critical operations that include clear assignment of roles and responsibilities, timelines and resources required; AND
• Oversees analyses of conservation problems and formulation of technically balanced programs and plans of action to resolve problems; AND
• Coordinates activities and resolves issues with area technical staff related to soil erosion, water quality, conservation operations, watershed flood prevention and protection, soil survey implementation, agricultural waste management, natural resources inventory, municipal, industrial and agricultural water supply and other environmental soil and water conservation concerns.

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 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. You must meet this requirement by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no education substitution for specialized experience at the GS‑14/15 grade levels.

College Transcript: If qualifying based on education, you must submit a copy of your college transcript with course number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g., special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college to ensure proper evaluation.

Your education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited toward qualifications. You may verify accreditation by visiting the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs website. We will verify your education accordingly.

Foreign Education: You must submit verification that education completed in a foreign institution, was recognized by an accreditation body accepted by the U.S. Department of Education. You must include a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. Your transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

You may submit an unofficial copy of your transcript at the initial phase of the application process. However, if selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty.

Additional information

As a condition of employment, this position is designated as part of Schedule Policy/Career in the excepted service. Appointment to this role does not confer competitive status; however, you may obtain competitive status after completing two years of continuous service in this position, if applicable.

Employment in this position is at‑will. Individuals serving in Schedule Policy/Career positions are not eligible to file Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals for adverse actions related to performance, discipline, or other matters arising under chapters 23, 43, and 75 of title 5, United States Code.

All prohibited personnel practices remain strictly prohibited. Enforcement of these protections will occur through the agency's internal policies and procedures, rather than the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP 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 applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Promotion Potential: 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 nor guaranteed.

Locality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on geographically defined locality pay areas. Locality tables may be found at Office of Personnel Management Salaries and Wages.

Financial Disclosure: If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE‑450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report.

Physical Demands: The work is mostly sedentary, some walking, standing, and carrying of light items outdoors and across uneven terrain may be necessary at times. The work does not require any special physical effort.

Work Environment: The incumbent is required to exercise caution and maintain all safety requirements when exposed to dangerous objects, chemicals, machinery, extreme temperatures and wildlife.

Bargaining Unit: This is a non‑bargaining unit position.