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Summary This position is located in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Nebraska State Office. The incumbent works under closer supervision of the Assistant State Conservationist for Programs providing leadership and guidance in the implementation of the Conservation Stewardship Program and other Farm Bill programs. Responsibilities Partners with other conservation entities to provide long-term commitment to the local, state and federal government conservation delivery system to help private landowners, communities and others conserve natural resources within the state. Maintains tracking of program applications and obligations using ProTracts, Document Management System (DMS), and related agency software and assists field and area office staff with training and use of ProTracts, DMS and related agency software. Provides training to all NRCS and cooperating agency employees through meetings, workshops, and onsite assistance to ensure effective and consistent delivery of assigned programs. Training is closely coordinated with partnering agencies. Contact for operational and contractual questions related to the Conservation Stewardship Program and other financial assistance programs to ensure that Field Offices receive consistent and timely information on updates to policy or guidelines. Recommends and assists in the formulation and implementation of state policies related to assigned NRCS financial assistance and easement programs. The focus of this position is Farm Bill programs. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled (e.g., one year at the GS-9 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level and one year at the GS-11 grade level for consideration for the GS-12 grade level). Basic Education Requirement: 0401 - General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences 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 in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 0457 - Soil Conservation Degree: soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering. The study must have included 30 semester hours in a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science. or Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as shown in A above, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science. Evaluation of Education: Education that provided specialized knowledge and skills in soil and water conservation is more valuable than education that imparted broad but general knowledge and skills. Courses in soil fertility, soil chemistry, soil genesis, plant physiology, plant science, and field crops are examples of specialized courses that contribute towards meeting the required 12 semester hours as described above. Courses in the physical sciences or engineering such as geology, civil engineering, and hydrology also meet the soils, crops, or plant science course requirements where such courses included a complete introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Evaluation of Experience: Experience that included the application of techniques, principles, and methods from a variety of agricultural and natural resource fields is appropriate, given the interdisciplinary character of the soil conservation occupation. For example, experience gained in a specialized field such as soil science, forestry, or agronomy is as fully acceptable as experience directly obtained in soil conservation work. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: To qualify for the GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Utilizing technical tools, systems, and databases (Customer Service Toolkit, Conservation Desktop, Protracts, GIS/ArcGIS, etc.) in support of conservation activities. Providing technical support and training to others on the use of electronic business tools related to conservation planning or implementation. Serves as staff specialist on conservation planning issues, including support and management of conservation planning certification that result from the implementation of NRCS programs and activities in the state. Inspects and evaluates resource conservation planning and practice application performed by field personnel and provides technical guidance to soil conservationists and others engaged in resource conservation planning. Works within a team to develop and implement ways to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of the products and/or services provided to internal and external customers. OR Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience (0401) for the GS-11 level: Must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in (0401) biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position or (0457) soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: Must have a combination of the above-described education and specialized experience such that they total 100% when combined. To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed above; then determine your education as a percentage of the education listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent. (Only graduate level education in excess of two years [36 semester hours] may be combined with specialized experience. You must submit transcripts). To qualify for the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: Providing leadership, technology development, technology transfer, and technical assistance for use of NRCS business tools in the state. Providing technical support for use of Conservation Desktop (CD) and Conservation Assessment Ranking Tool (CART) within the state. Analyzes training needs and develops training programs specific to conservation planning; provides guidance and training to area and field headquartered staff, district conservationists and technical service providers. Conducts Quality Assurance Reviews for NRCS activities, including reviews for the adequacy of conservation planning, compliance with NRCS policy, and compliance with NRCS program requirements. Develops training as needed and requested. Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 level. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: Professional and Scientific Positions. 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 experiences, including volunteer experience. Education You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). 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 for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL 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. Physical Demands: The work is primarily performed in an office setting, with some travel to review field operations or to attend meetings, conventions, and other such events. Work Environment: Work is usually performed in both an office and field setting with exposure to moderate discomforts encountered on field trips such as extremes of heat or cold, wet conditions, or other weather-related hazards. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline. This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8-hour workday, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.