Position Summary:
The incumbent will serve as a District Conservationist assisting the Conservation District(s) within the managerial unit, consisting of one or more counties, in the development of a comprehensive natural resources conservation program. The incumbent performs professional duties to achieve an integrated system of sound land use and conservation treatment in harmony with the capability and needs of the land and landowner.
Key Responsibilities:
- Coordinates interagency delivery of conservation assistance to private landowners and others to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the state’s natural resources.
- Independently provides leadership with conservation planning of natural resources and other activities in cooperation with the Conservation District, tribes, and conservation partners to address resource concerns on private lands.
- Informs and educates the landowner of conservation technical assistance and financial assistance to consider for conservation system and practice implementation. This includes oversight, management and administration for Farm Bill programs.
- Management, operation and maintenance of the planned conservation system and practices according to the Field Office Technical Guide standards and specifications as well as comply with all federal, state and local regulations.
- 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.
- Works in collaboration with landowner to provide detailed conservation system and practice implementation including conservation practice design, layout, construction, inspection and certification.
Required Education & Experience:
- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
- Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as shown in 1 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.
- To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through federal service. The experience requires the knowledge of the principles and theories of soil and water conservation and related sciences such as biology, agronomy, and forestry, in identifying conservation related problems.
- 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering.
- Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
- Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
- 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.
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Incumbent is required to obtain Conservation Planning Level certification.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.