Supervisory Ecologist

Supervisory Ecologist

Upper Midwest Environment Sciences Center – U.S. Geological Survey

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Job Type – Permanent

Apply only at – https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/506728300

Would you like to join the more than 10,000 scientists, technicians, and support staff of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) who are working in more than 400 locations throughout the United States? The USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) in La Crosse, WI is soliciting interest from qualified individuals to serve as a Supervisory Ecologist to implement, maintain, and manage a comprehensive and dynamic ecological research program addressing critical questions of aquatic and terrestrial ecology, restoration ecology, endangered and threatened species, invasive species, climate adaptation and more. The successful incumbent (1) is recognized as an expert in aquatic or terrestrial ecology, (2) provides professional expertise and experience to successfully coordinate and maintain a multimillion dollar research program, and (3) establishes and fosters collaborations with federal, state and tribal natural resource management agencies, nongovernmental organizations and academia to deliver a partner-focused research program addressing high priority research needs in the fields of aquatic and terrestrial ecology. Additionally, the Supervisory Ecologist leads and supervises a dynamic team of research scientists and technical support staff, collaboratively establishes the research program and focus, manages interagency cooperative research agreements and research funding, and ensures that the research program delivered meets the highest technical standards and scientific excellence of USGS. The expertise and objectives of this position are critical to the successful operation of the research laboratory and delivery of high-quality, documented, and defensible science by USGS to federal, state, tribal, and other partners and the Public. For more information about the USGS please visit http://www.usgs.gov (http://www.usgs.gov/)

Series/Grade: GS - 0408 – 14 (Promotion potential – GS-14)

Salary: (USD) $103,106 - (USD) $134,038

Who May Apply: U.S. Citizens

Supervisory Position: Yes

Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: Yes  

Relocation expenses will be paid.

Duties

As a SUPERVISORY ECOLOGIST within the UPPER MIDWEST ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CENTER, some of your specific duties will include:

Directly communicates and coordinates with USGS Program Coordinators and Program Managers, funding requests to implement and conduct high-priority research needs of a range of DOI and other agency partners.

Implements effective budget oversight, including distribution of appropriated funds to Ecological Sciences Branch (ESB) scientists, to ensure budget execution of a diverse appropriated and reimbursable- funded program; identifies, prioritizes, and programs investments into future scientific capacity within ESB, and approves requests for travel, overtime, within-grade increases, and expenditures above mirco threshold limits.

Identifies and defines problem areas and formulates/leads interdisciplinary teams of ESB and other Center scientists and external partners in developing annual to mid-year science frameworks and research initiatives on large, complex, interdisciplinary scales to address diverse questions related to the form, function and processes of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and ecosystem restoration.

Prepares issue papers and research proposals for new project starts and submits them for the Center and, when appropriate, regional, mission area, and national approval and funding.

Maintains close liasion and working relations with the scientific community and with administrators and professional personnel in DOI, USGS, and other Federal and State natural resource agencies.

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements:

A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

The success of Federal government programs depends in large measure on the leadership and management skills of its supervisors. Therefore, the Department of the Interior requires that all positions with supervisory responsibilities complete basic supervisory training within their first year in the supervisory position in order to develop supervisory competencies.

Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Key Requirements:

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.

Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.

Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.

Selectee subject to one-year supervisory probationary period.

More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Education Requirements:

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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.usgs.gov/ohr/oars/quals/foreign.html.

Evaluations:

Vacancy Related Questions: As part of the online application process, you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge skills, abilities and/or competencies:

Scientific Knowledge

Interpersonal Communication

Program/Project Management

Leadership & Supervision

Teamwork

Written Communication

Technical Reports

Basis of rating: Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. You will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position. If you are eligible, your on-line responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality category described above. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible, not qualified, or your score may be lowered.

Qualifications:

For information on basic qualifications, which includes information on whether you may substitute education for specialized experience, please click on the following: https://www2.usgs.gov/humancapital/sw/quals/0408.html.

In addition to the basic education requirements, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.

Examples of GS-13 level work may include: Experience with budget formulation and execution of a     ~$5 Million research program, including managing the execution of federal appropriated and cyclical funding and competition for and execution of extramural funding agreements. Experience with leading research planning efforts to address improvements in sampling design and ecosystem and development of single to multispecies models to meet needs of partners. Experience with designing and conducting experimental research studies to address current issues in aquatic or terrestrial community ecology questions, serving as an expert and consultant in a broad range of aquatic and terrestrial ecological issues. Experience with developing annual to multi-year science frameworks and research initiatives on large, complex interdisciplinary scales to address diverse questions related to the form, function and processes of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and ecosystem restoration. Experience with coordinating work with other branches/sections, offices, mission areas, Federal and State resource management and regulatory agencies, and university scientists. Experience with representing an organization on regional, national and international committees and task forces involving other Federal agencies, State agencies, the academic community, and non-governmental organizations. Experience with ensuring research activities are completed in accordance with peer-reviewed study plans and meet appropriate quality, scientific merit and integrity, and are relevant to administration priorities.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Benefits and Other Info

Review our Benefits - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

Additional Benefits:

USGS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. For additional information on our internal telework policy, please reference the Department of the Interior Telework Handbook at: http://www.usgs.gov/humancapital/pb/telework.html.

A relocation or recruitment incentive may be authorized.

Working for the U.S. Geological Survey offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; health, life, dental, vision, and long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Other Information:

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.

USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

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

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

How to Apply:

Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.

Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button. 2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen. 5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.

This vacancy is limited to the first 50 applications received and will close at midnight ET on the day this application limit is reached, regardless of the closing date specified in this announcement. Any applications received prior to midnight ET on the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered.

You are stongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documentation at the time of application, should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the announcement closes.

Required Documents:

This position requires specific educational course work to qualify, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or list of course work, which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. This proof may be faxed, document uploaded, or hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see "Required Documents" and/or "Contact Information"). Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.

If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans’ preference and that your character of military service is honorable.

If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders.

Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans’ preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide-for-hr-professionals/.

If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes a copy of the agency notice, your most recent Performance Rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Required documents may be faxed, uploaded, or hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see "Contact Information"). If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.

Required documents may be: 1) faxed to the Agency Contact (see "Contact Information") 2) uploaded directly from your desktop 3) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments 4) hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see 'Contact Information').

Auto-Requested Fax: allows you to submit required documentation that will be electronically displayed along with your resume.

What to Expect Next:

If you are rated as one of the most highly qualified candidates, you will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to "My Account" within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.