Summary This position is located in the NRCS Western Region, State of Arizona.The incumbent works with NRCS employees, representatives of other agencies, and other partners in the development and implementation of conservation strategic plan. Lead public information activities within the Team to promote natural resource conservation goals and objectives. An incentive up to $30,000 may be offered if determined eligible at time of selection. Responsibilities Serves as supervisor of record for Field Operations employees located in field offices throughout team service area and serve as tribal liaison to the tribal nations in service area. Develops the Team to foster open communication and the spirit of collaboration that enables members to contribute fully to accomplishing natural resources conservation objectives. Works with NRCS employees, representatives of other agencies, and other partners to develop and implement effective conservation strategic plans. Participates in partner engagement. Ensures the development and implementation of public information activities within the Team to promote natural resource conservation goals and objectives. 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: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g., one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level). Basic Education Requirement: Degree: Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (You must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying: GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service that included: Assisting in providing formal and on-the-job training for team members; Participating in field work to identify conservation problems and collect data; Promoting conservation programs to internal and external stakeholders (eg: Farm Bill); and Collaborating with team members of conservation activities to achieve program goals. OR 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 biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Major course of study must be in a field directly related to the work of this position. (Must submit transcripts.) OR Must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above, that total 100% when added together. Only graduate education in excess of the first 36 semester hours may be used when combining education and experience for this specialty and grade. (Must submit transcripts and be reflected in resume.) GS-12 Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service that included: Providing formal and on-the-job training for team members; Representing the agency at conference by participating in briefings and/or presentations; Assisting staff with analyzing conservation problems and making recommendations for solutions to address technical issues; Promoting conservation programs to internal and external stakeholders (eg: Farm Bill); and Leading team members of conservation activities to achieve program goals. Note: There is no education substitute for specialized experience at the GS-12 level. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: Professional and Scientific Positions. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#GS-PROF 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. 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), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): 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/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP 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/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. 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. 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. 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 work day, 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.