Geographer

About the role

The incumbent serves as a Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist within the Operational Support Staff structure and will lead the incorporation of an integrated GIS approach for the effective resolution of human-wildlife conflicts and provide consistent GIS support as appropriate for program operations.

What you will do

• Works with state and national programs to assess GIS needs, builds Esri mobile applications, and manages software distribution and online mapping accounts.
• Collaborates with program management in planning future projects and makes recommendations as to the feasibility of proposed projects.
• Coordinates the development of WS protocols and policies regarding geospatial data, software, and hardware.
• Provide high level customer service in the delivery of geospatial data and products to support programs of various scopes.
• Serve as a first responder for national GIS support and collaborates with other personnel for emergency preparedness and response.
• Participates in a multi-disciplinary team that regularly interfaces with Wildlife Services (WS) state and national programs, the WS National Wildlife Research Center, as well as other Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) programs.
• Incorporates current GIS technology to collect, evaluate, analyze, visualize, and provide reports interpreting operations to support agency activities.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by your experience, education, training, responses to the application questionnaire and the responses to all assessments required for this position demonstrated in your application package to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies listed below: Attention to Detail Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions.

Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Additional Information - USA Hire Online Assessment All applicants are required to complete the online USA Hire assessment to be considered for the position for this vacancy.

Applicants will not be given the opportunity to complete the online USA Hire assessment outside of the assigned assessment window for this vacancy. The assessment window closes 48 hours after the posted closing date and time of the announcement. The assessment window closes 48 hours after the posted closing date and time of the announcement.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: ***

Documents you must provide

• The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete.
• Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted.
• Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) other qualifications.
• Resume cannot exceed two pages.
• Only one resume will be reviewed.
• If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
• An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information.
• If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty.
• Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution.
• Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program, see: Foreign Education Evaluation.
• All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
• Current and former career/career-conditional Federal employees, including those who are claiming eligibility under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service (block 24 must contain a 1 or 2 and block 34 must contain a 1), highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade.
• If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade.
• Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (e.g., length of time in current position).
• A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.
• Screenshots or printouts of electronic systems, including eHR Apps (ePMA), will not be accepted unless it is of the actual appraisal form with the end-of-year rating summary.
• Current permanent FSA County employees must submit your most recent nonaward SF-50 showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.
• Veteran Hiring Authorities: VEOA: DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty that shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions.
• Active duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
• It must be on the letterhead of the military branch and include the dates of service.
• Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment.
• Visit Feds Hire Vets for more information.
• If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification (see above) plus the documentation listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
• Failure to submit these documents could result in a finding that 10-point preference cannot be awarded.
• For information on eligibility and required supporting documentation for applying under the military spouses hiring authority explore Military Spouses on the USAJOBS website.
• Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP or RPL priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal, and the most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

What to expect next

If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, your will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected.

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. This announcement may also be used to fill additional like vacancies, including vacancies elsewhere within the agency or other USDA organizations.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer.

An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance.

To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to ***, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

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. CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100 to receive selection priority.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.

First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. Physical Demands: Field work may be required at times and may entail field locations with hiking in uneven terrain and heavy lifting possible.

Work may require prolonged standing and walking on various types of surfaces and conditions including both urban and rural environments for data collection. Work Environment: Some work will be conducted outdoors in agricultural and/or remote environments. Special protective equipment or gear may be required during those times.