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Summary This Supervisory Research Biologist/Forester/Engineer supports the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station and is located in Auburn, Alabama. This scientist will explore the use of forest machine data (telematics), machine mounted sensors, terrestrial sensors, and remotely sensed data in the analysis forest operations systems and forestry supply chains. For more information, contact Dr. Callie Schweitzer at callie.schweitzer@usda.gov. Responsibilities Assesses telematics data, sensor applications and remotely sensed data to understand forest operations functions and improve system efficiency and sustainability. Develops tools for data accumulation, access, and interpretation for supply chain transparency. Evaluates and develops information technology to support precision forestry and advanced forest operations. Studies may include exploration of supply chain dynamics, product characterization, operational results, and cost and simulation modeling. Applies knowledge of forest operations systems, forest products supply chains and technology to design meaningful studies and assess complex interactions. Transfers research findings through workshops, presentations at scientific conferences, video teleconferences, webinars, field demonstrations, popular press outlets, proceedings papers and posters, refereed journals, and personal consultations. Presents ideas in engineering terms using conceptual drawings or sketches showing possible configurations, components, and materials. Promotes practical application concepts to professional and lay audiences. Obtain and use a government-issued charge card for business- related travel. Subject to 1-year supervisory probationary period (unless prior service is creditable). New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required new supervisory training program before the end of their probationary period. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications This is an open and continuous announcement. See Additional Information section for more information. Applications will expire every 90 days. To remain active for consideration, applicants must resubmit their application. To qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. This is a research scientist position and is classified under the scientist career plan. Research scientists have open-ended promotion potential. Research accomplishments and their impact on the duties and responsibilities of positions are evaluated periodically. The grade level is limited only by the individual's demonstrated ability to perform research of recognized importance to science and technology. Final grade level will be determined by a peer review panel. The purpose of the initial review panel is to determine the grade level upon entry into a position. Candidates being considered for this research position should provide a list of publications for which you have been an author, co-author, or contributor. If providing curriculum vitae, please incorporate all resume requirements identified in the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this announcement or submit a supplemental resume which includes all information required in addition to the curriculum vitae. Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position. To ensure consideration for this position, attach both graduate and undergraduate transcripts. Provide course descriptions to clarify content of coursework as necessary. This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series listed in the Education section below. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below. GS-14: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13). Graduate level education alone is not qualifying at this grade level. To qualify at this grade level, your experience as documented in your resume must include the following: Leading and conducting a diversity or body of research as a Principal Investigator or team member on multiple research teams including the full cycle of scientific research (i.e. identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, demonstrations, manuscripts, and other appropriate technology transfer activities) in one or more of the following areas: Exploring the use of forest machine data (telematics) and associated modeling, machine mounted sensors, terrestrial sensors, and remotely sensed data in the analysis of forest operations systems and forestry supply chains. Examples of experience include : (1) assessment of telematics data, sensor applications and remotely sensed data to understand forest operations functions and improve system efficiency and sustainability, (2) development of tools for data accumulation, access, and interpretation for supply chain transparency, and (3) evaluation and development of information technology to support precision forestry and advanced forest operations. The scope of the studies may include exploration of supply chain dynamics, product characterization, operational results, and cost and simulation modeling. Presenting ideas in engineering terms using conceptual drawings or sketches showing possible configurations, components, and materials; and promoting practical application concepts to professional and lay audiences. Functioning as a national and/or international science leader in one or more fields, exemplified by editorship for a scientific journal; service as a chair, co-chair, or vice chair of a scientific society; or convening scientific workshops, organizing symposia, or other appropriate activities. 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 Basic Education Requirements: Biology, 0401: Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major field of study that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related course work generally refers to courses that may be accepted as part of the program major. OR Combination of education and experience that included 24 semester hours in course work in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, AND experience sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation that 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 needed to perform the work of the occupation. Forestry, 0460: Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas: Management of Renewable Resources -- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management. Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology. Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing. OR Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Engineering, 0801: Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: Professional registration -- Current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Additional Information THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. This type of announcement provides the Forest Service with a readily available source of applicants. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified once there is a sufficient applicant pool. The first due date for applications is Friday, February 15, 2024. The second due date for applications is Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Applications expire every 90 days. To remain active for consideration, applicants must resubmit their application. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered. 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 not guaranteed. Telework may be allowed up to four days per week based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/ This is not a bargaining unit position.