Range Aid/Technician

Assists specialists in planning rangeland management support projects that are without clear precedents or guides.

Checks range allotments to assess appropriate time to graze, compliance with management plans and operating instructions, number of livestock, herding procedures, salting, range improvement, and maintenance.

Inspects allotments before and after grazing for trespass stock and if found, gathers necessary brands, numbers, dates, and locations. Contacts range users to explain needed maintenance work and reports noncompliance to supervisor.

Inspects structural range improvements and notifies supervisor of needed maintenance.

Recommends the construction or abandonment of range improvements such as fences, water developments, etc. May lead small crews in construction and/or maintenance of range improvements.Participates in plant control or type conversion by flagging boundaries, operating equipment, carrying out kill studies, or reseeding. Using accepted indicator plants, determines range readiness dates and advises supervisor.Checks allotments before and after grazing season for trespass stock. If trespass stock is found, gathers necessary brands, numbers, dates, locations, etc., and may supervise a crew of riders in gathering and corralling such stock.Performs a variety of computations and assessment of standard rangeland management data to prepare the data for interpretative use of inclusion in reports. Prepares charts, graphs, and/or reports using well-established specified procedures.Notes and reports on conditions such as range utilization, grazing impact, soil erosion, violations, or needed maintenance.Performs computations that require judgment and knowledge of the nature of the sources and use of the data. Estimates production and potential production of a site based on various sampling techniques.

Participates in noxious plant control, seeding, or similar projects by flagging boundaries, operating equipment, and carrying out kill studies. Identifies plant specimens in the field and collects and prepares specimens.

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified:

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

GS-03: Applicants must have six months of general experience such as working in any professional, technical, or other responsible field that provided you with a familiarity of range management programs or techniques of collecting data, OR successful completion of 1 years of study that included at least 6 semester hours in any combination of courses such as range management or conservation, agriculture, forestry, wildlife management, engineering, biology, mathematics, or other natural or physical sciences; OR an appropriate combination of experience and education above high school as described above.

GS-04: Applicants must have six months of general experience AND six months of specialized at or equivalent to the GS-3; OR successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 3 semester hours in mathematics is creditable); OR an appropriate combination of experience and education above high school as described above.

Examples of General Experience includes: Performed farm/ranch labor, such as feeding and tending livestock or general maintenance of farm/ranch facilities; Cleaned tools and equipment; Worked in a greenhouse or nursery moving, watering, and tending plants and performing other general labor; Worked on a landscape or construction crew; Other work experience, paid or unpaid, that demonstrates an ability to learn and perform the work of this position.

Examples of specialized experience includes: Work in the conservation, regulation, and use of public or federally controlled lands for grazing. Range research activities. Work in the operation of a livestock ranch or in assisting in the management or preservation of lands comparable to the public range. Range or forest fire control, prevention, or suppression work.

GS-05: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-4; OR successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science (no more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable); OR combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Examples of specialized experience includes: Conducted routine tests and inspections using work methods and techniques that were well-established and common to rangeland management functions. Performed crew-based rangeland management support work such as the installation of boundary and drift fences, water developments, implementation of re-vegetation projects, or the treatment of noxious weeds. Performed procedural assignments in support of rangeland management programs or projects where methods and techniques were well-established.

GS-06: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) OR one full year of directly related graduate education.

Examples of specialized experience include: Work in the conservation, regulation, and use of public or Federally controlled lands for grazing. Range research activities. Work in the operation of a livestock ranch or in assisting in the management or preservation of lands comparable to the public range. Range or forest fire control, prevention, or suppression work.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: The work ranges from sedentary when completing duties in the office to frequent field work requiring a considerable amount of walking, riding, stooping, bending, and lifting.

Work Environment: Office work is performed in adequately lighted, heated, and air conditioned offices. Much of the time is spent in the field where exposure to extremes of heat and cold, rough terrain, insects, snakes, and other hazards are common. The employee will carefully adhere to all safety procedures to mitigate hazards encountered.

Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.

Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7.