USDA Tree Climber Leader
Department
epartment Of Agriculture
Agency:Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Job Announcement Number:24PQ-2013-0153
SALARY RANGE:
$18.77 to $21.89 / Per Hour
OPEN PERIOD:
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 to Wednesday, August 28, 2013
SERIES & GRADE:
WL-5001-05
POSITION INFORMATION:
Full Time - Term, not to exceed 13 months; may be extended up to 4 years.
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:
05
DUTY LOCATIONS:
1 vacancy - Worcester, MA, USView Map
WHO MAY APPLY:
This announcement is open to all United States citizens.
JOB SUMMARY:
Relocation expenses will not be paid. This position serves the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Asian Longhorned Beetle Program (ALB). The incumbent will deal with the protection of American agriculture and natural resources from endemic and exotic pests and with enhancing the competitiveness of American agricultural exports.
You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. MRP offers an array of occupations and is committed to diversity in the workplace. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team!
This is a term appointment not to exceed 13 months. (Appointment may be extended up to 4 years without reannouncing.) For more details click: Term Appointments
APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response
KEY REQUIREMENTS
U.S. Citizenship
DUTIES:
Back to top
The duties may include, but are not limited to:
•Climbs trees to inspect for pests, collects pest and environmental samples, and places objects simulating pest injury to measure quality assurance of inspections performed by federal, state, and local staff and contractors.
•Coordinates the daily work assignments of climbers assigned to the program and from other federal agencies.
•Maintains current knowledge and answers questions of other workers on procedures, policies, written instructions, and other directives.
•Inspects the climbing equipment of ALB staff and other federal agency climbers to ensure it is in good condition and meets all safety requirements.
•Operates and maintains manual and power driven equipment, including aerial lifting devices (bucket trucks), hand saws, knives, axes, and log splitters, and works in trees of varying heights using climbing ropes, saddle, and bucket truck.
•Conducts inventories of trees, identifying trees to species, measuring diameter breast height (DBH), and recording location of trees using Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment and maps.
•Records data on paper or forms or by using an electronic data logger.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
To qualify, you must show you have had training and experience of sufficient scope and quality to provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Your answers to the vacancy specific questions must be supported by the work experience in your resume. For example, if you respond in the affirmative when questioned whether you have experience climbing trees, your resume must include this experience, mindful that experience may not be inferred by job title.
Special Conditions:
•Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with the Selective Service.
•DD214 (Member 4 Copy) or other veterans' documents required to receive veterans' preference.
•As a condition of employment, a background investigation may be required for this position.
•Subject to satisfactory completion of one-year trial period.
•Valid state driver's license required at time of hiring.
•Work outdoors in all kinds of weather and requires lifting heavy objects (up to 100 lbs.) and standing for extended periods of time.
•Poison Ivy is common in work areas; will come in contact with mosquitoes and other biting insects.
•Must wear and use all necessary safety items and equipment.
•Uses ropes and harnesses to climb to the top of trees several times per day. Trees may vary in size from 15 to 100 feet tall.
•May be subject to overtime, weekend tours of duty, and holiday work.
•Must attend annual tree climbing refresher training and other training necessary and appropriate for the position.
•Required to undergo, satisfactorily pass, and subsequently retain an agency-provided tree climber certification consisting of knowledge and proficiency test.
•Must be able to provide tree climbing instruction as an instructor.
•As a condition of employment, will be required to take and pass a physical exam (at government expense) within 10 working days of entrance on duty.
•Will be paid an environmental differential at the rate of 25% of base pay for any day trees where he/she climbs trees to a height that exceeds 50 feet.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
•Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. Your resume must support that you meet the specialized experience requirements described above and are proficient in the following skills or competencies below. Please note you are not required to provide specific narrative responses to the skills and competencies described in this section. •Ability to work independently, make decisions, plan operations, and show job responsibility
•Knowledge of tree identification and tree climbing and use of measuring instruments
•Ability to interpret instructions and specifications other than blue prints
•Ability to use and maintain tools and equipment
•Dexterity and safety
•Ability to lead or supervise
•Category rating procedures will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. The following quality categories will be used: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Within each quality category, veterans' preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veterans.
•Your final category placement will be based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Please ensure your resume provides enough detail to support your responses.
•If, after reviewing your resume and / or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score can / will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you.
To preview questions please click here.
BENEFITS:
Eligibility for employee benefits depends on your type of appointment and your tour of duty (work schedule). Generally, you must be hired on a permanent basis and have a regular full or part-time work schedule. For more information on potential benefits, go to: Federal Employee Benefits
OTHER INFORMATION:
For information regarding CTAP eligibility for displaced Federal employees click: Career Transition Assistance Programs
•More than one selection may be made if another vacancy occurs within 90 days of the issuance of the certification of eligibles.
•Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
•For information on filing a complaint of discrimination, click: Filing a Complaint
HOW TO APPLY:
A complete on-line application will require the submission of the following:
•Resume
•Responses to the vacancy specific questions (you will be prompted to complete these questions during the online application process)
•Supporting Documentation which may be required (see links under Required Documents for more information)
For instructions on using the on-line system click: APPLYING ON-LINE
For instructions on submitting documents click: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
Click on the following links to see if the supporting documentation is applicable to you:
•College Transcripts or List of Coursework - MUST be English (Key Requirement and/or Education Substitution)
•Foreign Degree Evaluation (Key Requirement and/or Education Substitution)
•DD-214 (Member 4 Copy) and other Veterans' documents (Veterans Preference)
•ICTAP/CTAP eligibility documentation (Displaced Employees)
Critical Submission Requirements and Reminders
•Help in applying online is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time at the number listed in the Contact information section.
•All application materials and supplemental documentation will be accepted until midnight Eastern Time on the closing date.
•Application and supporting documentation will not be accepted via e-mail.
•Due to the high volume of applicants, we are unable to confirm receipt of supporting documentation. If faxing, you should retain confirmation of a successful fax transmission including the number of pages successfully transmitted as proof of submission.
•If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the human resources office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must fax and/or upload both the old document and the new document.
•Applicants who cannot apply on-line must request a hard copy application packet from the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement. Resumes and/or supporting documentation alone will not be considered without the inclusion of a hard copy application packet.
AGENCY CONTACT INFO:
DO NOT EMAIL DOCUMENTS
Phone: 612-336-3326
Fax: 612-336-3560
Email: Mary.L.Kubow@aphis.usda.gov
Agency Information:
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
100 N 6th Street, Butler Sq Bldg, 510C
Minneapolis, MN
55403
US
Fax: 612-336-3560
Department
epartment Of AgricultureAgency:Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Job Announcement Number:24PQ-2013-0153
SALARY RANGE:
$18.77 to $21.89 / Per Hour
OPEN PERIOD:
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 to Wednesday, August 28, 2013
SERIES & GRADE:
WL-5001-05
POSITION INFORMATION:
Full Time - Term, not to exceed 13 months; may be extended up to 4 years.
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:
05
DUTY LOCATIONS:
1 vacancy - Worcester, MA, USView Map
WHO MAY APPLY:
This announcement is open to all United States citizens.
JOB SUMMARY:
Relocation expenses will not be paid. This position serves the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Asian Longhorned Beetle Program (ALB). The incumbent will deal with the protection of American agriculture and natural resources from endemic and exotic pests and with enhancing the competitiveness of American agricultural exports.
You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. MRP offers an array of occupations and is committed to diversity in the workplace. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team!
This is a term appointment not to exceed 13 months. (Appointment may be extended up to 4 years without reannouncing.) For more details click: Term Appointments
APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response
KEY REQUIREMENTS
U.S. Citizenship
DUTIES:
Back to top
The duties may include, but are not limited to:
•Climbs trees to inspect for pests, collects pest and environmental samples, and places objects simulating pest injury to measure quality assurance of inspections performed by federal, state, and local staff and contractors.
•Coordinates the daily work assignments of climbers assigned to the program and from other federal agencies.
•Maintains current knowledge and answers questions of other workers on procedures, policies, written instructions, and other directives.
•Inspects the climbing equipment of ALB staff and other federal agency climbers to ensure it is in good condition and meets all safety requirements.
•Operates and maintains manual and power driven equipment, including aerial lifting devices (bucket trucks), hand saws, knives, axes, and log splitters, and works in trees of varying heights using climbing ropes, saddle, and bucket truck.
•Conducts inventories of trees, identifying trees to species, measuring diameter breast height (DBH), and recording location of trees using Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment and maps.
•Records data on paper or forms or by using an electronic data logger.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
To qualify, you must show you have had training and experience of sufficient scope and quality to provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Your answers to the vacancy specific questions must be supported by the work experience in your resume. For example, if you respond in the affirmative when questioned whether you have experience climbing trees, your resume must include this experience, mindful that experience may not be inferred by job title.
Special Conditions:
•Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with the Selective Service.
•DD214 (Member 4 Copy) or other veterans' documents required to receive veterans' preference.
•As a condition of employment, a background investigation may be required for this position.
•Subject to satisfactory completion of one-year trial period.
•Valid state driver's license required at time of hiring.
•Work outdoors in all kinds of weather and requires lifting heavy objects (up to 100 lbs.) and standing for extended periods of time.
•Poison Ivy is common in work areas; will come in contact with mosquitoes and other biting insects.
•Must wear and use all necessary safety items and equipment.
•Uses ropes and harnesses to climb to the top of trees several times per day. Trees may vary in size from 15 to 100 feet tall.
•May be subject to overtime, weekend tours of duty, and holiday work.
•Must attend annual tree climbing refresher training and other training necessary and appropriate for the position.
•Required to undergo, satisfactorily pass, and subsequently retain an agency-provided tree climber certification consisting of knowledge and proficiency test.
•Must be able to provide tree climbing instruction as an instructor.
•As a condition of employment, will be required to take and pass a physical exam (at government expense) within 10 working days of entrance on duty.
•Will be paid an environmental differential at the rate of 25% of base pay for any day trees where he/she climbs trees to a height that exceeds 50 feet.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
•Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. Your resume must support that you meet the specialized experience requirements described above and are proficient in the following skills or competencies below. Please note you are not required to provide specific narrative responses to the skills and competencies described in this section. •Ability to work independently, make decisions, plan operations, and show job responsibility
•Knowledge of tree identification and tree climbing and use of measuring instruments
•Ability to interpret instructions and specifications other than blue prints
•Ability to use and maintain tools and equipment
•Dexterity and safety
•Ability to lead or supervise
•Category rating procedures will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. The following quality categories will be used: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Within each quality category, veterans' preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veterans.
•Your final category placement will be based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Please ensure your resume provides enough detail to support your responses.
•If, after reviewing your resume and / or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score can / will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you.
To preview questions please click here.
BENEFITS:
Eligibility for employee benefits depends on your type of appointment and your tour of duty (work schedule). Generally, you must be hired on a permanent basis and have a regular full or part-time work schedule. For more information on potential benefits, go to: Federal Employee Benefits
OTHER INFORMATION:
For information regarding CTAP eligibility for displaced Federal employees click: Career Transition Assistance Programs
•More than one selection may be made if another vacancy occurs within 90 days of the issuance of the certification of eligibles.
•Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
•For information on filing a complaint of discrimination, click: Filing a Complaint
HOW TO APPLY:
A complete on-line application will require the submission of the following:
•Resume
•Responses to the vacancy specific questions (you will be prompted to complete these questions during the online application process)
•Supporting Documentation which may be required (see links under Required Documents for more information)
For instructions on using the on-line system click: APPLYING ON-LINE
For instructions on submitting documents click: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
Click on the following links to see if the supporting documentation is applicable to you:
•College Transcripts or List of Coursework - MUST be English (Key Requirement and/or Education Substitution)
•Foreign Degree Evaluation (Key Requirement and/or Education Substitution)
•DD-214 (Member 4 Copy) and other Veterans' documents (Veterans Preference)
•ICTAP/CTAP eligibility documentation (Displaced Employees)
Critical Submission Requirements and Reminders
•Help in applying online is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time at the number listed in the Contact information section.
•All application materials and supplemental documentation will be accepted until midnight Eastern Time on the closing date.
•Application and supporting documentation will not be accepted via e-mail.
•Due to the high volume of applicants, we are unable to confirm receipt of supporting documentation. If faxing, you should retain confirmation of a successful fax transmission including the number of pages successfully transmitted as proof of submission.
•If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the human resources office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must fax and/or upload both the old document and the new document.
•Applicants who cannot apply on-line must request a hard copy application packet from the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement. Resumes and/or supporting documentation alone will not be considered without the inclusion of a hard copy application packet.
AGENCY CONTACT INFO:
DO NOT EMAIL DOCUMENTS
Phone: 612-336-3326
Fax: 612-336-3560
Email: Mary.L.Kubow@aphis.usda.gov
Agency Information:
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
100 N 6th Street, Butler Sq Bldg, 510C
Minneapolis, MN
55403
US
Fax: 612-336-3560
